Good handbag for long haul flight?

[Salome61]

Hello, I've just bought a 30L Cabin Metz as my cabin hand luggage, I'll be putting my large suitcase in the hold.

I'm travelling alone to NZ and I did look at the 44L Cabin Max but I'm 66 and short, I wasn't sure I'd manage it.

I'm going with Singapore Airlines for the first time and am having trouble on deciding on a handbag. I'm connecting through BA and their size limit is 40 mm x 30 mm x 15 mm. My daughter said to take a tiny bag in my hand luggage and take it out when I board, so I've got more room - it's 12 hours to Singapore.

Has anyone found a handbag that 'worked'? Not sure how big the seat pockets are, but will want access to my kindle and water. Handbag will have to go under the seat in front or back in the backpack.

I use à Kipling bag as my 'only' hand-luggage on long haul flights - they weigh virtually nothing when empty and are incredibly durable with millions of pockets.
Maybe a smallish Kipling inside your larger bag, in which you can put essentials, to take out when you reach your seat and stash under the seat in front?

Thanks HighlandsButterfly, I've just been on ebay looking at Kipling, I think that is the perfect solution! I'll get one where I can remove the crossbody strap during the journey. Keep your fingers crossed I get an aisle seat, I have a dread of being stuck in the middle or against the window! Night night and thank you.

I always take a drawstring bag on board which has in it my Kindle, pen, puzzle book, water, headphones and anything else I might need in my seat. I board with this in my cabin bag then take it out when I board, before putting my cabin bag in the overhead locker. I also have a small handbag with my passport, boarding pass in it. I pop my handbag in the drawstring bag for take off (having removed my Kindle & water and put them in the seat pocket first) and this then sits nicely under the seat in front of me.

I think you've misunderstood the BA allowance, they allow a hand bag at that size which goes under the seat in front of you plus a cabin bag at 56 x 45 x 25cm too

I have a bag I bought from Primark with many pockets and zips, that works really well as nothing fulls out and it slides under the set in front. I have the plastic bag with toiletries, a few tea bags, various socks, phone, water, glasses etc in different sections.

@Salome61 can you not prebook your seats, I also hate middle and window seats.
My under seat bag of choice is a Longchamp pilage, which I take along with a wheeled cabin case. My handbag for travel is a Kipling Alvar.

I use a Longchamp Le Pliage too.

What compartments does the Le Pliage have and is it comfortable on the shoulder?

Another vote for the Le Pliage. My most useful bag. It's been a hand luggage bag, changing bag, work bag and overnight bag and still going strong.

Longchamp le pliage bag. Reasonably smart, useful at destination (e.g. as a beach bag), folds down if needed, easy to rummage in as opens wide. Doesn't have many pockets (just slim ones at the sides for holding things like keys or very small items). I stick a zipped pouch inside for holding small bits like makeup, paracetamol etc and that does me well, lots of space leftover for things like a cardigan, passport / documents, water bottle, kindle, snacks etc.

I’ve just googled it, you can buy an organiser to go in it. I’m getting one as have a lot of long haul flights coming up.

Le Pilage here too. I put mine on top of my carry on case and wheel it but it’s comfortable on the shoulder too.

This 👆🏻

You can take 2 pieces of hand luggage on all BA flights, so your handbag doesn't need to go inside your larger bag.

For travel I prefer quite a structured bag with various pockets, easy and fast to find things you need and slide under a seat without 'expanding' and taking up all the space!

The Mia tui jennie is a good organiser bag that fits under the seat in front.

However, I do as a pp suggests - I have a Kipling vanity case bag with my flight essentials inside (kindle, glasses, medication, drink etc) that I take out of my hand luggage to keep with me during the flight. In the past I've shortened the straps & hung it from the coat hook by the window or the tray clip so I can access it easily.

Thank you, having a look at your suggestions today :)

Have a look at the Roka bags too - weatherproof and with padded pocket for tablet, as well as other pockets. Very practical and will easily fit under the seat.

They have a lucky dip sale on just now - there’s a whole thread on it:

www.mumsnet.com/talk/style_and_beauty/4711435-roka-sample-sale?page=5&reply=122876825

Le Pliage for me too. They're excellent.

I have this style of overnight bag from Kipling that doubles up as my beach bag. www.kipling.com/uk-en/bags-c10544/art-m-etched-posie-ki31370ps00-999.html

I then take a small leather crossbody Coach bag to have phone purse and passport close, I then use it for evenings. If I fly with a “1 bag only’ airline I put the one in the other to go onboard.

Which type.of.KIPLING bags are people using please?

I like Kipling but there are so many different ones

I will be travelling BA too

I've also got the Kipling that @Katkincake has linked to, I use it for one day business trips, rather than overnight. What I love about Kipling bags is the vast number of pockets, but the Art M is a bit more limited, being a large tote. So I got this organiser which fits in nicely and means that stuff is much easier to find.

One thing I've always been tempted to try (since losing an expensive pair of headphones on a flight, because I'd tucked them into the seat back pocket) is a seat back organiser.

This one is brilliant. I bought it for travelling, and it has 4 zip sections, 2 extra interior pockets and two exterior pockets.
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07K8CRGH8/

My Kipling is an older version of this

Le Pliage with a liner.

I mean Le Pliage with an organiser with various sized pockets. I never use anything else.

So interesting to read everyone suggestions. When my daughter left home last year I stopped buying magazines, I need to start again!