Erik Zierer

Having recently travelled to Las Vegas for a travel trade show, I had the opportunity to fly Air Canada from Ottawa to Montreal on my way to the show.  I learned some valuable lessons using the small commuter plane and thought I should share with you.

Let me start by saying that the staff were very friendly and helpfull in explaining eveything to me. This is by no means a complaint against the airline, it is meant to make future travel for others easier.

If you are planning on traveling light and only having carry on, (as I normally do) pay special attention to size and weight allowances as they do vary from the larger carriers even if it is a connecting flight.  In my own experience I take a carry on and my Cpap medical bag.  After carrying my bags to the plane, I was then told that only one of the two were allowed even thought they are both carry on.  I did get to stay by the door and make sure I saw it being loaded on the plane but it was a little confusing that my carry on was not allowed to be carried on, and this was on a flight where there was plenty of room and I could have had it on the seat next to me or over head as there was tons of space available. 

The other point to mention, if your carry on bag needed to be checked on the first leg, then you can't carry it on for the other parts of the trip if you have any baggage tags attached regardless if it applies to the trip you are on.

Being new to traveling on my own these were valuable lessons to learn and I hope by sharing them, that I will have made someone's elses travel day a little easier.