Need advice about TB bag for India

[Globetrottngal]

Hi everyone,
I have a A45 and a Pilot in Halcyon. Going to India and my A45 will be too heavy for the carry-on limit of 15 lbs for the inter-India flights. I could fit all my stuff in it and not carry-on, but I am worried about the possible rough handling of my barely-used A45.

I was thinking of using one of my old roller bags as the main bag and buying a Western Flyer for the carry-on. This would work well I think, because I need to bring my laptop for work, and want to also carry-on a complete change of clothes. The roller bag won't pack as nicely as the A45 with its perfect cubes, but would withstand heavy handling and I wouldn't care if it got damaged. I would then use my SCB as my purse and the WF as the carry-on.

Any advice? Open to suggestions of different TB bags if you think they's be a better fit for this scenario.
Thanks,

[Dancingphysicist]

For what it is worth, I just got back from India. I took 4 domestic flights on Jet airways which has the 7kg limit. However it was not enforced whatsoever. My A45 weighed in over 18 pounds, and I was never once asked about it. Lots of people were bringing bags on as well without problems. They just asked if I had anything to check in, and I said no. I took my new A45 and medium Cafe bag carry on on all the flights. It is definitely more relaxed than European carriers.

Here is my A45 in the overhead bin.

[maverick]

Hi @Globetrottngal!

I have flown into DEL and ATQ for both International and Domestic flights with the Aeronaut 45, Hero's Journey and Brain Bag, and (I believe) because the bag is worn as a backpack, I don't believe that I have ever been asked to weigh the bag.

They have a greater tendency to check the weight if the bag is a roll aboard suitcase. I believe that they assume that if you're wearing it as a backpack that it must not be that heavy.

I have opted to, and also been forced to (but not due to its weight or size) check in the Aeronaut. A friend who travels with an Aeronaut 45 also checks it in for the return flight back home. It may arrive a little dirty, but it cleans up easily. You can always give it a spa treatment with a mild dish soap, and it will clean up nicely. The 1050d ballistic nylon is more abrasion resistant than 400d Halcyon. But that isn't to say that you cannot check in a 400d Halcyon Aeronaut.

DEL, and I imagine other airports in India, has a service that will shrink wrap your suitcase before you check it in. I personally have not used it, but my friend opted to do that with her Aeronaut before checking it in for the return flight one time.

[Globetrottngal]

Wow this is good to hear! I think I might try it, as long as I can carry it on my international flight SFO-BOM with Emirates. On the return flight we are stoping over in Dubai for a day, so I probably won't avail myself of the shrink wrapping, though!

[Globetrottngal]

Well, it was too good to be true, but I just double-checked Emirates website and I can carry 2 bags on board (7kg each) on my outbound flight TO India, but only 1 bag (7 kg) on my departing flight DEL-DXB, even though we are flying business class, all due to their policy of all India-departing flights restricted to 1 carry-on item.
Now I will have to check my A45 home, and pack my Pilot with my purse, change of clothes, toiletries, change of shoes etc,. for the stopover in Dubai. No way that my SCB will fit in the Pilot with my laptop, and all the rest!
Time to have a re-think!

[backpack]

We did 7 kg Halcyon A45, Tri-Star, S19 and a generic laptop bag in Europe.

I sing the praise of the Tri-Star as much as I can because of its versatility.

It can definitely pass for a briefcase, after it is unpacked with everything but the essential.
You can pack an SCB inside to use as a Packing Cube and an EDC at the destination.
I think you might be able to pack an empty Pilot as well, but I am not sure.

The Tristar is very good for organizing clothes, especially work clothes which can be kept flat and relatively wrinkle free, depending on the fabric, using the Packing Cubes.
My personal preference is to use Packing Cubes Backpack and Shoulder Bags as well as a Daylight Backpack which I color code for content, a lifesaver when tired. They also can be used on their own, as EDC, at the destination.

Sometimes, the Packing Cube Shoulder Bag with your Pilot Absolute Strap is great to have to buy local snacks, shop for a nice scarf, bring lunch at work...
The Packing Cubes and Daylight Backpacks, sometimes are just the ticket, when only a backpack will do for some sightseeing.
They also can pack into each other, so you can choose to carry either Backpack and fold the Shoulder Bag in or vice versa, if you want a smaller footprint and keeping your bag close to you

I used the Packing Cube Backpack before the Daylight Backpack was invented.

The Crew now, makes the brand new Packing Cubes with a mesh and a solid side, I don't have any experience with them.


One idea is to take the Tristar or the Western Flyer with you as well as the rollaboard on the going flight.

You place the laptop in the Pilot then in the rollaboard and remove the Pilot to place under the seat when onboard.
Or, you place that laptop in the Tristar which you place under the seat, leaving the empty Pilot inside the rollaboard.
I don't know if Emirates will let you place both the Tristar or Western Flyer and the rollaboard minus the Pilote in the overhead, it would certainly make for a more comfortable flight to only have the Pilot under the seat.

On the return flight, you can check the rollaboard with the empty Pilot and bring the Tristar or Western Flyer with the laptop on board.

When I say empty Pilot, I mean free of electronics and important papers. In the rollaboard, it can certainly be used as a Packing Cube, especially since it is in Halcyon.


I forgot to try on the Western Flyer, but the Tri-Star has the same footprint as the A45 but more rectangular.

To decide between the Western Flyer and the Tri-Star use the handy comparison tool and the numerous pictures on the product pages.
You can also do a search on "Your Photos are Needed" thread, and ask for owners of both bags to show them next to each other.

[Globetrottngal]

We did 7 kg Halcyon A45, Tri-Star, S19 and a generic laptop bag in Europe.

I sing the praise of the Tri-Star as much as I can because of its versatility.

It can definitely pass for a briefcase, after it is unpacked with everything but the essential.
You can pack an SCB inside to use as a Packing Cube and an EDC at the destination.
I think you might be able to pack an empty Pilot as well, but I am not sure.

The Tristar is very good for organizing clothes, especially work clothes which can be kept flat and relatively wrinkle free, depending on the fabric, using the Packing Cubes.
My personal preference is to use Packing Cubes Backpack and Shoulder Bags as well as a Daylight Backpack which I color code for content, a lifesaver when tired. They also can be used on their own, as EDC, at the destination.

Sometimes, the Packing Cube Shoulder Bag with your Pilot Absolute Strap is great to have to buy local snacks, shop for a nice scarf, bring lunch at work...
The Packing Cubes and Daylight Backpacks, sometimes are just the ticket, when only a backpack will do for some sightseeing.
They also can pack into each other, so you can choose to carry either Backpack and fold the Shoulder Bag in or vice versa, if you want a smaller footprint and keeping your bag close to you

I used the Packing Cube Backpack before the Daylight Backpack was invented.

The Crew now, makes the brand new Packing Cubes with a mesh and a solid side, I don't have any experience with them.


One idea is to take the Tristar or the Western Flyer with you as well as the rollaboard on the going flight.

You place the laptop in the Pilot then in the rollaboard and remove the Pilot to place under the seat when onboard.
Or, you place that laptop in the Tristar which you place under the seat, leaving the empty Pilot inside the rollaboard.
I don't know if Emirates will let you place both the Tristar or Western Flyer and the rollaboard minus the Pilote in the overhead, it would certainly make for a more comfortable flight to only have the Pilot under the seat.

On the return flight, you can check the rollaboard with the empty Pilot and bring the Tristar or Western Flyer with the laptop on board.

When I say empty Pilot, I mean free of electronics and important papers. In the rollaboard, it can certainly be used as a Packing Cube, especially since it is in Halcyon.


I forgot to try on the Western Flyer, but the Tri-Star has the same footprint as the A45 but more rectangular.

To decide between the Western Flyer and the Tri-Star use the handy comparison tool and the numerous pictures on the product pages.
You can also do a search on "Your Photos are Needed" thread, and ask for owners of both bags to show them next to each other.

These are some great ideas, Backpack! As for under the seat bag stowage, we are on the A380 in business class, so there is a place for your shoes and a place for your feet and a small purse. The Tristar/WF (and maybe even the Pilot) will be too big. EK will certainly let me put 2 bags in the overhead, though, so I'll need to give all your suggestions a think.

[Kelly S]

We're totally doing the roll-aboard with a TB bag inside when we travel in a few weeks.
The s25 is my every day "mommy bag" that holds all the stuff we need for our kid, and it's also a great traveling bag for our trans-atlantic flight. BUT we really wanted something with wheels and a handle that could accommodate our personal item sized cooler (long flight + picky eater kid + dietary restrictions for me = bringing our own food).

Putting an s25 in a carryon sized spinner makes it possible for one person to easily manage all the things we'll be bringing aboard without having to feel like a pack mule wearing a backpack and cooler bag. (Last trip we definitely were in the pack mule territory, it wasn't fun.)
It also gives us the option to have two carry-ons or a second checked bag if we need it for the return trip.

[tdivcr]

I've been to India three times on business between November 2015 and November 2017 and have taken a total of, I am guessing, 8-10 domestic flights on Indigo, Air India and SpiceJet. For all trips I carried an A45 and sometimes a smaller bag (Pilot on two occasions, maybe an s19 on a third, I don't remember). I never checked a bag, and I would not say I was underpacked. On one occasion my colleague had a US carrier legal rollaboard and he had to gate check it. I walked past with the A45 on my back. I can't say that my strategy works, but depending on the situation I carry it on my back and don't turn around too much while boarding. Or, over the shoulder. It all depends on what I judge the situation to require. Never once asked to check.

[Globetrottngal]

So I ordered a WF, a TS, and an S25. I think my husband will use the S25. I am leaning towards the WF--we both think the TS is unwieldy--and if it is the same size as my A45, I can just put the pilot in the A45 which I already own.