Nikki

I flew United from San Francisco to Boston yesterday. My husband and I had aisle seats near the back of the plane and were in the last boarding group. The gate agent announced that everyone in boarding group 4 had to check any rolling carry-on bags at the gate because there would be no room to stow them in the overhead bins.

There is stuff in my carry-on that I put there for a reason. If I wanted to check everything, I could have put it all in my checked luggage and avoided carrying a bag with me on the plane. Fortunately, my husband had a duffle bag that I could stuff my camera into, and I just figured I'd leave my netbook in my own bag and take my chances with it.

I understand the policy of putting people in aisle seats in the last boarding group, this makes sense for boarding efficiency. But does this mean that if I have an aisle seat, I need to pay extra for early boarding so they will let me bring my carry-on? Or start lugging a duffle bag through airports again instead of the much more convenient roller bags? Is this another way of charging for carry-on luggage?

RoamsAround

First off, if all the overhead bin space is full and you are asked to "gate check" your carry-on luggage the airlines WILL NOT charge you for "checking" that luggage so your question "Is this another way of charging for carry-on luggage?" is moot.

Second, there's no way to predict if there will be space available in the overhead bins. With all the airlines cutting back on schedules to reduce operating costs there is a higher likelihood of more flights being completely full. That means more passengers bringing more carryon luggage. It's not unusual for those later in the boarding process to have limited or no overhead space available.

Unfortunately, what you experienced is becoming more and more common place - it's something everyone has to live with at one time or another. So yes, you can pay extra for early boarding or hope that you fly enough to attain elite status with your airline of choice thus giving you early boarding privileges as a perk.

Nikki

What I meant by "another way of charging for carry-on luggage" is that I could pay for priority boarding and in that way be permitted to carry on my bag. I understand that I am not charged for gate checking my bag.

I have not encountered this policy before, but I do not fly as much as many here, and I can not therefore attain elite status. In the past, I have seen people offered the option of gate checking their bags to reduce demand for the overhead space, and as that is voluntary, it seems fine to me.

Our flight from Boston to San Francisco was full, and we were able to place our carry-ons overhead. But on the return flight, we were not given any options. The flight was full, but there was still ample space for carry-ons which went unfilled because we were forced to gate check any roll-on bags.

My main question is whether this is common policy on United. If so, I would be inclined to avoid flying this airline when I have a choice. I have not encountered this policy on any other airline, which does not mean it does not exist. I'm just wondering.

mztery

Whether you fly UA or not in the future -

always have a "personal item" with any valuables outside of a roll aboard for just that eventuality. Per the contract of carriage for US airlines general, they are NOT responsible for loss or theft of electronics or jewelry from checked luggage.

As of Mar3 UA and Continental will be one airline so this may be common for them. Other carriers have different seating policies but all are moving towards catering more to elites (frequents fliers) than to the average "regular" flier.

RoamsAround

The situation you describe happens with all airlines - you are at the mercy of the Gate agents and/or Flight Attendants. As I said, it is becoming more and more prevalent as airlines reduce the number of flights between specific destinations - so flights are becoming more and more crowded.

J62

The policy of proactively telling late boarding passengers on full flights they need to gate check their bags makes a lot of sense to me.

This flight may have been an exception - the flight was full but there was still overhead space.

I've been on many planes where pax open each and every single overhead looking for space, bags crowd the aisles as departure time approaches, etc, and this leads to late departures.

Airlines have a vested interested in getting flights departed on-time, which to me is quite important.

Bravo United. I hope other airlines are more proactive like this.

CarolA

" I just figured I'd leave my netbook in my own bag and take my chances with it. "

REALLY?

If you got it back you were LUCKY! Next time it comes out too.

Seriously, the valuables go in the carry on that fits UNDER the seat in front of you . Then you don't have to worry about this.


What you need to learn to do is "pack smarter" The rollerboard has CLOTHING and make up. That's it. Electronics, cash etc. go in your "personal" item that will fit under the seat.

Then regardless of what you have to do at boarding you will be "safe"

This happens on all airlines all the time and LOTS of them don't let you "pay to board early" (Delta doesn't for example.)

Nikki

The netbook has nothing of great value on it and is not particularly valuable itself. That's why I travel with it. And not expecting this, I did not have an alternate place to put it.

I do not have room in my fairly large purse for a computer. And if I had a bag that could carry a computer it would not also have room for my SLR camera. Not to mention my bag of wires, my meds, my other valuables, my smaller camera, a book or my new Kindle, my iPod, heaphones. And what about the nice things I buy abroad that I don't want to put in checked luggage, such as pottery (I do that a lot)?

Makeup? CarolA, you've met me, it's been years since I've touched the stuff.

I have a packing system that has worked for me very well right up until this trip. I bring only a day's worth of clothes in my carry-on, and use it for the things I listed above. So if this keeps up, I suppose I have to get a larger "personal item" without wheels and lug that stuff around airports.

rkkwan

Welcome to the reality of modern travel. Carol is correct - you just have to be prepared for it, with all valuables in a carryon that can fit under the seat in front of you. Even if one has elite status or has paid for access, there is always the chance one gets to the gate late and cannot board before others. Unless one's flying in the front cabin.

clevelandbrown

Our carry ons are shoulder bags, and are large enough for all our valuables, but not for spare clothing. They fit under the seat in front of us, so we can easily watch them and get into them when we want to use the computer, etc. It is getting harder and harder to do this as the airlines cram all kinds of boxes and cables for the onboard entertainment into the same space. And of course you have to avoid bulkhead seats, where there is no seat in front of you to put your bag under.

mrwunrfl

>>all are moving towards catering more to elites (frequents fliers) than to the average "regular" flier<<

United, for one, is moving away from catering to elite fliers. They are now selling what were once only available as benefits to elite-level frequent fliers. The benefits for MileagePlus elite-level fliers have been reduced.

mztery

United, for one, is moving away from catering to elite fliers. They are now selling what were once only available as benefits to elite-level frequent fliers. The benefits for MileagePlus elite-level fliers have been reduced.



Couple of small points

whether elite based on miles or elite based on paying extra to the airline, my point stands.

And while lower tier elites suffer, UGS and Million Mile fliers have some new benefits so they ARE protecting super elites.

And scuttlebutt re the "new " United is that you will no longer be able to buy premier access or premier bags or premier E+ seating per year - it will go to ta per-FLIGHT cost at some point once the merger is smoothed out. SO whether it's number of miles you fly or dollars you spend, it will still prove problematic for the average non-regular flier.


And there are also strong rumors that Uthe new US may stop the practice of piece b

Underhill

Could we please have the rest of that last sentence?

mrwunrfl

>>whether elite based on miles or elite based on paying extra to the airline, my point stands.<<

Okay. I suspected that was what you meant, but you wrote "elites (frequents fliers)". You don't have to be a frequent flier to be an "elite". You can be a "regular" flier, or a first time flier, and pay for the services previously called benefits.

And you don't even have to pay. Just get the right credit card. Everyone can be "special".

CarolA

Here is what was in my personal item for a recent flight

Laptop, IPad, digital SLR, zoom lens, wallet, Bose noise cancelling headphones, magazines, jewelry case, wallet, glasses case, hand lotion, , two cell phones, water bottle, Luna bzrs, misc junke ... this is just what you have to do now. This stuff has to be able to under the seat.

Notice there is no purse. It goes in the 22" roller board along with clothing, makeup ALL the power cords, work papers etc... You are right purses won't hold laptops...that is why its not a good personal item.

It is not "logical" but it is the way that works. When they take my Rollerboard I just shrug. (and being elite doesn't help. I had to give up my bag on Delta last week and I am as "elite" as they come.)

mztery

1) last sentence on my prior post was a mistake - left over from what I was trying to write originally. Ply it no mind.

2) Is is really crazy to think that posters here of all people would understand my LARGER point - that the airlines are catering to those with status, elite fliers, high-paying fliers - the main point being your garden variety leisure traveler is SOL.

Jeez...

Nikki

Carol, what kind of bag do you use that fits all that stuff? Sounds like I need that. And I guess I'll have to take my luck with pottery and other purchases in checked luggage.

mrwunrfl

We are in agreement mztery. That was just a rant. jeez. Also, I was giving the OP a clue.

mrwunrfl

The clue: get the right credit card and you can get priority boarding with it. One of the Mileage Plus Visa cards or CO OnePass Mastercads or the Explorer card. There are different levels of benefits, I think, depending on the level of the card. These apply to UA/CO flights. There may, or may not, be a card that gives priority boarding and/or other benefits on multiple carriers (some form of Amex, maybe).

simpsonc510

At least the last 6-7 (or more) UA flights I've taken have had that announcement that the #4 boarding group will need to check their bags due to no space remaining. Planes are FULL. Overhead bins are FULL (a lot of people bring MORE than their 'fair share' of bags and take up more space than they should). I always check bags and only carry on a purse and small duffel or tote.

I'm a UA elite, 1K, so I board within the first group or two, depending on how they are organized at the gate. No problems with putting my (small...not rollaboard) bag into the overhead bin. I like bulkhead seats so I must stow my carry on items as they cannot be placed at my feet. I like a small slim purse that I can stuff between my seat armrest and the wall! I can sometimes do this, and not have to get into the bin for items during the flight.

RE: the merger between UA and CO. I do indeed see some elite benefits being diminished, but I'll keep flying UA.