I’ve always felt that people should be allowed to check one bag for free and charged for a carryon piece of luggage (other than a personal item). That would have folks put their large bags in the cargo hold where they belong and facilitate the boarding process.
First off the flight attendants close the forward bins as they load the rear first.
Second off, the flight attendants direct the passengers to place only one carry on in the bin and the other CO under the seat!
Third, the gate agents only allow the correct size CO to board with the passenger!
Too many times on flights, I have seen people with two or more LARGE CO’s plus a large personal item the size of CO and thinking nothing if it! I am entitled to take on board what I want!
The number of large bags brought on the plane as "carry-ons" is out of control. Some of those bags "hog" the available space, because they have to be placed sideways in the bin, effectively eliminating two bags (or 4-5 backpacks). I'm not for giving the airlines a license to charge for more bags, but the silver lining might be that there is room for those who bring legal sized bags onto the plane.
If the airlines would just go after the biggest violators it would help the rest of us. On the other hand...when is a fanny pack a carry-on bag, as we were told by a United gate agent in Chicago yesterday...a fanny pack?
Gotta love the airlines. Nothing is ever the same station to station, day to day.
Delta said”"Due to weight and balance on certain flights, crew members may ask customers to place smaller, personal items under their seat," a representative told me”. I get front or back or side to side to balance a flight but a bag under the seat vs overhead bin? Maybe someone can explain the physics of that to me?
Good question. On a related note, a few weeks ago a Delta Captain suggested people on a lightly loaded flight move to the windows so that if we passed a Southwest flight, they would think we were full! He was joking of course, but it made everyone laugh.
I'm in agreement with the other comments so far: people are bringing too many giant bags on as "carry ons."
My son and I travel by plane about 12 times a year, usually short hops (SF-SNA). We learned the hard way to only take one very small bag we can shove under the seat.
We are usually in group "E" which I sometimes refer to as Group "Eh, we guess we'll allow you to board the plane too."
I always see many people show up with at least three "carry ons" - usually at least one of which is probably going to occupy an entire overhead bin all by itself and should have been checked for that reason. Yet they are allowed to take them all on board.
By the time the last groups (D and E) are allowed to board, inevitably flight attendants are telling passengers in the last two boarding groups that we have to check *any* bags that don't fit under the seat.
I agree that if the airlines would enforce their stated "rules" that the trend of people bringing on oversize luggage would probably diminish dramatically.
We're heading for our first ever Alaska Cruise at the end of this month, each of us with one smaller carry-on sized bag and one underseat bag, and I am already resigned to the idea that I will probably have to check the small carry-on size bags that we are each bringing ONE of and just hope our carry-ons make the transfers from SFO-SEA-YVR and back with us.
I do travel photography and carry thousands of dollars worth of gear. It will fit in a standard carry on but weighs well above the limits. I have been ordered to check it and I show my contents to FA or GA and say I will check it if you will guarantee it will arrive intact. Ha! On occasion I have to stuff my pockets with batteries or lenses to lighten my bag and then repack it after I board. I insure my gear, but arriving for a photo trip and to find it lost/stolen would be devastating and costly!
I always pack light. In fact I rarely have more than a backpack. This baffles me since I was once threatened with removal from a flight because I put my backpack up top and asked the flight attendant why I can't put my ONE item in the overhead, when multiple people were putting huge bags AND other items (sweaters, shopping bags, etc) up top. I stowed my backpack under the seat, then waited until the doors closed. I rearranged the sloppiness overhead and easily stowed my bag. I'd love someone to explain to me why I should be penalized for packing light? If I had taken a rollaboard, I would have been able to take up more space in the overhead.
Every airline I've flown specifically states: ONE carryon for the overhead bin, and a personal item to be stored in the seat in front of you. Why shouldn't the airlines enforce that rule? I'm tired of not having space in the overhead bin above my seat, because others have stored two pieces of luggage in the bin. I, for one, am glad the airlines are enforcing the rule.
Because the backpack was his only carry on bag. There is no rule that says you have to put a backpack in front of you. However, if you can, and it stops someone else from having to check a bag, it's reasonable to ask him to put the bag in front of him.
It's much worse since the airlines started "cracking down." What has happened on my last few flights is that instead of making sure that each person had one carry-on plus one smaller personal item that could fit under the seat, the gate agents simply counted the carry-ons! The gate agents made an announcement that once they had counted a certain number of roller-board type bags they would simply not allow any more in the cabin.
This meant that the people who were not in the first few boarding groups did not get to bring on a carry-on, while people in an earlier boarding group were allowed on the plane with 2-3 bags each, some of them huge. The gate agents simply counted bags up to their magic number and then forced everyone else to gate check.
Is it any wonder that people crowd the gate to get on board as soon as possible? How can you blame anyone for trying to board sooner when they know that they will not be able to bring the one carry-on that they PAID for when they bought their main cabin seat?
Why are airlines cracking down on carry-on rules? Because too many passengers try to carry on everything but the kitchen sink.
My understanding is that your carry-on goes in the bin and your personal item goes under the seat. But passengers are putting both items in the bin. Often this means they put a carry-on in the bin plus a fully stuffed backpack almost the same size as that carry-on into the bin, too. So they’re taking up 2 spaces in that bin.
On my flights to/from SFO they announced the bins were full after group 3 boarded.
Don’t! I saw an American try a box with a literal kitchen sink in the overhead. Well he tried desperately. A flight from CRK to Hong Kong, he spent so long fighting with the FAs he delayed our flight before police dragged him off the flight. Screaming his whole know who I am etc.
Americans are a sad lot so often: 😞
Funny moral of the story the FA took the box to an empty row in economy . His sink made it to Hong Kong where it was promptly impounded. lol.
He owes me for 40 minutes on Luzón and 30 in Hong Kong. Don’t cross me again. Lmao
There are numerous issues with airlines and luggage. We flew KLM from SFO in Premium Economy. We had no overhead bin because 2 of the flight attendants stowed their bags in our overhead - a space that was included in the cost of our ticket. After a couple of weeks of EU travel, we returned to AMS for our flight KLM return flight today. At 4:23 AM, we were advised that our KLM flight is canceled and we are rebooked on a UAL flight tmr with a middle seat and an extra $90 for our check-in luggage. Frustrated in NL
I only once got dinged with a carry on, and that was at Heathrow between flights on British Airways. What was OK in the USA wasn't OK in London.
I don't think Ed's example shows more strictness. It's reasonable to ask someone to stow a backpack in front of them. Once the flight takes off you can move it back and stretch your legs. I understand the feeling of entitlement if it's your only carry on, but if it stops someone else who also has an entitlement from having to check his or her bag, what a glowing feeling you could have inside from having helped a fellow human being.
I've never had a problem with my carry ons. I see far too much abuse of the rules. Inconsiderate passengers (imagine that!) refuse to follow the rules and take up more than their fair share of space. I want to see equal and fair enforcement of the rules. I'd also like to see passengers required to stow their carryons over their assigned seats. No excuses! The offenders may obey the same people who book connections without regard for connection times.
On a flight from O'Hare to Munich ( one leg of a trip from Florida to Bucharest) a Lufthansa gate agent made us gate check one of our 2 identical carry-on bags, said it was too big. After Michigan our last flight among different gates in Munich, they "misdirected" ALL of our checked bags. The bag containing my clothes for our pre-cruise trip showed up 4 days later, so I had to wear the same clothes for days.
When shopping for flights, just include a checked bag fee in your calculations. Checked bags have never been "free", simply "included" in you ticket price. Then, if you don't check your bag, consider it a discount. Perception is everything.
I’ve always felt that people should be allowed to check one bag for free and charged for a carryon piece of luggage (other than a personal item). That would have folks put their large bags in the cargo hold where they belong and facilitate the boarding process.
Jet Blue has been on top of this for years.
First off the flight attendants close the forward bins as they load the rear first.
Second off, the flight attendants direct the passengers to place only one carry on in the bin and the other CO under the seat!
Third, the gate agents only allow the correct size CO to board with the passenger!
Too many times on flights, I have seen people with two or more LARGE CO’s plus a large personal item the size of CO and thinking nothing if it! I am entitled to take on board what I want!
Oh, interesting!
The number of large bags brought on the plane as "carry-ons" is out of control. Some of those bags "hog" the available space, because they have to be placed sideways in the bin, effectively eliminating two bags (or 4-5 backpacks). I'm not for giving the airlines a license to charge for more bags, but the silver lining might be that there is room for those who bring legal sized bags onto the plane.
If the airlines would just go after the biggest violators it would help the rest of us. On the other hand...when is a fanny pack a carry-on bag, as we were told by a United gate agent in Chicago yesterday...a fanny pack?
Gotta love the airlines. Nothing is ever the same station to station, day to day.
Delta said”"Due to weight and balance on certain flights, crew members may ask customers to place smaller, personal items under their seat," a representative told me”. I get front or back or side to side to balance a flight but a bag under the seat vs overhead bin? Maybe someone can explain the physics of that to me?
Normally, balance issues only happen on small aircraft. Oddly, this was an international flight.
Good question. On a related note, a few weeks ago a Delta Captain suggested people on a lightly loaded flight move to the windows so that if we passed a Southwest flight, they would think we were full! He was joking of course, but it made everyone laugh.
I'm in agreement with the other comments so far: people are bringing too many giant bags on as "carry ons."
My son and I travel by plane about 12 times a year, usually short hops (SF-SNA). We learned the hard way to only take one very small bag we can shove under the seat.
We are usually in group "E" which I sometimes refer to as Group "Eh, we guess we'll allow you to board the plane too."
I always see many people show up with at least three "carry ons" - usually at least one of which is probably going to occupy an entire overhead bin all by itself and should have been checked for that reason. Yet they are allowed to take them all on board.
By the time the last groups (D and E) are allowed to board, inevitably flight attendants are telling passengers in the last two boarding groups that we have to check *any* bags that don't fit under the seat.
I agree that if the airlines would enforce their stated "rules" that the trend of people bringing on oversize luggage would probably diminish dramatically.
We're heading for our first ever Alaska Cruise at the end of this month, each of us with one smaller carry-on sized bag and one underseat bag, and I am already resigned to the idea that I will probably have to check the small carry-on size bags that we are each bringing ONE of and just hope our carry-ons make the transfers from SFO-SEA-YVR and back with us.
I do travel photography and carry thousands of dollars worth of gear. It will fit in a standard carry on but weighs well above the limits. I have been ordered to check it and I show my contents to FA or GA and say I will check it if you will guarantee it will arrive intact. Ha! On occasion I have to stuff my pockets with batteries or lenses to lighten my bag and then repack it after I board. I insure my gear, but arriving for a photo trip and to find it lost/stolen would be devastating and costly!
I think there should be a waiver for sensitive equipment like lenses and cameras.
I always pack light. In fact I rarely have more than a backpack. This baffles me since I was once threatened with removal from a flight because I put my backpack up top and asked the flight attendant why I can't put my ONE item in the overhead, when multiple people were putting huge bags AND other items (sweaters, shopping bags, etc) up top. I stowed my backpack under the seat, then waited until the doors closed. I rearranged the sloppiness overhead and easily stowed my bag. I'd love someone to explain to me why I should be penalized for packing light? If I had taken a rollaboard, I would have been able to take up more space in the overhead.
Every airline I've flown specifically states: ONE carryon for the overhead bin, and a personal item to be stored in the seat in front of you. Why shouldn't the airlines enforce that rule? I'm tired of not having space in the overhead bin above my seat, because others have stored two pieces of luggage in the bin. I, for one, am glad the airlines are enforcing the rule.
Because the backpack was his only carry on bag. There is no rule that says you have to put a backpack in front of you. However, if you can, and it stops someone else from having to check a bag, it's reasonable to ask him to put the bag in front of him.
It's much worse since the airlines started "cracking down." What has happened on my last few flights is that instead of making sure that each person had one carry-on plus one smaller personal item that could fit under the seat, the gate agents simply counted the carry-ons! The gate agents made an announcement that once they had counted a certain number of roller-board type bags they would simply not allow any more in the cabin.
This meant that the people who were not in the first few boarding groups did not get to bring on a carry-on, while people in an earlier boarding group were allowed on the plane with 2-3 bags each, some of them huge. The gate agents simply counted bags up to their magic number and then forced everyone else to gate check.
Is it any wonder that people crowd the gate to get on board as soon as possible? How can you blame anyone for trying to board sooner when they know that they will not be able to bring the one carry-on that they PAID for when they bought their main cabin seat?
Wow! that is just an awful way to proceed in managing carry ons. Thanks for your post.
Why are airlines cracking down on carry-on rules? Because too many passengers try to carry on everything but the kitchen sink.
My understanding is that your carry-on goes in the bin and your personal item goes under the seat. But passengers are putting both items in the bin. Often this means they put a carry-on in the bin plus a fully stuffed backpack almost the same size as that carry-on into the bin, too. So they’re taking up 2 spaces in that bin.
On my flights to/from SFO they announced the bins were full after group 3 boarded.
Don’t! I saw an American try a box with a literal kitchen sink in the overhead. Well he tried desperately. A flight from CRK to Hong Kong, he spent so long fighting with the FAs he delayed our flight before police dragged him off the flight. Screaming his whole know who I am etc.
Americans are a sad lot so often: 😞
Funny moral of the story the FA took the box to an empty row in economy . His sink made it to Hong Kong where it was promptly impounded. lol.
He owes me for 40 minutes on Luzón and 30 in Hong Kong. Don’t cross me again. Lmao
There are numerous issues with airlines and luggage. We flew KLM from SFO in Premium Economy. We had no overhead bin because 2 of the flight attendants stowed their bags in our overhead - a space that was included in the cost of our ticket. After a couple of weeks of EU travel, we returned to AMS for our flight KLM return flight today. At 4:23 AM, we were advised that our KLM flight is canceled and we are rebooked on a UAL flight tmr with a middle seat and an extra $90 for our check-in luggage. Frustrated in NL
I only once got dinged with a carry on, and that was at Heathrow between flights on British Airways. What was OK in the USA wasn't OK in London.
I don't think Ed's example shows more strictness. It's reasonable to ask someone to stow a backpack in front of them. Once the flight takes off you can move it back and stretch your legs. I understand the feeling of entitlement if it's your only carry on, but if it stops someone else who also has an entitlement from having to check his or her bag, what a glowing feeling you could have inside from having helped a fellow human being.
I've never had a problem with my carry ons. I see far too much abuse of the rules. Inconsiderate passengers (imagine that!) refuse to follow the rules and take up more than their fair share of space. I want to see equal and fair enforcement of the rules. I'd also like to see passengers required to stow their carryons over their assigned seats. No excuses! The offenders may obey the same people who book connections without regard for connection times.
On a flight from O'Hare to Munich ( one leg of a trip from Florida to Bucharest) a Lufthansa gate agent made us gate check one of our 2 identical carry-on bags, said it was too big. After Michigan our last flight among different gates in Munich, they "misdirected" ALL of our checked bags. The bag containing my clothes for our pre-cruise trip showed up 4 days later, so I had to wear the same clothes for days.
When shopping for flights, just include a checked bag fee in your calculations. Checked bags have never been "free", simply "included" in you ticket price. Then, if you don't check your bag, consider it a discount. Perception is everything.
That is true.
Ironically, I'm getting more and more offers to check my carry-on bag for free. So many flights are packed full!