Hey cruise passengers...check you bags!

[spongerob]

Our flight home yesterday was filled with a large number of people who had just disembarked Crown Princess. And guess what, almost every one had a ridiculous number of carry-on items. People were fighting over overhead bin space (please, small stuff can go under the seat with a restriction in your comfort), some people had bags so heavy that there was no way they could lift them, and most had more than they could carry.

 

What's wrong with checking a bag when you have a pile of extra stuff on your trip home? Yes, it might cost, but you save yourself so much hassle, and you avoid some of the risk of having your 50-lb carry on bag land on your (or someone else') head when you try to retrieve it. Remember, too, that if you are arriving in the US from an international destination you will have a very long walk to clear immigration and customs, and will have to re-screen. All those carry-ons become impedimenta that slow you down and cause a lot of extra effort.

 

I have had a bag lost exactly once in over twenty years of air travel, and that was due to an interline connection. I got it the next day. Check those big carry-ons, it will make life a lot easier in the long run.

[paul929207]

The airlines have rules against carryons like you describe. They just need to enforce them

[zebra36]

This is not just a problem with cruisers. Got back from a Las Vegas trip last week and overhead space was filled and a few folks had to gate check a few pieces. I do not have a problem with carryons but folks who bring on several peices each and can barely manage handling it just boggles the mind.

[CtheW0rld]

this is one of my pet peeves. then of course, when the plane lands, these 'space hogs' hold everyone up trying to get all of their things out of the bin and off the place. just plain rude. :mad:

[UKBayern]

The airlines have rules against carryons like you describe. They just need to enforce them

 

Yes, but then the airline in question gets flamed on CC :D

[6rugrats]

The airlines have rules against carryons like you describe. They just need to enforce them

 

The airlines don't make these rules, the FAA does. Airlines can be fined if they allow passengers to violate these regulations. Someday perhaps people will realize they just don't need to travel with everything they own.

[scottbee]

Our flight home yesterday was filled with a large number of people who had just disembarked Crown Princess. And guess what, almost every one had a ridiculous number of carry-on items. People were fighting over overhead bin space (please, small stuff can go under the seat with a restriction in your comfort), some people had bags so heavy that there was no way they could lift them, and most had more than they could carry.

 

What's wrong with checking a bag when you have a pile of extra stuff on your trip home? Yes, it might cost, but you save yourself so much hassle, and you avoid some of the risk of having your 50-lb carry on bag land on your (or someone else') head when you try to retrieve it. Remember, too, that if you are arriving in the US from an international destination you will have a very long walk to clear immigration and customs, and will have to re-screen. All those carry-ons become impedimenta that slow you down and cause a lot of extra effort.

 

I have had a bag lost exactly once in over twenty years of air travel, and that was due to an interline connection. I got it the next day. Check those big carry-ons, it will make life a lot easier in the long run.

 

We brought it upon ourselves;

 

 

1. Internet flight pricing software allowed you sort by 'cheapest'
   
2. Airlines needed to lower their prices without reducing income to be at the top of the list (see #1), so they lowered prices slight, and started charging for checked bags
   
3. Because airlines now charge for checked baggage (see #2), more people use carryons to forgo a checked bag
   

 

However, people are idiots. Checked bags can always be put in 'wheels 1st'; and you'll get three in that over head bin. If you're lazy, and put it lengthways you can only get 2 bags up there. Airlines have diagrams, FAs mention it, and people are still idiots.

[silentbob007]

I've determined it is worth the money not to have to get into a fistfight in order to find space to stow a bag. What I find even more amusing is that when the line starts moving to board, people are getting pushier and pushier to get to the front to make sure they get space.

[PennyAgain]

The carry on issue needs to be resolved. I've often boarded a flight only to find no overhead bin space available for me at all.

 

Airlines need to enforce the rules.

[spongerob]

However, people are idiots. (You could have stopped there. The statement needs no proof. :))Checked bags can always be put in 'wheels 1st'; and you'll get three in that over head bin. If you're lazy, and put it lengthways you can only get 2 bags up there. Airlines have diagrams, FAs mention it, and people are still idiots.

 

They also fail to plan ahead. Just how do people think that they are going to be able to drag a roller bag, their pillow, another bag containing their personal electronic devices, and a shopping bag full of stuff that they bought on impulse from gate A3 to gate Q39 in 25 minutes while trying to yack on their cell phone the entire time?

[pms4104]

Logic would seem to indicate that with fewer checked bags, airlines have excess bag-handling capacity and personnel.

 

Rather than laying off idle bag handlers, perhaps the airilnes could divert those personnel to gate areas to enforce the carryon policy. Well, and the airlines also could install credit-card swipe machines at their gates so that those with excess carryons in number or size could pay at the gate to check those bags. And, oh yeah, make the gate-checking fee more than the normal bag check fee. While this may hack off some customers, the carryon offenders, it wouldn't seem it would cost the airlines any more money ... and they actually might see a revenue increase with those added fees.

 

Seems like a win-win ... the airlines could generate $$$, and the passengers who respect the carryon limitations actually might find it convenient to get overhead bin space.

[scottbee]

The carry on issue needs to be resolved. I've often boarded a flight only to find no overhead bin space available for me at all.

 

Airlines need to enforce the rules.

 

It's quite brilliant really. Create a problem (by charging for luggage), and to fight it, now you can pay to board early (AA) and hence have your pick of the overheads...

[Sargent_Schultz]

At least one airline never went the way of the greedy and bags still fly free. I always seem to find sufficient overhead space that airline, too. :)

 

Hmmmmm.

[spongerob]

Awesome! Do they go to Rome? The one in Italy?

[Sargent_Schultz]

At least one International airline has a different solution. They charge an arm and a leg for both checked and carry-on luggage. I guess the theory is that people might tend to check more bags since they have to pay more, anyway. I doubt the airline cares what a passenger decides - the airline knows they've got you coming and going, whatever you choose to do.

[spongerob]

I fly as often on Southwest as I do AA or CO and I can make exactly the same comments about bringing too much on board and lack of enforcement. By my own observations I have to say that the problem with people carrying too much is therefore not driven by checked-bag fees. I think that it's a desire to avoid waiting for checked bags. The only saving grace as far as WN is concerned is that the flights I have been on recently haven't been full; the flights I've taken on AA and CO have been full.

 

On that note, retrieving checked bags at Hobby has become disastrously slow and whatever WN has done there needs to be reversed. Their remodeling of the baggage claim area seems to be the culprit. My last two trips through HOU have required lengthy waits for bags of up to 30 minutes. When I fly CO through IAH I go downstairs, grab my bag, and head off to the rental car center with no delay.

 

I admire Southwest for the fact that they figured out a long time ago that you make money when planes are in the air, not sitting on the ground. Other airlines seem to have received that message and are doing a better job turning around flights, too.

[NHBob]

At least one International airline has a different solution. They charge an arm and a leg for both checked and carry-on luggage...

 

How about telling us which airline? I've yet to encounter this on my frequent international flights, most recently trans-Pacific in March.

 

If I were baggage boss, I'd charge "an arm and a leg" for all except the smallest carry-on, say less than 10 pounds, and allow one free checked bag. Bet we'd see a major reduction in carry-on problems!

 

Bob

[Sargent_Schultz]

How about telling us which airline? I've yet to encounter this on my frequent international flights, most recently trans-Pacific in March.

 

If I were baggage boss, I'd charge "an arm and a leg" for all except the smallest carry-on, say less than 10 pounds, and allow one free checked bag. Bet we'd see a major reduction in carry-on problems!

 

Bob

 

Spirit Airlines is one culprit.

[UKBayern]

Logic would seem to indicate that with fewer checked bags, airlines have excess bag-handling capacity and personnel.

 

Rather than laying off idle bag handlers, perhaps the airilnes could divert those personnel to gate areas to enforce the carryon policy. Well, and the airlines also could install credit-card swipe machines at their gates so that those with excess carryons in number or size could pay at the gate to check those bags. And, oh yeah, make the gate-checking fee more than the normal bag check fee. While this may hack off some customers, the carryon offenders, it wouldn't seem it would cost the airlines any more money ... and they actually might see a revenue increase with those added fees.

 

 

Most European airlines do this on intra-European flights with little overhead space. I used to work for some of them as a gate supervisor. The staff really "enjoys" being used as a punch-bag and called all kinds of diseases, and delaying the plane substantially because of all the heated arguments at the gate. At the bottom line, bad publicity and not leaving on time costs an airline more.