Oh, Ryanair. The world's most irritating airline, but so inexpensive and they always go where we want to go.

The problem is their luggage restrictions... all those bags that say they meet airline carry-on sizing restrictions do not meet Ryanair's even more restrictive 7.87" thickness requirement. And there isn't any leeway because they have a rigid box and your bag has to fit inside it. If your bag doesn't fit, they will charge you 60 euro to check it (that's over $80).

I have a Campmor Essential Carry-on which is soft sided; if you don't fill it too full, it will easily mush into Ryanair's box. (That, by the way, is the perfect carry-on bag - it weighs about 1 pound and only costs $30). It has a big, ugly logo that upsets people who hate big, ugly logos. Ryanair now allows a "personal item" which can be 13.75" x 7.87" x 7.87" so you can put some of the overflow in there.

But... the Campmor can only be carried as a shoulder bag or a backpack. And F needs wheels. Unfortunately, all of the wheel bags have a rigid base and that base almost always is more than 7.87". There is a wheeled bag you can get from the UK (40 GBP); they'll ship to the US. That's an option.

But here is what I'm thinking: what about a folding luggage cart? (like this one: http://www.amazon.com/Travel-Conair-Compact-Folding-Multi-use/dp/B002CV8UXE/ref=pd_sim_hpc_4?ie=UTF8&refRID=0D48861PCG4T5T4J7CBE . Then F can have a soft bag like mine and it can sit in the wheeled contraption. When we need to put it in the Ryanair box, the wheels are folded up and stored inside it.

Yes, all of this is to avoid baggage fees. We've paid to check one bag, and that's it. And that bag needs to contain F's booster seat because that would otherwise be considered a separate bag! And if we get it from the rental car company it's about 50 euro ($75!!!!).

Some notes: we are very light packers. Last time we traveled far, to Canada (varying weather) - F and I packed together in my Campmor carryon. She also had a small bag of toys/card games. She is now bigger and she has been traveling with her own carry-on wheelie, but it won't meet Ryanair's restrictions even though it's smaller in every other dimension. Also, we can stuff some things into the checked bag if needed.