Gate Check Question
 

On regional jets, where there is not enough room onboard to store a small-suitcase carry-on, U.S. domestic airlines typically let the passenger gate-check such an item and then pick it up plane-side on arrival at the destination. Can passengers also gate-check a small carry-on suitcase when flying on larger planes such as a 737? If so, does the item get picked-up plane-side or at the baggage claim with the checked luggage? Thanks in advance.

In my experience if the piece of luggage can't fit in the cabin on a jet, it gets placed in the hold and becomes checked luggage

We've had both experiences--more commonly, we drop off/pick up our bags at the end of the jetway, but sometimes we have to wait at baggage claim.

If by "can a passenger also gate-check a small suitcase" you mean can you <b>request </b> to gate-check one, the answer is no.

But, as the previous posters have noted, if the item is too big for the overhead bins or if the bins fill up, you can be required to check your carry-on bag.

"If by "can a passenger also gate-check a small suitcase" you mean can you request to gate-check one, the answer is no."

Yeah you can. Gate agents are happy to do this - at least on United. Less carry-on luggage means a faster boarding process and makes the flight attendants' job easier. On most flights these days, the gate agents request people volunteer to gate check luggage since they know it isn't going to all fit anyway and the more people they can get to voluntarily gate check, the fewer people they will have to force to gate check. And, when you gate check, the luggage is tagged to final destination to be picked up at baggage claim.

november_moon, I was talking about requesting to gate-check a bag when there has been no call for volunteers. Of <b>course</b> people can ask an agent to gate-check a bag if the agent has asked for volunteers!

I flew United today and I asked about it (because I was curious), and I was told that basically passengers can't simply request that their carry-ons be gate-checked. There has to be a call by the staff for people to gate-check. (There are certain exceptions, of course—things like strollers and car seats and wheelchairs are typically gate-checked.)

" I was talking about requesting to gate-check a bag when there has been no call for volunteers."

Me too. I have done it on several occasions. Maybe I have just been lucky and they were going to ask for volunteers and I just asked before they made the announcement, who knows? But my experience with United is that if you want to gate check, you can.

Interesting! I wonder why the difference in what I was told and what you have been able to do, november_moon.