Hey guys, I'm travelling to Norway with BA sometime next week and I was wondering if anyone has checked in a rucksack with an internal frame? I've just purchased the Osprey Atmos 35 and I'm just wondering if it's safe to check in. I'm afraid the baggage handlers / machinery will rip the straps or destroy/dent the frame. Alternatively, I'm thinking of getting a super light bag to check in and carry the Atmos as a carry-on. Hope to hear from your collective wisdom. Thanks guys.. Jo
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I cant comment on what the BA baggage handlers might do to your Osprey. Most 35 litre sacs are fine as cabin baggage and fit within the standard dimensions. My 35 litre sac (not an Osprey) has never been challenged by any airline.
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Ring the airline and ask for their guidance....not only may you fall foul off the national regulations but you may also have the airlines regs to contend with (says he who had an interesting experience a couple of weeks ago with Easyjet)
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I wouldn't trust the ally frame of the Atmos to baggage mis-handlers!
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I have a large military kit bag which I put my pack for the flight, it stops them grabbing 'any old strap' / discourages rummaging / protects from dirt. Cunningly (actually completely by accident) it looks locked but actually isn't. Often it can be left at a hotel etc for most of the trip on the other side. Cost me £5
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 I often fly with rucksacks.
You must make sure that you tidy and tie up all straps tightly so they cannot get caught in machinery. And try not to let the rucksack go down the normal baggage path. Take them to the outsize baggage checkin. The checkin staff will normally be happy for you to do this.
I've just come back from Nice, where I asked to do this, but the beautiful and elegant French checkin woman gazed haughtily at me over her perfect nose and said 'No, here at Nice we have no problems with rucksacks'. (my admiration for this female french haughtiness has led to me having two half-french children)
The rucksack arrived fine.
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Just in view of comments over locking.
Don't lock any baggage passing through the USA.
The folks there will unashamedly break the case open, and leave a little slip inside marked www.tsa.gov , explaining why the USA is far more in danger of terrorist attack than, say, Lebanon, or Afghanistan, or Nicaragua, where they don't feel the need to smash locked luggage to pieces.
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 A Sakbag air is what you want: light, strong, keeps your rucksack safe from the baggage handlers (remember it's the handlers at the start and destination ends you have to worry about, so while the folks in Nice might be nice to your bag, the folks at Gatwick will do their normal...).
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Bought an Atmos 35 in the USA last month when on Holiday and brought it back as Cabin baggage no problem. Never had a problem with my Travel Rucksack because I use a Sakbag type device as described in the previous post. I have an oversize one that means I also have room for my bootbag and Trecking poles as well as Rucksack. As another post says never lock bags in or out of the USA.
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 i've travelled with BA a lot (mostly getting away with handbaggage i'm glad to say) BUT... i've had to put a rucksack in the hold quite a few times, and they've never suffered any harm. at first it was because i did as kish describes, and tucked everything away. but in the last few years they've offered to 'shrink-wrap' it for me in tough plastic. it doesn't actually compress it, but it's a fantastic protective covering. if they don't suggest it, then ask them to do it at the desk (it's free).
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That's quite reassuring..
I think I'll just order a SakBag and either store my rucksack in it or store my clothes in the sakbag and use the rucksack as a carry-on. I'm definitely not gonna risk it. Starting a hiking holiday with a broken rucksack is not the way forward. I haven't seen the Sakbag yet but I hope it's reasonably sturdy. Does it compress well? I hope it won't take up too space cause I've got to stuff it in my rucksack while hiking. Thanks for all your help and advice guys. Apprecite it lots.. Will let everyone know how it went when I'm back in a few weeks time.. Jo
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 I've checked rucksacks into the hold literally dozens of times...long & short haul; developed & developing world airports... mostly because they were the only luggage I was travelling with and contained items that couldn't go into hand luggage. My bags are all simple alpine sacks made from hardwearing materials, though. I'd be less keen if they had lots of zips & complex harness set up. I've had suitcases damaged in flights & forced open as mentioned above... but my rucksacks have so far managed unscathed. Tidy up the straps and take them down to oversize luggage. If you want to be sure then stick them in a sakbag or similar but you'd be unlucky if anything went seriously wrong. John
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 Got a bit fed up with the frame on my Osprey Aura 50L - it springs the contents too far from my back, so tied the 2 vertical bits together which improved matters. Osprey's metal tubing is very springy and coped with my abuse just fine, so have since checked it as hold luggage twice without problems. I usually carry 30m of 6mm line to self-belay myself off awkward bits of Alp, and use this to truss the thing up at airports. So far, all fine ... Cheers Judy
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I can confirm the Sakbag is sturdy and packs down well.
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 I was thinking of just clingafilming the bag at the airport before checking it in on the way out, and buying some clingafilm on the way back to do the same just to keep the straps all tucked away. as doubt the low cost flights will offer the service Totty mentioned.
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 Spam post within thread - reported to moderator
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