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Southwest Airlines Community

carry on baggage

johncardoza
Explorer C

Overhead dimensions are 16" x 24" x 10".  My item is 17" x 21" x 1".  Will it fit?  Is there any wiggle room in the dimensions given?

8 REPLIES 8

Re: carry on baggage

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

I don't know if you would be asked to check the dimensions, technically over size width - I think your item would fit physically in the bin, one inch wider than recommended but depth is less and height is low enough that you'll need to watch out for people putting items on top of it if it is fragile.

 

Other than the "will it fit?" boxes at the ticketing area I haven't seen Southwest gate agents running around with tape measures. I'd say go for it.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: carry on baggage

johncardoza
Explorer C

Thanks for the reply.  It is fragile-a glass picture frame.  But, if it doesn't fit, I can't check it

as baggage as it would most likely be damaged.  Consequently, I can't risk it not fitting.  I am

trying to figure out how to get the actual dimensions of the overhead bins.  I believe SW flies the Boeing 737-700 but haven't found any specs on the bins on-line.  Anyone have any suggestions or know a SW employee who could actually measure the dimensions? Only the depth of the bin needed since I am only 1" over.

Re: carry on baggage

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

@johncardozaI just saw a post by @franktravel on another thread that allows a fragility exception, so you should be good. I accidentally closed that window so I don't have the link. It definitely fits as the depth is the largest of the allowances, you were only over the width specification.

 

Do keep an eye out if you put it in an empty bin that someone doesn't damage it putting their items on top.

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: carry on baggage

johncardoza
Explorer C

Thank you again for the reply.  My longest dimension is 21" so it should meet the depth requirement of 24" (which SW calls the length of the baggage).  But their width dimension is 16" which is an inch smaller than my width dimension of 17".  I don't see why it couldn't fit since these overhead bins carry several bags in one compartment.  Or, am I missing something?

Re: carry on baggage

DancingDavidE
Aviator A

I think the width limitation is practical to get multiple bags into one standard overhead bin, four-wide on a 737-700, or six wide on 737-800. Yours will fit, and if someone else puts a "skinny" bag in there, it will still be four wide, if not it will just be three.

 

People bring bags that don't fit all the time though and stuff them in sideways taking up extra room, I'd just hate for you to be the guy that gets singled out. Since you have the fragile exception, you'll be fine, and most likely no one will question it anyway.

 

David

 

Home airport MDW, frequent visitor to MCO to see the mouse.

Re: carry on baggage

johncardoza
Explorer C

Many thanks.  I will take my 17 x 21 inch photo frame on board and hope for the best.

Re: carry on baggage

LindseyD
Retired Community Manager

@johncardoza,

 

You've received some great advice in this thread. I'll add one more suggestion - plan to arrive at the airport early enough that you can have a conversation with one of the Employees at the gate. Our Employees are known for being compassionate and providing great Customer Service, so if you allow enough time for a conversation, they'll likely do everything they can to accommodate you and your fragile item. Hope all works out for the best! 

 

Re: carry on baggage

spacecoastbill
Frequent Flyer B

Even with a completely full flight, gate agents allow full size luggage that is much larger then the published carry on maximum size.  They just let these people to put these bags in sideways.  The bad thing is that this means that others may not have room for their carry on bags (that need to be put in wheels first) that meet the airlines carry on size requirements.  The orange bag in this photo is within the carry on size limits.  The green bag was obviously way too large to fit in the bin wheels first, and you could see it was way too large to fit in the overhead the way it was supposed to but the gate agents let it slide.20171218_121026_resized.jpg