What kind of bag do you take on a long flight?

[kittya]

As hand baggage. Do you take your normal handbag or a small weekend type bag?

What sort of things do you pack in it?

Always as big as I can get! It always has a book for me (rarely get a chance to read it though!!) and loads of stuff for the kids - things to do, colouring, reading etc and food and drink. At least now they are bigger (6 and 8) I don't have to bother with a change of clothes etc

As big a wheeled bag as the airline will allow. This way I can put in change of clothes, underwear etc, in case my hold luggage doesn't arrive at the same time as me. Also, space for duty-free shopping.

As small as possible, but very easy to get things in and out of. Something that will not suffer from being shoved under the seat.

I get very irritated now with all passengers having mazimum sized wheeled 'hand luggage'. Thee isn't enough space in the overhead lockers, it takes ages and the full width of the ailse to get out big bag, unzip it open etc, while everyone else waits. Ages at security. A v large handbag or small holdall or rucsac can easily accommodate book, spare underwear and top, toothbrush, snacks and toys.

And please, avoid the dreaded Trunki, especially if you have 3 under 5s. No, they will not enjoy trailing it along themselves at the stopover at Dubai at 4am, you will have to try and manage all of them, or they will drag them around on their sides, tripping people up on the linkway from plane to airport, and you have to get the whole thing open to get the smallest things out. A more irritating over-priced obstruction I cannot name!

Depends if you are flying with DCs or not, and how long the flight is. If with DCs, and a long flight, I'm with seeline and comtessa - maximum allowed by the airline, to fit in changes of clothes, amusements for the DCs, food and so on. Shorter flights would make do with larger shoulder bag and do without so much food/changes of clothes.

But the one time in recent years when I flew without DCs I revelled in being able to board with just one medium-sized normal handbag containing my documents, iPod and a book I actually had a chance of reading....

I have a very large handbag. Just me. Will take a couple of travel guides and some trashy magazines. Can you take blusher etc in hand luggage? I get confused, its always changing. I was hoping to take a Dermalogica travel set with me but Im terrified they will take it off me!

I travel frequently with my DCs (3 and 5) and I use my trusty kiping bag...it's a sort of weekend bag but smaller, iykwim. Has a long shoulder strap which is very useful and fits in EVERYTHING.