Julie

I would like to solicit opinions (and vent a little bit) about carry-on luggage. I read a posting on this forum from someone who wanted to know if his/her roll-aboard would fit in the overhead bin (it exceeds the dimensions due to the wheels). He/she was only planning on taking one carry-on bag to Switzerland and somehow feels compelled to carry it on. What I'd like to know is this - if you're going on a 7+ hour flight, does it really matter that you have to wait an extra 15 minutes at the destination to collect your luggage? Rarely have I had to wait longer. <BR> <BR>I am so sick of boarding a plane with my one regulation size carry-on (usually a briefcase, small backpack or tote, almost never a roll-aboard, because I always check my luggage) only to see numerous people boarding with 2 or more (sometimes 4 or 5) enormous carry-ons, garment bags stuffed to the gills, shopping bags, etc. Then there's no room in the luggage bins for my innocent little bag or even a coat. <BR> <BR>Why the airlines refuse to enforce carry-on requirements is beyond me. It would certainly reduce flight delays due to the song and dance surrounding luggage rearrangements and checking pieces that absolutely, no-way will fit in the bins. At the destination it would speed deplaning (and prevent people from missing their connections). <BR> <BR>Does anyone else feel the same way or does everyone feel they have a right to carry on as much luggage as they can lift (and more)?

Cheryl

I feel the challenge is to do 4 weeks in Europe with one regulation carry on. Lots of black slinky and only 1 pair of tiny dress sandals to offset the walking shoe of the day. Make-up in ziplock bags, etc. I'm with you, I dislike the carry on piggies and expect to see people loading on chickens and goats on some of these flights.

Rudy

I'm with you, Julie. Why is it that those of us who try to stay within the rules, or at least the spirit of the rules, get inconvenienced by those who don't?

Joanna

I agree with you too. There's nothing worse than getting onto a plane to find the o'head locker for your seat taken up by someone from a few seats ahead that has already filled up their own locker. Airlines should be stricter about this and the o'head locker should only be used by the people in its particular row. Inevitably the person who has stored their huge bag in your locker wants something from it at the most inconvenient time (when you're sleeping, watching movie, eating dinner) and leans over you for ages (at least it seems like ages!) ferreting through their bag.

tom

Well, if the airlines never, ever lost, damaged, or misrouted luggage, then maybe I too would like to see carry-ons enforced in draconian fashion. But the airlines do not perform to the level. <BR> <BR>Julie - you must be the luckiest person in the universe, to always get your luggage, and never lose more than 15 minutes. <BR> <BR>The low weight carryon limit some airlines allow (13 lbs in some cases) is ludicrous. <BR> <BR>But, a "carryon hog", I'm not. Give me one carry-on with reasonable weight limit, and 1 briefcase, and I will happily stuff it under the seat & in my overhead bin. <BR> <BR>I, too, have gotten very frustrated & ticked off, being stuck behind people trying over & over again to stuff outlandish items in the overhead bin (isn't that one definition of "stupid" : doing the same thing repeatedly & expecting a different outcome). <BR> <BR>Maybe if carry-ons could go only under the seat in front of you, & if the perpetrators suffered thru a long flight with scrunched legs, then that would be punishment.

scigirl

Yep - overhead hogs (not the flying pig type!) are a bother. However, the weight limit is important. The overhead bins are only supposed to hold something like 50 lbs. or so. I have been on 2 flights where overloaded bins popped open, dumping heavy bags on passenger heads. I am more bothered that the airlines don't enforce the weight limit on overhead bins than I am by overhead hogs - since it presents a real danger. I like to check my bags ususally, and agree that the wait for luggage is rarely long. I would rather not hassle with dragging my bags through an airport to make a flight change, etc. I might feel different if I didn't get my bag at some point during the outbound portion of my trip.

Prue

I heartily agree - it seems it has become a challenge to see who can carry on the most - therefore causing enormous congestion and inconvenience while they try and unsuccessfully jam it all into the overhead bin. I realise some people have had bad experiences with lost/damaged luggage etc. but surely there is no need for the extremes passengers seem to be going for these days. <BR>By reading past posts on this Forum you can see some it is becoming a new art form and travel requisite.

David

What a great topic!! <BR> <BR>I agree with every-one about the over-head locker pigs who seem to think that they can take every item they own with them on board when they travel. <BR> <BR>I notice that, from experience, and from most of those posting on this topic, that Airlines in Europe and else-where simply do not enforce the carry-on rules. EXCEPT for my home town, that is. <BR> <BR>Where I live, Adelaide, capital of the State of South Australia, Australia, the runway is extremely short for fully laden 747's to take off safely. So, here, when you embark for overseas, your carry-on bag is measured, weighed and has a sticker applied which is checked before you can board the plane. It certainly does give you a lot more room in those lockers. <BR> <BR>After having travelled extensively throughout SE-Asia and Europe, I believe that Airlines adopting this sort of policy there would have a lot of very upset passengers to deal with.

frank

When you fly on a complex itinerary (as I do when I go on business) the chances of emerging with your baggage intact after a series of connections is slim. <BR>This is GOOD ADVICE! <BR>Also the waiting time is up to 90 mins, (worst I know is Faro airport), plus if you have no check in bags you usually get to customs/immigration ahead of the crowd - often there is no customs at all as they don't expect anyone for at least 20 mins. <BR> I take a holdall & a briefcase which I stow quickly. <BR> Not having to deal with me speeds up the baggage handling for others - they can have their bags lost, bashed,looted and misrouted more quickly if I slip past. <BR>I do object to the bozos who hold up boarding because they want to rearrange <BR>their bags before takeoff (why?why?) <BR>but if bags are stowed fast I can't see why anyone should object to what others have brought on, nor can I see the problem when I read the posts. <BR> Occasionally there is a delay for a few seconds when an embarrassed passenger need help with an awkward bag, but this in nothing to the excruciating wait for checked bags.A recent relief has been the banning of duty-free airport shopping for EEC residents - this has taken the strain off the overheads! <BR> I would increase the space allocated for carry-on & make the baggage hold smaller.This would release more of us from the grip of the baggage handlers. <BR> <BR>Just before Easter many in Europe were hit by the first of baggage handler strike of the season.Although only the Tererife handlers struck,the knock on effects delayed flights all over Europe (mine by 5 hours). <BR>Those flying from Tenerife arrived 24hours late with no bags. <BR>When I get on a bus I don't have to arrive 2 hours early to check my bag.Its a symptom of modern living that engineers can hurl hundreds of people safely through the sky, but nobody can get the bags organised.... <BR>I don't check bags because the airports can't handle them.

martha python

I can't figure out if Aussies are more likely to have sensible views on this or if they're just the ones who were awake to post. Anyway, I'm with you. I think restricting carryon bags to those with dimensions that allow them to fit under the seat ahead of you is a fine idea. Even if people then stored their carryons in the overhead bins, at least a single bag wouldn't take up two-thirds of the space in a bin, the way the average rollaboard does. Also annoying is the fact that people who do take those rollaboards seem to think they're packing light and are very smug about it. Ha. <BR>I will add that for trips of two weeks or less, I only take a carryon, but it's not one of those *@#!) rollaboards. <BR>

angel

Amen, everyone!! Have been on one flight where carry-ons were restricted. Before boarding in Orlando and it was announced that only one small carry-on was permitted. We tried not to snicker and look too smug with our small bag apiece. Meanwhile people with bulging plastic Disney sacks were PO'd to the max. Three years later I still think it's funny. <BR>

Debbie

DON'T GET ME STARTED!!!!!!!! The irony of the whole thing is that in the USA the FAA wants EVERY aircraft to able to be evacuated in 90 seconds? I think not!They would have to take their carryon luggage with them! <BR>The major problem here in the USA with everyone having the same regulation concerning carryon luggage is the almighty dollar-if airline A "polices" the policy then airline B will be loose on enforcing for more passengers and revenue. I think that more delays outside of weather are the stupid carryon bags having to be checked at the last minute. <BR>The traveling public(on the whole) has lost their manners to their fellow passengers ie.taking up a whole bin to themselves,etc. <BR>Stores sell luggage that isn't remotely close to the right size for carryon and then there are those ridiculous thick garment bags on wheels!It should be MANDATORY that if you are going to sell luggage that you have a cardboard cutout of the underseat so the customer can measure the size.My additional "venting" could be summed up in these "commandments: <BR>Thou shall not stuff in your carryon more than you can lift over your head into the bin- <BR>Thou shall not refuse to put "one" of your carryon bags at your feet- <BR>Thou shall not expect others to help with your bag(read women and senior citizens).....YOU PACK IT,YOU LIFT IT! <BR>Thou shall not shut the bin overhead after you put your stuff in it even though there are open spaces left in it- <BR>Thou shall not act like you are the ONLY ONE that needs your stuff immediately when you get there- <BR>Oh, there are some others commandments but I feel better already !Thanks and happy traveling........Debbie

Brian in Atlanta

I've found that European airlines have been pretty strict in enforcing the one-bag carry-on rule (in coach at least). <BR>

Bob Brown

I, too, have noticed a wide discrepancy among airline personnel in enforcing carryon luggage restrictions. It is bad enough that the seats are so cramped, but to add to the misery the "hogs" seem to get there first, violating the order of boarding, in order to find space for all their possessions. When a guy like me who tends to follow the regulations arrives, there is no room for anything. <BR>I am surprised that some passenger who has been hit over the head by falling luggage when an overstuffed bin popped open has not filed a mega buck law suit. I think that is what it would take. <BR>Other than that, the airline officials seem very slow to catch on to the causes of air rage. There are so many annoyances, some small, some large that the cummulative effect is that they become major obstacles and disruptive events in our lives. Psychologically, the results are cumulative and a small, seemingly insignificant incident can trigger an outburst. I don't know if the airline moguls really care as long as the profits hold up. Afterall, the big decision makers fly private luxury first class and don't have to face angry passengers or look for lost luggage. <BR>There is only one goal in most American business these days: profit. Customer service becomes vital only when profits turn negative. <BR>

Cindy

Allow me to pile on. <BR> <BR>Thou shall not put thy carry-on bag under my seat BEHIND you and try to tell me that you must do this because you are in a bulkhead and have no seat in front of you. <BR> <BR>Thou shall never seat thy children on the aisle lest they be rendered drooling vegetables when a 50-pound overstuffed carry-on falls out of the bin onto their spongy little heads. <BR> <BR>Thou shall remain seated when the plane touches down because by now thou should know that nobody's going anywhere until we reach the gate, so springing up to grab your huge carryon and lurking in the aisle is both dangerous and pointless, and is likely to draw a stern, loud, amplified rebuke from the crew. <BR> <BR>If thou has young children, thou shall wait until others have left the plane before thou blocks the aisle to unbuckle car seats or track down little toys strewn all about. <BR> <BR>When thou puts thy luggage in the overhead bin, thou shall close it briefly to check that everything fits, but thou shall leave it open so that later travelers can quickly see if their things will fit and need not take the time manually to check every bin in the vicinity to see if space exists. <BR> <BR>There. I feel much better.

KT

Cindy--You forgot one: <BR> <BR>Thou shalt step out of the aisle and into the space between the seats while loading the overhead bin instead of blocking the whole damn aisle. <BR> <BR>Granted, this one doesn't apply if there are already people seated directly below the overhead, but still....

Jeff

If you all could move your coats and hats over a bit, I wanted to stuff this large carry-on into this bin: You all make good points about following the rules, etc., and I admit I typically bring on one carry-on that pushes the limit. (If I tried really hard, my luggage would fit in the measurement box!) Part of the reason I carryon is that is my perception that a great deal of luggage is lost or misdirected. But does anyone have any stats on how often that really occurs?

anon

whoo! such heat! <BR>Was it Rex who within the last week or so made the calm and rational point that part of the carryon-space problem is that the airlines keep jamming in more seats than the luggage capacity was created for? <BR>I am a business traveler primarily -- I would agree with some earlier posters: if I am coming in for a meeting, I don't have the extra day or so for my "lost" luggage to catch up with me, I need it by the next a.m. Additionally, most of us with rollaboards got the idea from the airline personnnel -- I'll check mine when they demonstrate that they actually think the airline can safely carry luggage and return it promptly to the paying passengers! (And by the way: mine is a rollaboard and it fits comfortably through the x-ray size checkers, and will fit in the thing by the gate, so please don't condemn all of us!) <BR>Sometimes I get to fly first class. Some info points: (1) frequently, the overhead is already full when I get on -- the flight crew has stuffed their stuff there! That makes me hot, and starts the cycle of stuff going over someone else's seat, etc etc. (2) Also, from up front, you get a good look at what each and every person is bringing on board. My recent favorite: about a 5 foot schleffera plant! (what, they didn't have discount stores in her home town??) BUT: the flight attendants just shook their heads and let it pass (I never did see where she stuffed that puppy!)

rand

A couple of years ago we flew to Hawaii on Canada 3000. There was quite a scene at the boarding gate while a woman tried to explain to the attendants that her 26" hard case wheeled luggage should be alowed because it was for both her and her husband. An attendant called back to check in and the luggage was returned and checked. Has anyone noticed that the flight attendants don't trust bagage check in and always carry on? Maybe if they set an example.

Donna

I, too, abhor the folks who defiantly disregard the carry on allowances, not by a little, but you'd swear they're bringing all their worldly goods with them on the plane. I am particularly frustrated by those who block the aisle for 20 minutes while they arrange their things and fill up several entire overhead bins after they've disregarded the boarding order. I am positively thrilled that the airlines are cracking down and enforcing their own regulations. Some of the airlines catch you at check-in. Others (so as not to hold up the line) catch you before boarding. Coming back from Switzerland, the airline across the way from us annouced that the carry-on policy would be strictly enforced "for the safety of all". A huge wheeled cart appeared with boxes of all shapes and sizes and everyone was simply handed tags (by armed, badged, personnel) for all their "extras". There was a lot of "negotiating" attempted, but those folks were asked to STEP ASIDE. Every few minutes, an announcement: "This plane will be departing ON TIME." This was great fun to watch!