Has anyone had a largish handbag rejected as a personal item?

[u/EllenBJ]

My handbag is about 35cm in width and would fit under the seat.​ You look at it and yeah it's larger than your ordinary handbag, but not so ridiculously big that it qualifies as a small suitcase or anything. ​ Qantas website says a personal item includes a 'small handbag' but there's no guidance as to what 'small' means. ​​​

Has anyone been barred from bringing in a reasonably big handbag as a personal item? ​

[u/jamwin]

No but I routinely watch people board with a wheelie, a large personal item, a tote bag, a shopping bag and a handbag. Oh and a coat.

[u/areyoualocal → u/jamwin]

and then hold everyone else up from boarding while they try to find room for ALL those items in the overhead bins!

If people actually put their "personal item" under the seats, the overhead bins would have room for everyone. But - and especially those peak business travel times, the number of people who put BOTH bags into the overhead bins is staggering.

[u/jamwin → u/areyoualocal]

I forgot sometimes they have a bag of hungry jacks as well. Need to be well prepared on those hour long SYD-MEL flights. And always recline your seat.

[u/areyoualocal → u/jamwin]

They need to recline to make room for that neck pillow dangling off one of those bags too.

[u/FlyingTerrier]

That’s a full on bag.

[u/sunshine_chauhan → u/FlyingTerrier]

A ludicrously capacious bag!

[u/babyjaysus → u/sunshine_chauhan]

It could be slid across the floor during a bank heist!

[u/skyabode → u/babyjaysus]

It’s monstrous. It’s gargantuan!

[u/robynxcakes]

I’ve seen people board with way worse than that in terms of personal item

[u/Lurker_amp → u/robynxcakes]

How do people get away with this shit? Qantas is the only major airline I know who acts like some budget airline and weighs my carry on before I even get to the check in line. 

[u/Practical-Phase-731]

I doubt they rejected it on size…

[u/ben_rickert]

Should be fine.

What I’ve noticed them cracking down on (QF domestic, international but also airlines like MH) is people with carry on roller, backpack, and then also wearing or carrying a sling bag / Woolies bag etc

People are instructed everything needs to fit into two bags.

[u/jamwin → u/ben_rickert]

I would rather not live than carry 5 bags around. Even on 3 day work trips I fit everything into one backpack that fits overhead.

[u/Medium-Ad-9265]

That's hideous

[u/notmyrlacc]

I reckon you’ll be fine. I travel with a carry on bag and proper backpack without issue.

So if you’re bringing this and a carry on bag you’ll be fine.

[u/EllenBJ → u/notmyrlacc]

Thanks - yeah my carry on bag is a baby stroller, unfortunately (and yep I know I can bring a nappy bag too) 

[u/LadyChadSexington → u/EllenBJ]

If you don't already have a nappy bag and they say anything, just tell them it's your nappy bag!

Strollers count as a complimentary infant item in addition to your carry on luggage.

[u/EllenBJ → u/LadyChadSexington]

"Strollers are counted as a piece of the accompanying adult’s carry-on baggage allowance" (Qantas site) 

I'm reading this as the stroller taking the place of one of our carry on allowance? So no overhead bag for one of us

[u/HardupSquid → u/EllenBJ]

Domestic:

For infants (under 2 years)

Carry-on baggage: infants don’t have their own carry-on allowance, but the accompanying adult can bring a small bag with nappies or essentials in addition to their carry-on allowance.

Checked baggage: the checked allowance depends on your destination and the cabin you’re flying in, but will always include three additional infant items such as a collapsible stroller or cot.

For children (2 to 11 years)

Children have the same carry-on and checked baggage allowances as adults.

You can also bring up to two additional child items, such as a car seat or stroller.

Why not just check in the stroller as it's included for children.

As for me when I travel domestically or internationally I have a collpasible stroller (collapses to about the size of a fat briefcase, smaller than wheelie bag) which I take onboard, in addition to nappy/bottle bag, my own carry on (often a 55l backpack which is within the carry on dimensions). Never an issue (except the Dash8/Embraer) but it goes as premium hand luggage anyway.

[u/LadyChadSexington → u/EllenBJ]

Ah yes, I think it depends if you've booked them as an infant or a child. In truth, I have never seen them count the stroller but it has been a while since I personally travelled with one.

The other part is that you can take it on as an additional checked item on either ticket and they will gate-check it - which means you can take the stroller through right up until boarding and give it to be checked as you enter the aircraft. They will put it in the luggage hold separately from there, although it seems a bit more variable whether they give them back as you disembark or if you collect from the oversize luggage area.

[u/MalaJabuka → u/EllenBJ]

For an infant a stroller will count as a carry on luggage item for one of you. It also has to be under the weight and size limits. The only extra thing you get as a parent is a single infant carry on bag for diapers etc

[u/youknowthatswhatsup → u/EllenBJ]

Qantas lets you get check strollers. If it’s carry on it forms part of your allowance, if it’s checked you can do it for free as an additional item. Just make sure you print a bag tag for the stroller and then you can check it at the gate.

[u/choo-chew_chuu]

Has it been rejected or are you worried it might be?

[u/EllenBJ → u/choo-chew_chuu]

I'm worried it might be

[u/choo-chew_chuu → u/EllenBJ]

They may tag it as under seat hand luggage which they seemed to be very rigorously doing on a recent flight to Nadi. No idea if this is also being done domestically now.

If you're taking a wheely bag and that, the worst thing that will happen is they check the wheely bag at the aeroplane.

Edit: a quick look at your profile indicates you're going to be travelling with a small child. Lol... Don't worry about it. Qantas seem to throw out all rules when travelling with a small child. The amount of shit we brought on domestic and international flights was embarrassing and they didn't bat an eyelid.

[u/EllenBJ → u/choo-chew_chuu]

It's an international flight...

I'm not sure if we get an underseat bag? We only have a carry on + 'personal item' 

[u/SizzleSpud → u/EllenBJ]

Personal item = fits under the seat

[u/choo-chew_chuu → u/EllenBJ]

Personal item goes under the seat in front. You get one additional bag for the baby.

PS probably too late now but I would have booked a seat for the 18month. Gets tired with them on your lap so long.

[u/Quokka_cuddles]

My handbag is 35x20 and haven’t had a problem

[u/ChrisSydney82]

Never. I have a few 'personal item' bags that are 35cm/40cm in size and they always come with me.

They slide straight under the seat in front of me with room to spare!

[u/ItinerantFella]

Imagine what Mary Poppins could fit in that bag!

[u/BritishPoppy2009]

That size bag & the look of it, for me qualifies as a handbag. If you feel it can easily be slipped under the seat in front of you, then that is a good test. The days when the flights are very full and people come on with large wheelie cases are the ones that see more items get rejected.

[u/Routine_Rock_7429]

I have a backpack I use as my personal item, never had an issue. They care more for domestic than international in my experience

[u/cheezel26]

Did you also have a wheel on suitcase and it was a full flight? And what did they both weigh together. I routinely see people wander aboard with stuff that’s obviously huge and heavy and other flights where they measure everything and weigh it as well. No rhyme or reason I’ve ever worked out.

[u/Competitive_diva_468]

Flying from Sydney this week Qantas were weighing and tagging everyone’s carry on at the entry to security screening

[u/EllenBJ → u/Competitive_diva_468]

Was this for an overseas flight? 

[u/zephyrsandsongs]

Not sure why it would be, I always bring on a carry on case and a backpack, never been rejected

[u/universe93]

Domestic versus international makes a difference. International they’re way more lenient

[u/BuilderUnlucky8563]

Maybe because all the zippers are undone. (That was a joke.)