Travel Tips

We hope these "Travel Tips" will be beneficial to you! These are suggestions to make your journey easier, safer, and more enjoyable. We have a travel specialist on staff, so please call us toll free 1-888-584-4968 or e-mail: villugg@optimum.net if we can help! We can advise you on the many questions you have before your trip. We also know which products are scheduled for special pricing or which are being discontinued. We can explain RFID blocking and checkpoint friendly, and what they will mean to you! We'll let you know what "over-sized" means and what "linear" is when it comes to the size of carry on luggage! We can advise you on what to take on board and what not to bring on! We hope these Travel Tips help you to have meaningful adventures and safe and enjoyable trips!

Smaller Carry-On Size?
It would be smart to check with the airlines you are flying as they are trying to enforce smaller size carry on luggage. Delta, American and United seem to be getting strict about the 22" x 14" x 9" size. USA Today advises that Air China, Lufthansa, Avianca, Emirates, and other international airlines are enforcing a 21.5" x 13.5" x 7.5" carry on size. To keep the luggage slimmer, try not to pack the outside pocket and it may meet the 7.5 depth. Don't expand the bag either unless you want to send it through as baggage.

Airline Carry-On Acceptable Sizes:

Aer Lingus: 21" x 15" x 9"

AeroMexico: 22" x 14" x 9"

Air Canada: 21.5" x 15.5" x 9"

Air France: 21.5" x 13.5" x 9"

Air New Zealand: 46 total linear inches

AirTran Airways: 24" x 16" x 10"

Alaska Airlines: 24" x 17" x 10"

Alitalia: 21.5" x 13.5" x 9"

All Nippon Airways: 22" x 16" x 10"

American Airlines: 22" x 14" x 9"

British Airways: 22" x 18" x 10"

Cathay Pacific: 22" x 14" x 9"

Delta Airlines: 22" x 14" x 9"

El Al: 22" x 18" x 10"

Frontier Airlines: 24" x 16" x 10"

Hawaiian Airlines: 22" x 14" x 9"

IATA: 21.5" x 13.5" x 7.5"

Icelandair: 21.6" x 15.7" x 7.8"

Japan Airlines: 22" x 16" x 10"

JetBlue Airways: 24" x 16" x 10"

KLM: 21.5" x 13.5" x 10"

Korean Air: 21.4" x 16" x 7.5"

Lufthansa: 22" x 16" x 9"

Philippine Airlines: 45 total linear inches

Qantas Airways: 45 total linear inches

Saudi Arabian Airlines: 22" x 18" x 10"

Scandinavian Airlines: 22" x 16" x 9"

Singapore Airlines: 45 total linear inches

SkyWest Airlines: 22" x 14" x 9"

Southwest Airlines: 24" x 16" x 10"

Spirit Airlines: 22" x 18" x 10"

Sun Country Airlines: 22" x 14" x 9"

Thai Airways: 22" x 18" x 10"

United Airlines: 22" x 14" x 9"

US Airways: 22" x 14" x 9"

Virgin America: 24" x 16" x 10"

Virgin Atlantic: 22" x 14" x 9"

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Total linear inches are height, plus length, plus width

Pack neatly in case they need to go through your carry on luggage - it will make getting through security easier.

Know Your Luggage Warranty!
When purchasing luggage, it is important to know your warranty and what it covers. Many of the "limited lifetime" warranties do exclude airline or cruiseline damage. This is commonly called "common carrier" damage. You would be responsible for the repair costs, or you would need to make a claim. Read the warranty on the hang tag or look for the information inside the luggage carefully. You need to know what is covered when you compare different brands.

Airlines require that you make the claim while at the airport, usually within 24 hours. You'll have to locate the booth at the airport and make the claim. If you have insurance, you would need to make an insurance claim. While the luggage can often be repaired, there is usually a charge. The claim should cover the damage and the charges. Some of the warranties are "unconditional" for a specified amount of time. The Tumi warranty covers everything during the first year. You should always hold on to your receipts as that is required when making a warranty claim with the manufacturer. Briggs & Riley has a "simple as that" warranty. This covers airline or common carrier damages. Their warranty is lifetime, and once again, you need your proof of purchase. Some companies have a different warranty for a specific collection. We do show luggage warranties on our site, with the information on how to follow up on the warranty. Look your luggage over carefully before leaving the airport or cruise. If it is damaged, or shows signs of having been opened make sure there is nothing missing. It is best to make these claims at once. The carriers know you are tired and just want to get home, but unless you don't mind taking care of the damages yourself, in most cases you'll need to make the claim immediately!

Luckily, luggage is built to take the abuse of travel and there are fewer repairs on the popular brands! It is also possible, that because size and weight is now limited by the airlines, there is less damage! If your bag does need a repair, take care of it before it becomes a big problem. Many of the luggage companies have several repair facilities within each area.

When It Comes To Luggage, Size Matters!
When you are packing for overnight travel, a lightweight duffel or smaller wheeled carry on is ideal. These sizes can be taken on board most domestic airlines, making them efficient and the easiest way to travel. You can easily use a standard 21" - 22" carry on when going away for a trip of up to five days. You are also permitted to bring your briefcase, handbag or tote with you. One bag for overhead and one for under the seat in front of you is the usual rule. When going away for five to ten days, the medium size or 25" - 26" luggage is the best. This size is also the best for European travel where the automobiles are smaller. Pack efficiently. Try to stay with one or two color schemes to cut down on shoes. Bring smaller sized toiletries and cosmetics. The large sized 28" - 30" size is designed for two weeks or longer. When going on a cruise, you tend to pack more because you see the same people over and over. On longer trips when taking a larger piece, you are still permitted to bring carry on luggage. You'll have more than enough packing room for all of your trips! Keep in mind that most of the European based companies, like Antler and Lipault, measure from the wheels to the top of the carry handle. Their size description includes the wheels and handle. Companies that are domestic based like Travelpro and Delsey, only measure the bag. So when comparing the sizes of different brands, keep this in mind. My husband & I recently went to Ireland for eight days. We each took a carry on bag and a large tote. We had more than enough clothes and accessories with us. It was summer, but Ireland gets cool at night so we did bring jackets and sweaters too. Plan well, and you'll be amazed at how easily you can pack everything you need in the correct size. You don't want to take a large bag that is not packed to capacity, as everything will roll around and wrinkle!

Smart Ideas When Traveling
These are some suggestions to make your trip go more smoothly. Most are common sense, but sometimes you may overlook these good ideas! Always be sure to have a baggage tag on all of your items. Your luggage probably has a top and side handle, so put tags on both of these handles. It may protect your bag from being taken in error. Plus, you never know which direction the bag will come down on the baggage carousel. Be sure your briefcase, laptop case, handbag, tote bag, garment bag, etc., have a tag also. We include a FREE leather baggage tag with your luggage purchase from www.villageluggage.com. We also monogram this tag with your initials for quick identification. Additionally, put a business card or card with your information inside each bag. Be sure the card has your name, address and phone number as well as cell phone number. When going through airport security, put everything inside your tote bag or carry on. Don't let your items go through the conveyer belt before you're ready to walk through security. Loose items tend to stray. Before checking out of your hotel room, do a quick search of the room and bathroom. You'll often leave something behind accidentally and a quick check helps. Take your hotel key card home with you and cut it up at home. Many times these key cards hold a wealth of information that you don't want compromised. Best of all, relax, and have a great trip!

Carry On Convenience
When you look at the figures released by the U.S. Department of Transportation on fees collection by the airlines for checked baggage, you quickly realize why carry on luggage is so convenient. The airlines collected 3.4 billion dollars in 2010. That a lot of money for overweight baggage and checked bags. Many travelers feel that carry ons will save them money along with time they would have spend waiting at the baggage carousels. These bags have proven to be one of the most popular pieces because of this. Extremely lightweight, and soft-sided, the Lipault carry on bags can easily fit in most overhead compartments. The soft-sided construction can be pushed and maneuvered into the crowded overhead area. There is no structured frame so it fits most everywhere. The bag is available in two wheeled models or four wheeled models. The two wheeled model can actually fold down flat for storage. This size comes in a clear plastic PVC storage bag. The four wheeled models allow you the convenience of rolling in any direction even along side you. Carry ons packed efficiently can hold from one day to a week of travel. Remember, you can also take a "personal" bag that will need to fit underneath the seat in front of you. Spirit Airlines has announced that they will now be charging for carry on luggage. However, they will allow a personal bag to be carried on at no charge. The size of the personal bag must be 16" x 14" x 12" to qualify. Roomier than it sounds, this wheeled personal bag or tote bag avoids fees. You are also permitted on Spirit Airlines an umbrella, camera bag, diaper bag, reading material, a coat and food. Luckily, the Travelpro Platinum Magna rolling carry on tote fits the bill for the airline. This SALE priced rolling carry on tote will hold your essentials. It has a large outside pocket and a generous interior. There's also a padded laptop pocket inside. The in-line skate wheels allow you to push or pull the Travelpro Magna SALE deluxe rolling tote along to your destination. At a lightweight 8.4 pounds, the wheeled tote is a pleasure to use. There's also a side accessory pocket. It is made of 1682D ballistic nylon with protective coating to resist moisture and soil. You can choose from their Sienna or Traditional Black colors.

Don't Lose Your Luggage!
While these hints cannot guarantee that your luggage won't get lost, they will help to alleviate the problem of lost baggage. Anyone who has seen the new travel channel "Baggage Battles" knows lost bags have no identification. So first and most important, make sure you have a baggage tag on your bag showing your name, address and a phone number. Your cell phone number allows the airlines to find you if when you're traveling. If you don't want to give your home address, use your business address or the address of a friend or relative. Most pieces of luggage have a top lift handle and a side lift handle. Put a tag on both of these handles so you have identification showing no matter which way your bag comes down the baggage carousel. If one tag is lost, you have a backup! If your suitcase has a monogram area, have your initials put on the bag permanently. Tumi luggage has a monogram area for this purpose. Additionally, put a card inside your suitcase showing your name, address, and phone number if the tags go missing. You can also put your cell phone number so the airlines can reach when you're traveling. Be sure to remove old tags and bar codes from your bag. The airlines may read the information from your last trip, instead of the new information they should be reading! You may want to show everyone that you were in Paris last year, but you don't want your luggage to end up in Paris this year when you're going to Mexico! Some brands like Knomo and Tumi have a global recovery system. There is a registration number in your luggage that the manufacturer will keep track of and they will assist you if the bag is lost. These programs only work if you register your bag! Airlines have gotten better at keeping track, but you need to follow the simple guidelines outlined above for efficiency! Remember, villageluggage.com includes a FREE leather baggage tag monogrammed with your initials with your luggage purchase!

What Oversized and Overweight Means!
When it comes to luggage, the majority of the airlines now have a charge for oversized as well as for overweight bags. There is usually a charge for a checked bag with most of the airlines. However, they also will charge an additional amount for an oversized or overweight bag. What does this mean? Most of the airlines use 62 linear inches for the size of your checked bag. When your baggage goes over these dimensions, it is considered oversized and is subject to an additional charge. Linear inches are determined by adding the height, width and depth of the bag. You'll find that newer pieces conform to this size. Many of the older pieces are oversized. They were 32", 31" or 31" tall to begin with as well as wider and deeper. There are still some oversized duffels being manufactured because students will travel by car and want "big!" If you travel by plane, it's time to donate or recycle the old baggage if you don't want to pay these additional charges!

Overweight bags are also subject to an additiional charge by most of the airlines. Many of them have a fifty pound weight restriction. Even if you go over this weight by a few pounds, you will probably be charged. I'm sure you have seen travelers giving away clothing at the airport as they try to lighten their case. Many of the older pieces ran sixteen to twenty pounds empty! That's heavy! Today, manufacturers have lightened the load as travelers have requested. Lipault luggage is a new brand to the U.S. It has become extrememly popular because it is so light in weight. None of the pieces go over the size restriction, and they usually stay easily within the weight restriction imposed by the airlines. At www.villageluggage.com Lipault ships FREE of charge. We also include your initials FREE on a bag tag.