we just did Easyjet to Venice and I was expecting to have to cram my handbag into my cabin bag, but dh realised we had speedy boarding... SB on boarding passes, this means two bags each and a queue of your own next to the rest of the hoipolloi passengers, on the bus first, and up the front stairs to the plane ;)
Then he got an email about checking the bags in and going hands free, so we did that for a tenner, we rocked up, dumped bags at handsfree kiosk and tootled off !
Security was a doddle with just my handbag and no cabin bag :o
We obviously had to wait at the other end for bag claim, but they said our bags would be off super quick and they really were. Flight was jam packed too with the Scottish Women's Rugby Team and they had MAHOOSIVE bags so we thought we'd be hanging about.
Return was the same ...rugger laydeez also on same flight again, and carousel was also signed for two other flights and hugely busy, but our flight's bags were out first. The Budapest and Dublin lot were very dischuffed as we all had to burly in from the back to get our bags :o
Also because flight was super busy, on the way out they announced free hold baggage option as they announced the gate if you wanted to do it.
So check your boarding passes, you might have the option of cabin plus handbag already.
I am going to make dh take his manbag in future, it really is helpful instead of him patting his coat pockets every five seconds for his wallet/phone/headphones/kindle 