CARRY-ONS (no room on the plane)

What COULD have been done but rarely HAS been done is this: following and I guess enforcing the airline's own, repeated please/recommendations.

ONE bag in the bin and ONE under the seat in front of you.

Two bags, Ma'am or Sir? Which ONE do you want me to help you put under the seat in front of you?

That sounds absolutely true and logical. From what I have seen though (and I can only imagine what it looks like lately), many of those carry-ons don't fit under a seat (my overhead bin one wouldn't).

I agree and look forward to others experiences with this too.

Thank you so much for your insight.

Yes, on my flights to and from Aspen in March. Most people put their bulky winter coat AND their carry on in the overhead. I was way in back and needed the FA to help me find a spot.

My recent observation is that FA gate check bags without charging (AA).

I believe that most planes [except Southwest] board from the back]. Southwest doesn't charge for 2 checked bags. I fly Southwest...

I also read that they are stopping people before security if the carryon bags are obviously bigger that what will fit and are making people check them.
Deb

Yes - on 4 flights in June (BOS-Las Vegas-Anchorage and then Vancouver-Phoenix-BOS) only the Vancouver flight DID NOT have this happen.

On 3 of the flights the FA ended up removing about 5-10 roll-aboards from people who boarded with them and gate checked them. No idea if even more people were refused boarding with similar suitcases and has them gate checked. Also, fierce FA had to play cop to prevent coach passengers from stowing their carry-ons in first class. Flights were all USAirways.

All flights were full or almost. I think only reason it did not happen from Vancouver was that was international flight with higher baggage limits for checked luggage.

Yup, they're usually gate checked. Which I actually don't mind since it's usually waiting for you in the jetway when you deplane and it's less hassle than schlepping it down the aisle.

My biggest pet peeve are those passengers seated in the back of the plane who stow their luggage in the overheads in the front of the plane as they pass down the aisle. Where do they think those of us sitting in the front half of the plane are going to put our luggage -- in the back? That would make for ease of disembarking, wouldn't it? I can only imagine the nightmare the new checked luggage fees are causing at boarding. It will be a miracle if any flight departs on time.

Also wondering if any other airports are now charging for curb-side checking? We have long had this service and tipped the skycap's $2/$3 per bag for the assistance. Now the airport is charging $3 per bag for curbside checking and of course, no one is willing to add another $2/$3 tip on top for the skycaps. I guess this would also be on top of the $15/$25 fee from the airline for checked luggage as well. Soon it will be cheaper to buy a new outfit upon arrival. Of course, I wouldn't be able to bring it home!

TC, not sure where you are, but yes, you pay for curbside checkin at SFO now (as opposed to the previous "tip only").

It took me a bit of interpreting the signs at Delta curbside check-in at Laguardia recently. It seemed to say there was a charge, but on careful reading, I saw that if you have done online check-in including indicating how many bags you are checking then there is NO charge. At first it looked crowded out there, so we went inside as I knew since we had done online check-in we only needed to drop our bags -- then I saw the mile long line of people all just waiting to drop there bags. We went back outside. There was no charge, just tipped the guy $1 per bag for taking them.

Selfish cretins who will not check a bag should be put on the no-fly list.

(But the airlines share some of the blame for imposing a separate fee to check bags.)

as soon as i heard about these changes in policy of charging for the 2nd and sometimes 1st checked bags, i thought...great now there will be more delays as they unload all the bags that have been carried on but don't fit. flying USE TO BE such a pleasurable experience.

dmlove, I am in MSP and the curb-side checking of luggage was until this year, tip to skycaps only. Then the airport commission decided they were missing a great source of revenue and dipped their hand into the pockets of the skycaps. I don't believe those ladies and gentlemen receive a salary from either the airlines or the airport -- they still work for tips only. I dare say it was a very good paying job until recently. Personally, I think this is the worst case of greed on the part of airports and airlines that I've seen so far. If anyone can enlighten me on how this is fair treatment of hard working people, I would welcome the conversation.

Another question; why have air fares gone up $100 to $200 in the past week, when oil prices have stabilized and gas prices have actually gone down a few cents? I have been tracking tickets for our winter holiday in Mexico. In May they were $644, an increase of $178 over last year. In June they jumped to $770, in July to $800 and now they are $945 each! The same with tickets for a trip to Toronto -- last week $500, this week over $700.

With this scenario, the ticket to Mexico that cost me $466 (same flights, same dates) last year, will now cost $945 (if bought today) + $30 RT for the first bag + $50 RT for the second bag + $200 RT for the dive bag + $18 to curbside check the 3 bags + $6 tip to the skycap. Oh and if we want a "snack" on the plane that's another $5/$7 or a Preferred aisle seat, add another $25. That's nearly $1300 per person - TRIPLE the cost of a year ago.

Sure there are creative ways of keeping the costs down -- we have already purchased our tickets on the "Money+Miles" program and paid $407 + 20,0000 miles each. We will really cut back our packing (for a month long stay) and take only 2 bags each. We won't curbside check. We will take our own snacks on the flight. But, this can't all be blamed on oil prices -- they haven't tripled in a year.

I sure hope we win the Lotto soon!

Gas prices just started to drop. IT will take a while before prices may start to drop. More realistically, they may just stabilize for a while then drop if the trend continues.

This selfish cretin always takes a carry on and I hate it when inconsiderate people put their coats or small bags in the bins. If it happened that there was no room for my bag, I'd pick a coat out of the bim ask who it belonged to, take it down and replace it with my bag...luckily it hasn't happened yet.

Yes the FAs can and will take your bag from you and check it. So, always be sure to keep your cameras and expensive jewelry and medications, etc. in a bag that is small enough to go under your own seat.

My camera, valuables and medications are too big in themselves to fit under the seat, much less in a bag small enough for under the seat (I have a professional camera and a video camera).

Skycaps at Logan sued because of the huge cut in their income after the charges for curbside were imposed. The judge ruled that they were owed back tips. Someone (airlines, airport, Massport?) then decided to pay the skycaps $12 to $15 an hour and put up signs that NO tipping was allowed.

Well they put up the signs but didn't put up the money. Back to court everyone. I believe that at this point, the airlines are not imposing the fee, the tips are back in place, and the skycaps are still not paid a salary.

If the plane bins are full then they will likely have you "gate check" bags. I have no idea if the surcharge would apply at that point.

I never do carry-on only these days. I prefer to check my suitcase. Realize also that is the bins are full you might have to stuff it under the seat in front of you. Then you have no room for your feet or legs. On a long flight this would not be good!

On a US Airways flight in June, the FA took the carryon from a front passenger to the back of the plane where she found a spot for it.

On the Continental flights this month, I never saw the FA try to squeeze anything on - they always just gate checked it. I never had it happen to me personally, so I don't know if they were adding an extra bag fee on for those people.

It solve that problem for myself, I check-in as much as possible and only carry on a small bag for my camera, reading materials, meds, etc. This summer I have flown through 8 airports, including several international with 4 different carriers and never had any problem with lost or delayed luggage.

In my experience over the last couple of years with US Airways and United they board window seats first, then middle, then aisle. Since I always choose an aisle seat I have had a hard time finding space in the overhead bin. It has been full of coats, shopping bags, duty free, etc. not just a carry on bag. The gate agents really need to step up and stop the extras from coming on.

Just this past winter we were on a flight back from Hawaii through SFO and we did luck out and were able to put our one bag in the overhead and a late boarder came along with an oversize suitcase which was too long to fit and had to go sideways and she proceeded to try to move and squish everyone else's bags. I was just standing up to stop her and a FA came along and took it to the back.

As a chronic heavy-packer, the key is to have a nylon soft-sided carryon (Kipling or LeSportsac) which can be stuffed into already-crowded compartments and are the lightest. Then you must take the largest tote/handbag you can that will fit under your seat (flexible leather or cotton) into which you carry yet another tiny travel purse small enough for i.d., phone, glasses, small enough to take thru narrow aisles and smaller bathrooms. I am not aware of any carriers that board from the front, but there are always 'overhead hogs' who do not seem to observe the unwritten rule of putting your stuff in your row's area only!

I think if they take your bag from you and check it, they just gate check it. That means it will be waiting for you right as you exit the plane. We have to gate check strollers and carseats and have never had a single problem with them not sitting right there. Just make sure you have everything you want for the plane ride with still with you. Tough to open the underplane compartment while in flight.

I agree this is becoming more of a problem. I had a Travel Pro rolling carry on, very small, and it worked for about a year before I noticed it wouldn't roll down the aisles anymore, or under the seat! Once in a great while it would fit under the seat, but on most flights it was too wide or tall when laying flat. When I got it, 2005, I had done a lot of research on just how much room was available under seats and it worked fine. No idea what they added or changed on flights not long after that, but it no longer fit. Now I use a narrower bag, a small rolling backpack, that so far has fit under every seat and always in the overhead bin. It holds a laptop, DSLR camera and extra lens, plus other necessary items. I don't take a purse or other bag. I like it under the seat because I often can't reach the overhead bin, or it is too difficult to get into during the flight. It converts into a backpack, also, which frees up your hands. It is a never ending quest to find a bag that works, will hold at least enough stuff for one day until my baggage arrives, if delayed. I realize many pack a carryon for several days, so they might take the "personal item" plus the bag. Good luck, it won't get better anytime soon!

I understand that a gate checked bag will be ready for you right at the exit of the plane, as opposed to a "checked" bag that you have to claim at Baggage Claim...but where do they store the gate checked bags if different from the underplane? Does the gate checked bag have more of a chance of being lost or misplaced? How is it that the gate checked bag gets to be right at the exit of the plane for you, if it is held at the same place that the baggage claim bags are? Just curious. Thanks.

Amy - gate checked bags are stored in the holds underneath the plane, with all the other bags. A handler takes them from the jetway and walks the bags down the steps and puts them in the hold. They're last to go on; so upon arrival, the process is reversed - they are the first ones off and handler walks up the steps to the jetway and deposits them by the door to the plane.

Thank you.
I wondered what differentiated them to the handler so they knew to put them at the plane, and not at baggage claim.

Amy, I've seen the FAs tag the gatechecked bags so they must code them somehow --- but I still insist that anything out of my view can be misplaced, and I would never allow something of great value to be gatechecked. How do I know the baggage handler doesn't carry the bag down to the hold, gets interrupted and someone else picks the bag up and throws it on a cart to Timbuktu. I'm sure that gatechecked bags have occasionally been mishandled.

They tag them differently.

Thank you Suze and all.

I just called them because DELTA's standard carry on size is different than the rest of the airlines. Delta requires 22 x 14 x 9. Other airlines have 11 x 14 x 26. I am going to err on the side of caution, and since my carry-on must have wheels, I am hoping I will find a bag at the store that fits the 22 x 14 x 9 dimensions.

Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Amy, just curious, what airlines allow a 26" bag as a carryon? I think you'll find that Delta's carryon size is pretty typical.

I just saw your other post - that it's USAir. I'm very surprised they allow 26" bags as carry-ons. Live and learn.

I never heard of a 26" carry-on being allowed! Are you sure about that?

I wouldn't have guess it, but it does say 26" http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/traveltools/baggage/baggagepolicies.aspx

Since I am also flying DELTA, who requires 22 x 14 x 9, and that is what fits their "Smart Wise" fitter, I am going to have to go with that. Too small for US Airways, just right for Delta.

US AIRWAYS

Up to 51 in/129 cm (11 x 14 x 26 in or 28 x 35 x 66 cm)

http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/traveltools/baggage/baggagepolicies.aspx

I am so glad I happened to see this thread. I am flying USAir to Vegas tomorrow and was planning to use my smallest carryon. It is stuffed to the gills w/ everything I'll need for the weekend b/c I refuse to pay their $15/bag fee to check a bag. Now I know that I can switch my bag to another carryon that is a few inches larger. hooray!

When did US Air start charging for the first checked bag? I flew them last month and they didn't.

I want to know if Austin was kidding, or really thinks that his carryon has more right to be in the overhead bin than my coat??? Do the math, people: if everyone in the typical 5-seat configuration brings one rolling carry-on, they will NOT fit in the overheads for their row!!!!

I don't get the fuss over paying the $15, when required. If the airline carriers hid that cost by raising their ticket price $15, no one would even notice.

Im a FA for AA and can tell you, I have not had to check a bag for my passengers since the bag fees have been in place (I don't agree with the bag fees by the way).

A few years ago AA spent a great deal of money making the bins deeper for rollaboard suitcases. If placed in correctly you can get at least 4 bags in a bin.

Ive noticed that even on full flights, we have bin space left

Just my 2 cents....

Laura

Laura, I'm a little confused. Don't most of those bins extend over two rows -- meaning six seats but only 4 suitcases? And that doesn't count the coats, laptops, and giant purses, not to mention all the pillow,blankets, and other stuff that's already in a lot of them.

You obviously haven't been working the flights I've been on. They've been struggling to help people find places. One gal held up our last flight because there was no space for her carryon within at least 5 or 6 rows. She was refusing to let them take her carryon out of her sight, and wanted them to remove someone else's stuff.

She was refusing to let them take her carryon out of her sight, and wanted them to remove someone else's stuff.

Too bad they didn't just remove HER.

There were a lot of passengers suggesting that! Especially since everyone was already seated before she finally boarded and then acted like she owned the plane. She stood in the aisle and made a huge scene although the were trying to make final preparations for take off.

Laura, I sure hope you're the FA on our October AA flight!

Thank you too for the heads up on the size of that carry on bag as per US AIRWAYS, Amy.

I actually have seen someone escorted off the plane for causing a scene for the same reasons. And that was before the baggage fees...

I do not know for sure either way but perhaps travelers, in general, do not have as much of an issue with the fact they have to pay a fee for a checked bag and no fee for a gated bag.

I think that the reality that their bag could be misplaced or lost (and we have almost all experienced this at one time or another), or also that on carry-ons we have things that we might need while in flight.

We were on a US Airways flight where the stewardess took our 1 carry on item that was stowed overhead and removed it to let a crew pilot who was "deadheading" put his carry on bag in its place. Moreover, she did it quietly, trying not to let us see what she was doing. She was walking to the front of the plane with it when I realized it was our luggage and objected. We would not even have known where our luggage was when we landed. Moreover, the "deadheading" pilot loudly told me that if I objected I "could rent my own plane." We already had paid $30 to US Airways for our two pieces of luggage to be checked aboard at the counter. It seems that US Airways management does not value their passengers. Just keeps charging us!!!They seem to allow their crew to use up the overhead space, and do not care that passengers are inconvenienced. US Airways should fire that off-duty pilot and reprimand the sneaky stewardess.

marilynl, I heartily agree--why is Austin's suitcase more deserving of opverhead bin space than my wool coat?

The very easy rule for EVERYONE and ALL airlines to follow would be...
each pax is allowed one carryon and one personal item. The carryon MUST be able to fit under the seat in front of you, and the personal item MUST be able to fit there ALSO. This would ensure that all of us would need to be responsible for our own bags, especially if there was a chance that we might have to have them fit under that seat in front of us.

In addition, after the 1st class pax boarded, FA's should prevent people from stowing bags in the bins that are in front of their seats! Depending on how the planes are boarded, this shouldn't be too difficult...

This whole carryon thing is out of hands. I check my bag as a courtesy to my fellow passengers. Others should be doing the same.

We flew a CRJ recently and about 20 passengers carried their bags and gate-checked them. The overhead bins are very small and most were aware of that. I was carrying booster seats for kids and they wouldn't fit b/c it was too narrow. (they've easily fit on other planes and I don't like to check them b/c we're hosed if they don't come).

So I had to walk back out and gate check them - there is a different color tag so the people know that they are for gate check.

When we got out to the checked bags, there were very few around the carousel - most had gate checked.

I felt bad for the skycap b/c they are losing their income. They will soon be gone.

I hate hate hate to check bags:
1) they get lost (yes, it has happened to me. it wasn't fun).
2) I hate waiting for them.
3) I've been bumped and gotten free tickets which we couldn't have done if checked bags.
4) fun for an earlier flight (connection wouldn't have been 'legal' but we got in early). Bag wouldn't have made it.

We have perfected the act of traveling light. We took 3 small duffels for 5 people for a week of vacation. Plus each had a 'personal' item (small backpacks for kids, pc bags/purse for adults). soooooooo much easier.

Contrast this to my sil... she takes 2-3 outfits for each day. Her large suitcase (one of two she takes) would be large enough for our whole family. One of many reasons we don't travel together.

ooops. that would be Run for an earlier flight.

NeoPatrick...

Yes, you are confused, pillows and blankets? Where?

Laura

Well every time we get on an AA plane we have to take our two blankets and two pillows and stuff them into one of those overhead bins. Lots of other people seem to be doing the same. I don't need a pillow or a blanket to fly from Miami to New York, for example. Of course I realize if it were an overnight flight, there wouldn't be any pillows or blankets to be found!

I have not checked a bag since the 3 oz rule...there was just too much luggage being checked. Depending on where we are going, I either FedEx our luggage to our destination or just FedEx a box of our full size liquids so we can do carry on's only.
When purchasing your luggage you should bring a tape measure and make sure it falls within the guidelines. It is wise to invest in quality luggage, it makes all the difference in the world.
I think a lot of the problem is that people think that because their luggage is smaller and has wheels on it they think it is a carry on. There are specific size guidelines posted on every airline's website. You must measure your luggage after it is packed. Most people do not know how to fit their carry ons in the overhead either. They put their luggage in the long way, which takes up twice as much room. The luggage should go in wheels first with the handle facing out. The FA's have to go thru all the overheads and fix all the bags. If placed properly there is more than enough room for everyone to bring a carry on in the overhead and the smaller bag under the seat.