Ok...seems that the consensus is to carry on one's essentials: regs, computer, mask. In addition, one is best suited to carry on a change of clothes and some personal toiletry items. AND we're told to carry our camera, housing, strobe.

This seems like a lot of carry on !!

HELP.

My camera and Ikelite housing/strobe take up the best part of pelican case just barely small enough to meet the carry on requirements. There goes my carry on allowance.

Assume I can wedge my dive computer (it's on a quick release) into my camera case.

I still have to get my regs, mask, clothes and "personal" items on-board as carry on. What are the odds of packing all these things into a soft sided laptop case (without the laptop of course) or other container small enough to qualify as a "personal item" by the airlines' definition ??

How are the rest of you seasoned travellers getting to Bonaire with everything you need to dive, take pictures, and survive within luggage restrictions.

I admit to being a neophyte packer...and the son of someone who'd pack 3 suitcases for a 2 day trip, so it's not in my genes to do this sensibly.

BTW --- I'm flying AA from Miami to SanJuan then on to Bon, and the same route back.

Thanks to all !!

Craig

Craig ... we (two of us)use one legal carry on size rolling suitcase for masks, regs, consoles, bathing suits, toiletry items and then each take a backpack for the camera, wallets, books, etc. When we fly AA in SJ we turn over the rolling bag planeside as those do not constitute carry on for that part of the trip. We then pick it up as soon as we get off of the plane before heading into the terminal in Bonaire for immigration and to pick up our checked luggage (aka the rest of the dive gear!)Hope this helps.

Some of the airlines are getting tighter on what they will allow. I could not bring on a backpack and a rolling bag on board. I did get around the problem by packing my backpack in the rolling bag and stuffing an incredible amount of things into my softsided 'laptop' case. I had brought it prestuffed inside my roller, just in case.

What airline Linnea?

Both Continental and AA. And that was on the mid-size jets. It is weird, but it seems they are stricter on the domestic legs than the international ones. It also seems that the newer planes have much smaller overhead compartments.