# Searching for a wheeled underseat "personal item" that can also be carried SEPARATELY? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 11, 2016, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843 "2016-01-11T20:06:46Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 14\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/1 "2016-01-11T20:06:46Z")
Hey all, so this seems like it should be an easy thing to find… but so far, I haven’t had any luck!! Here’s the situation. I’m flying in a couple of weeks and trying to decide which bag/purse to bring as a “personal item” (NOT a carryon that would need to go in the overhead bin.) Alaska Airlines only lists the size for the carryon, NOT the personal item. ([right here.](https://www.alaskaair.com/content/travel-info/baggage/baggage-carryon.aspx) It seems to be a lot harder to find out exactly what the allowed size is for a “personal item”, but one figure I’ve seen a lot is 9 in x 10 x 17. The thing is that I would also like to get a new wheeled messenger bag for general, day to day use. the PROBLEM, though, is that it seems to be just about impossible to get a wheeled bag that will always fit into the “personal item”, has-to-fit-under-the-seat-in-front-of-you category (NOT a carryon.) So here’s the question. Is there a messenger bag/purse/laptop bag/etc that: – fits the “personal item” dimensions (9 x 10 x 17) (it can’t be larger than this-- this would NOT be a carryon but instead would be the personal item allowed in addition to the carryon) – is wheeled – but can ALSO be detached and carried separately? It seems like this is the trick to getting the bag to fit under the seat-- it has to be off the wheels. (sorry… I know I’ve repeated “a personal item and not a carryon” a lot, but when I’ve asked this question elsewhere, there’s been some confusion about this!!) Everyone on this board is so smart! 🙂 I’m sure someone knows… ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/2 "2016-01-11T20:18:28Z")
You want a purse that is on wheels that can be taken off the wheels, to fit under the seat? ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/3 "2016-01-11T20:25:19Z")
http://www.ebags.com/product/mcklein-usa/w-series-glen-ellyn-leather-detachable-wheeled-womens-154-laptop-case/71890?productid=899233"]Would something like this do? It’s a titch bigger than the specs you listed, but you can take the wheels/handle off. If you search that site under ‘wheeled laptop bag’ you’ll see other choices, and the site has lots of other filters. [I bought this bag](http://www.ebags.com/product/baggallini/alfa-laptop-bag/269341?productid=10331078) to take on a trip to Europe over the summer - it’s a bit bigger than your specs too but it fit under the seat with room to spare (these were large jets though, not the smaller planes that get used a lot for regional travel now). ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/4 "2016-01-11T20:28:02Z")
You can get [wheeled](http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_2_10?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=wheeled+luggage+carrier&sprefix=wheeled+luggage+carrier%2Caps%2C178)frames that collapse, and put whatever bag you want on them. I’ve seen some that were quite small. ---
**Author:** ![Omar\_Little](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/omar_little/32/269_2.png) [@Omar\_Little](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omar_Little)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/5 "2016-01-11T20:30:35Z")
This is supposed to fit under a seat: [Amazon.com](http://www.amazon.com/Samsonite-Wheeled-Underseater-Small-Black/dp/B00F9KE5UC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1452543720&sr=8-1&keywords=small+wheeled+bag) ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/6 "2016-01-11T20:52:48Z")
Google [“Wheeled Underseat bag”](https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS608US609&q=Wheeled+Underseat+bag) there are a bunch and some might fit in your desired super tiny size dimension. ---
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/7 "2016-01-11T22:25:28Z")
Yes, a purse/bag/messenger bag/ etc that is wheeled but can also be taken off the wheels and carried. I spent a LOT of time on the “wheeled underseat bag” Google search before this and never came up with anything that seemed guaranteed to fit under the seat no matter what. (I probably should have been more clear about that.) Particularly the aisle seat, which is where I will ALWAYS sit forever and through all subsequent lifetimes. 😉 I had ten knee operations before I was 19 years old. I’d rather be chased around by rabid wolves than sit anywhere but the aisle seat. But the point is, the aisle seat always seemed to be the big exception to the idea that a wheeled bag ON wheels would always fit under the seat. However, people would say that a more squishable bag seemed to work. Thus the idea of having this wheeled bag for everyday use, but being able to take the bag off the wheels for a plane. I found that exact Samsonite luggage cart thing before! 😛 But I always wondered if it actually looked good while hauling around a bag on it for everyday use…? the thing is that this wheeled bag is something that I would use all the time. @romansperson: the first link didn’t work. The second did, and it’s cute, but I wonder if there might be any issues with it always fitting under an aisle seat. If it isn’t filled too full, though, it might be okay… ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2016, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/8 "2016-01-11T23:17:21Z")
This might be helpful [Dimensions of the Space Under Airline Seats for major carriers](http://traveltips.usatoday.com/dimensions-space-under-airline-seats-62378.html) All are larger than your tiny 17 x 10 x 9 spec. > [@](#): > > There are two different pieces of information to consider when exploring the amount of space under airline seats. First is the amount of space, and second is the size limitation placed on carry-on baggage. Just because an item can fit under the seat of an airline seat, this does not mean that it meets the airline’s size requirement. Some airlines give exact size specifications while others only require that the luggage’s sum total of length, width and height is not larger than a given linear length. > > Delta > > The space under the seats in Delta 757-300 model plane is 20 inches wide, 17 inches deep and about 11 inches tall. Delta mandates that baggage brought into a plane’s cabin cannot be more than 22 x 14 x 9 or 45 linear inches. > > American > > The American 737-800 plane has dimensions of 20 x 17 x 11.75. American does not require baggage to be a certain size to fit under a seat, however it does mandate that baggage that goes under a seat must be 45 linear inches or less. > > Continental > > The Continental 737-800/900 model planes have a little less space available directly under the seat, but the airline allows for baggage that is a little larger, thus causing it to potentially protrude slightly from the front section under the seat. Continental allows carry-on luggage to be as large as 51 linear inches. Larger luggage may fit better in an overhead bin. > > Southwest > > Southwest Airlines flights may see less carry-on luggage than other airlines due to the fact that Southwest does not charge customers to check their luggage. The space under Southwest seats in a 737-800 are 19 inches deep, 19 inches wide and about 9.5 inches tall. Southwest carry-on baggage may not be larger than 24 x 16 x 10, but if you are bringing carry-on baggage that large, you shouldn’t expect to be able to place it under the seat. > > United > > The United 757-200 plane features an under-the-seat depth of 17 inches, a height of 10.5 inches and a width of 20 inches. United allows carry-on baggage to be no larger than 22 x 14 x 9. ---
**Author:** ![Anise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/anise/32/21721_2.png) [@Anise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anise)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/9 "2016-01-12T00:31:43Z")
> [@astro](#): > > This might be helpful > > [Dimensions of the Space Under Airline Seats for major carriers](http://traveltips.usatoday.com/dimensions-space-under-airline-seats-62378.html) > All are larger than your tiny 17 x 10 x 9 spec. I do appreciate this a lot, and I’ll bookmark it. The only problem is that a lot of people have said all bets are off in an aisle seat because of God-only-knows-what mechanical thing airlines have been known to stick under there permanently fastened to the floor. At least from what people have said, that can rule out purses or bags that are permanently affixed to wheels on a frame. I’m thinking more and more that I need a squashy bag and maybe a separate luggage cart. I just don’t know how classy that will look for hauling around every day. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/10 "2016-01-12T01:37:23Z")
A kids/small wheeled backpack is the only thing that’s going to come close to meeting your spec. Here are some [http://www.ebags.com/category/backpacks/z/small/f/rolling](http://www.ebags.com/category/backpacks/z/small/f/rolling) [http://www.ebags.com/product/j-world/lollipop-rolling-backpack-with-lunch-bag/218374?productid=10232962](http://www.ebags.com/product/j-world/lollipop-rolling-backpack-with-lunch-bag/218374?productid=10232962) 16" x 12.5" x 6" [http://www.ebags.com/product/everest/wheeled-backpack/101614?productid=10119261](http://www.ebags.com/product/everest/wheeled-backpack/101614?productid=10119261) 17" x 13" x 6" [http://www.ebags.com/product/olympia/rolling-backpack-18/97762?productid=1250951](http://www.ebags.com/product/olympia/rolling-backpack-18/97762?productid=1250951) 18" x 13" x 6" ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/11 "2016-01-12T01:41:10Z")
So, if like 1 out of 10 flights you had to put the bag in the overhead (or ask someone to help you do so), would that be the end of the world? If your bag doesn’t fit, do you have to abandon the flight or the bag? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/12 "2016-01-12T01:57:18Z")
In looking around the Samsonite referenced previously upthread is as small as it’s going to get for a useful underseat bag. Smaller than that and most manufacturers will not see the need logically to add wheels as you’re basically talking about putting wheels on something the size of a large purse. > **[Amazon.com | Samsonite Upright Wheeled Carry-On Underseater, Black, Small |...](https://www.amazon.com/Samsonite-Wheeled-Underseater-Small-Black/dp/B00F9KE5UC)** > > Buy Samsonite Upright Wheeled Carry-On Underseater, Black, Small and other Carry-Ons at Amazon.com. Our wide selection is eligible for free shipping and free returns. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/13 "2016-01-12T02:10:47Z")
> [@Anise](#): > > Yes, a purse/bag/messenger bag/ etc that is wheeled but can also be taken off the wheels and carried. > > I spent a LOT of time on the “wheeled underseat bag” Google search before this and never came up with anything that seemed guaranteed to fit under the seat no matter what. (I probably should have been more clear about that.) Particularly the aisle seat, which is where I will ALWAYS sit forever and through all subsequent lifetimes. 😉 I had ten knee operations before I was 19 years old. I’d rather be chased around by rabid wolves than sit anywhere but the aisle seat. But the point is, the aisle seat always seemed to be the big exception to the idea that a wheeled bag ON wheels would always fit under the seat. However, people would say that a more squishable bag seemed to work. Thus the idea of having this wheeled bag for everyday use, but being able to take the bag off the wheels for a plane. > > I found that exact Samsonite luggage cart thing before! 😛 But I always wondered if it actually looked good while hauling around a bag on it for everyday use…? the thing is that this wheeled bag is something that I would use all the time. > > @romansperson: the first link didn’t work. The second did, and it’s cute, but I wonder if there might be any issues with it always fitting under an aisle seat. If it isn’t filled too full, though, it might be okay… Sorry! [Here’s the fixed link for you](http://www.ebags.com/product/mcklein-usa/w-series-glen-ellyn-leather-detachable-wheeled-womens-154-laptop-case/71890?productid=899233). They have a number of similar products if this particular one doesn’t suit. I LOVE the bag in the second link in my first post - as I said there, I took it on a Europe trip and it was filled quite full - but I didn’t have any trouble at all fitting it under the seat with room to spare. And I was in an aisle seat. Regional jets are going to be more variable, though - I know some of those have much less storage space overall since they are so much smaller. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2016, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/searching-for-a-wheeled-underseat-personal-item-that-can-also-be-carried-separately/742843/14 "2016-01-12T02:19:59Z")
Here is a little bigger one with mostly really good reviews. You aren’t going to find something that will fit under every possible seat but I don’t think that is as big a problem as you assume. You can usually gate check your larger carry-on for free if the plane simply doesn’t have enough space. The flight attendants can also assist with storing it somewhere if you are a little over. The airlines are brutal in general but I have never seen them give many hassles about under the seat carry-on’s that were just a little too big for the plane. The reviews for this one say it fits under the seat of the majority of larger airliners. > **[Amazon.com | Travelon Wheeled Underseat Carry-on with Back-up Bag in Quilted...](https://www.amazon.com/Travelon-Wheeled-Underseat-Microfiber-Chocolate/dp/B003DIFBA0)** > > Buy Travelon Wheeled Underseat Carry-on with Back-up Bag in Quilted Microfiber, Onyx, One Size and other Carry-Ons at Amazon.com. Our wide selection is eligible for free shipping and free returns.