The suitcase-style to avoid for carry on, according to a flight attendant
When it comes to fitting a suitcase in the overhead locker on a plane, there is one type you should avoid, according to a flight attendant.
Brittany James has been a cabin crew member with Emirates for nine years, and has shared some of her luggage tips with 9Travel.
While many travellers prefer using a hard shell suitcase for travel, Brittany says a soft shell option is much better to use for carry on.
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One of these suitcases is better for carry on than the other. Getty
"It might be a little hack actually, because the hard suitcases, they're so much harder to fit in the overhead locker," she tells us.
"The softer ones are easier, because when you close them, they've got bit more room to move, whereas the harder ones if they are too big, it's not closing."
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She also notes the hard shell cases often take up more space in general.
"Some of those hard ones, a lot of them don't fit this way [wheels first]. You have to put them [lengthwise] which takes up more space," she points out.
"That's when I think you have to accept the fact that maybe your luggage will not be directly above you."
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Brittany has been a flight attendant with Emirates for nine years. Supplied
Brittany also prefers using a soft-shell suitcase if she is going on a shorter trip. But when she's got a lot to pack her go-to is a black, hard-case one.
"You can fit so much into them. But mine has a little Australian tag on it so that's how I identify it, because everyone's suitcase is black," she says.
Recently, Brittany also revealed some of the incredible perks she enjoys as a flight attendant for Emirates.
She has access to something called a FACE card - the flight attendant club of Emirates, which she can use to enjoy discounts on things like restaurants, gyms, beach clubs, salons, car hire, hotels, and more.
"Anything that Emirates has a partnership with, which is so many places that we're going on our own holiday," she says.
And once she's been with the airline for 15 years, she is entitled to free flights for life.
"I've been in the company nine years. It's 2024 already, And it's gone so fast."
