Flying with Hunting Pack as Personal Item, NOT Carry On

[bmejia]

I used my avial 2200 as a personal item this past summer on 4 flights, no problem. It fits pretty well under the seat.

 

[KU_Geo]

I think everyone has covered it. Hunting pack, school bag, or trash bag: they don’t care what it is as long as it fully fits underneath the seat. If it doesn’t, be prepared to pay to play. Just follow airline posted limits. Or look up the under seat storage spec for the specific model of plane you will be flying on, assuming it’s a large commercial jet.

 

[HoneyDew]

I think everyone has covered it. Hunting pack, school bag, or trash bag: they don’t care what it is as long as it fully fits underneath the seat. If it doesn’t, be prepared to pay to play. Just follow airline posted limits. Or look up the under seat storage spec for the specific model of plane you will be flying on, assuming it’s a large commercial jet.

This summarizes it as best I could. Only thing I’ll add is your boarding group. The earlier you board the more wiggle room you’ll have (still needs to fit under the seat). But come those last boarding groups they’ll look at personal and carry-ons with a more scrutinizing eye if the flight is full. I fly pretty often and I use hunting bags as both personal and carry-ons often.

 

[fwafwow]

I fly Delta a lot. Beating a dead horse, but fwiw:

1. If you board early, don’t expect special treatment on Delta. It can happen, but if the flight is full, the FAs are watching everyone carefully.
2. You are saving $40 by trying not to check another bag. I get the desire to have essentials in carryons, but you can fit a lot in a roller bag that you get to carry on.

 

[Marbles]

I fly Delta a lot. Beating a dead horse, but fwiw:

1. If you board early, don’t expect special treatment on Delta. It can happen, but if the flight is full, the FAs are watching everyone carefully.
2. You are saving $40 by trying not to check another bag. I get the desire to have essentials in carryons, but you can fit a lot in a roller bag that you get to carry on.

Yep
3. Check the roller bag and use the hunting pack as your carryon.
4. If more space is needed, get a small, lightweight duffle to be your personal item and strap it to the pack when in the airport.

 

[Acidbraker]

Not trying to beat a dead horse here, but I think most airlines use the standard 18X14X8 size as the personal item dimension.

I like the Kuiu Divide 1200 for the purpose. It's just a tad long at 18.75, but no one has given me any flak yet.

 

[Banded_spooney]

Clearly beating a dead horse here with the Avail and since your trip is past you obviously made your decision but I've used it as a personal item on many flights, including internationally, with the belt attached. Non-issue.

I would like the option of a frame as my personal item. I'm wondering if anyone has used a pop-up as a personal item. Trying to avoiding having to use my Pintler as my carry-on.

 

[Banded_spooney]

And for the record, its not in an effort to pack it full of stuff for the flight. Its so I can have a frame pack while I'm hunting without sacrificing my roller carry on. I would be putting laptop and optics inside it for the flight then compressing.

 

[V-TRAIN]

I have used the Kuiu divide 2000 under the seat on multiple trips on air planes it is 20" long. I would really like to get a pack of similar size that would haul meat, that would double as a day pack. That is the only draw back I have with the divide 2000.

 

[Kimber7man]

I use a Divide 1200 in addition to my carry on, it fits under the seat with no hassle.

 

[V-TRAIN]

I have a Kuiu pro system, I was wondering if I could fit a pro 2300 under the seat if I didn't put much in it and compressed it all the way down.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

I have a Kuiu pro system, I was wondering if I could fit a pro 2300 under the seat if I didn't put much in it and compressed it all the way down.

I fly with my 3600 all the time, but it goes in the overhead.

 

[V-TRAIN]

I just want to be able to get it under my seat.
I have a SKB double bow/double gun case, between that and my roll on bag, I can get all my gear in those 2. I have only been putting my toiletries (toothbrush, etc) and hat in my kuiu divide 2000 and compressing it way down and it has been no issue under the plane seat. I just was was wanting to be able to haul meat.
I will have to get my kuiu pro bag out and look at it. It has bee so long since I used it, I might could get the 2300 bag for it, and for the flight only, put the hip belt in my SKB case, and compress the bag way down.
I just cant remember how the shoulder harnesses connect at the bottom, if it goes to the belt, or to the frame. If I could just run it without the hip belt for the fight only, then that would work fine I know.

 

[TaperPin]

My brother in law would just bring it on board, fight with flight attendants, almost get asked to leave the plane, complain about it all flight, get a second wind and bitch about it all evening, and wake up complaining what a bitch the flight attendant was - all week long a comment about it would be slipped in here and there. Then he’d try the exact same thing on the way home. His own wife refuses to sit next to him, and I somehow never have the same flight. We’re all going to Hawaii in a few months and thank god she is paying for his checked bag out of her fun money just to not have to listen to his complaining. Lol

 

[Wrench]

Don't forget the gate check loophole, medical needs (refrigerated meds) and compression straps.

I flew 30 flights last year and saw people bring a whole ensemble of shit with them and never saw an issue. I used to fly to work ever 2 weeks and never saw an issue. I have no recent sw airline experience....but ak, united, America and delta were all easy going.

 

[Marbles]

Unless you are very short, a 20 inch frame is not going to be long enough for hauling meat.

Just ditch the wheely bag and use the pack as your primary carry on. Get a packing cube, put everything you want during the flight in it. It can ride in the pack between plans and go under the seat on them.

Wheely bags are a disgusting relic of soft, lazy societys. If I ever become Supreme Dictator I will outlaw them as carry ons.

 

[V-TRAIN]

My brother in law would just bring it on board, fight with flight attendants, almost get asked to leave the plane, complain about it all flight, get a second wind and bitch about it all evening, and wake up complaining what a bitch the flight attendant was - all week long a comment about it would be slipped in here and there. Then he’d try the exact same thing on the way home. His own wife refuses to sit next to him, and I somehow never have the same flight. We’re all going to Hawaii in a few months and thank god she is paying for his checked bag out of her fun money just to not have to listen to his complaining. Lol

 

[V-TRAIN]

I just try to only check 1 item because I have had my bow case get lost twice, my hunting clothes get lost twice, and my meat get lost once (total loss). I feel like the more I check, that's the more that can get lost, so that is why I am like I am, it is not that I am trying to avoid the fees.

 

[Elkhntr08]

My Eberlestock X2 has flown as my personal item on every flight in the past 10 years weather or not I’m hunting. Been on 6 flights so far this year and 3 were trans Atlantic.