Kuching

Hi! I am new to this Forum and I hope I can get some advice from experienced travelers.

My questions: Do you always get a tag for that piece of carry-on bag (cabin-size) that has to be checked in at the gate because you are flying short distance on a small plane? Have you sometimes been told by the crew that tags are not necessary because you will get your bag where you left it immediately on arrival? What should you do if that bag does not appear at the end of the journey and you don't have a tag and you are told 'no tag no bag'? Has anyone ever had that bad experience?

Airlines have a long list of exclusions for valuables in checked-in luggage and so prudent passengers put their valuables in their carry-on bags. What happens if valuables are pilfered from this bag that you are 'forced' to check in at the gate? What are our rights as passengers?

Thank you.

abram

If I have a larger carry-on, like a roller bag, that might need to be gate checked, I carry my medications, jewelry, and mp3 player in my purse. We've always been given a tag for our bag.

qwovadis

onebag.com

smaller roly polys and packs can be carried on even

on the commuters I do it a lot unless it is too

big to be stored in the rather small overhead.

They will try tro make you check it but I do not

if I can fit in my overhead.

They always give you a tag also write your name on luggage

tag Patriot insurance will give you tags to print out.

Always get comp travel insurance usually $500 minimum

quotewright.com Patriot usually or Amex both excellent

have cover for theft and many other benefits u need from

$1/da really cheap for what you get.

Have fun,

Kay2

"Do you always get a tag for that piece of carry-on bag (cabin-size) that has to be checked in at the gate because you are flying short distance on a small plane?"

No. With the small planes with little overhead space, I carry my rollaboard out to the plane myself and place it on the ground or a cart. The only problems would be if it was overlooked and left on the tarmac or an airline employee liked your bag, picked it up and carried it back inside.
When you get off the plane, the bags are set on the ground or a cart for you to pick up before you enter the terminal.

If the plane's overhead compartments are too full and they are going to check my bag at the gate, but I have to retrieve it from baggage claim, then I always get a tag.

I once had my rollaboard taken at the airplane door, given a tag, but still told it would be gate checked and returned to me with the strollers at the other end. It was.

I always pack my rollaboard knowing that it could be taken in either of these cases with valuables and medicines easily accessible and able to transfer to a tote bag or other small carry on.

Kuching

Thank you Abram, Qwovadis and Kay2 for your sharing and advice.

doug_stallings

I'd just clarify that in the U.S., you'll get a tag on every major airline. In the Caribbean (on a small Caribbean-based airline), you probably won't. I don't really worry that much about the Caribbean, but I'd never put valuables in my luggage if it's not a real carry-on bag. You have clear modes of recourse in the U.S., though you may still not get a full reimbursement for valuables. In the Caribbean, things are more casual and harder to pin down.

However, it's almost a certainty that if you are taking a smaller plane you'll be asked to gate-check anything really large or anything (regardless of size) that has wheels.

An important side issue is that your bags may not always make the flight in the Caribbean. It's not at all uncommon if you are flying from St. Maarten to St. Barths or from St. Thomas to St. Croix to have bags left behind. So it's really important that you have your name on the bag, even if you are carrying it on your flight from the U.S. to the Caribbean. And lock your bag (yes, even if you are carrying on in the U.S.).

Kay2

I've handed the bag over on the tarmac in Europe and no tags handed out.

Good point, Doug, about small planes and baggage being left behind, especially checked baggage for a later flight. I've heard of that happening often in Costa Rica too.

suze

Anything that is *really* important or valuable is in a smaller bag that will definitely be allowed on the plane with me.

harrisonJ

There's always a tag for every checked-in bag since it serves like a "tracker" to you luggage. What should be on you carry-on are just the light ones and your valuables. Because, of course, they can't let you check-in your valuables.

jh2011

There's always a tag for the checked-in luggage. For the carry-on, it's your own responsibility.