airline luggage questions

[bones774]

Will be flying out tomorrow on AA. The last few times I have flown it's been a kinda cat and mouse game with checking luggage. Checking in at front counter I've told them my luggage was carry on($25 savings per bag pp) and then as I wait at the gate with my carry on they usually make an announcement that you can check your bags no charge at gate. Has anyone experienced this also?

Thanks

[kylenyc]

For AA domestic flights, baggage allowance is one carry-on and one personal item. $25 for the first checked bag, $35 for the second bag

 

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/baggage/baggageAllowance.jsp

 

The announcement they make does not mean they are giving you free checked baggage at the gate. They doing it because they have a full flight, and they are concerned that the overhead bins will be full. So they ask people to voluntarily check in their carry-ons at the gate. You still must adhere to the carry-on restrictions in the link above (weight and dimensions).

Edited June 27, 2014 by kylenyc

[NMLady]

Will be flying out tomorrow on AA. The last few times I have flown it's been a kinda cat and mouse game with checking luggage. Checking in at front counter I've told them my luggage was carry on($25 savings per bag pp) and then as I wait at the gate with my carry on they usually make an announcement that you can check your bags no charge at gate. Has anyone experienced this also?

Thanks

 

If your luggage is carryon size but is wheeled, sometimes the overhead bins are too small for it. In that case they will gate check it. We've had that happen.

[Keith1010]

You never know whether or not they will let you check it at the gate.

 

Keith

[aubreyc1988]

You never know whether or not they will let you check it at the gate.

 

Keith

 

yep, but if you know you are going on a smaller plane, the probability that you are going to check your carry ons increases. I usually always have to on the small planes that leave out of my city. Bigger ones are always hit or miss

[bones774]

For AA domestic flights, baggage allowance is one carry-on and one personal item. $25 for the first checked bag, $35 for the second bag

 

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/baggage/baggageAllowance.jsp

 

The announcement they make does not mean they are giving you free checked baggage at the gate. They doing it because they have a full flight, and they are concerned that the overhead bins will be full. So they ask people to voluntarily check in their carry-ons at the gate. You still must adhere to the carry-on restrictions in the link above (weight and dimensions).

 

 

When I have checked at the gate in the past it was a no charge, for whatever reason.

[kylenyc]

When I have checked at the gate in the past it was a no charge, for whatever reason.

 

The experience varies based on time of year, airport, and the whims of who's ever in charge. I expect airlines to get stricter at the gate as long as the airport has an easy way to charge customers for oversize overweight luggage.

 

Reuters - "Why some bags are not going to fly this summer"

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/18/us-usa-airlines-carry-ons-idUSKBN0EO2AE20140618

Edited June 27, 2014 by kylenyc

[bones774]

The experience varies based on time of year, airport, and the whims of who's ever in charge. I expect airlines to get stricter at the gate as long as the airport has an easy way to charge customers for oversize overweight luggage.

 

Reuters - "Why some bags are not going to fly this summer"

http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/06/18/us-usa-airlines-carry-ons-idUSKBN0EO2AE20140618

 

 

thats why i'm kinda polling here, to see how things have been doing. Particularly, I'm flying out of JFK.

PS-Im not talking about oversize or over weight, just plain carry on size.

Edited June 27, 2014 by bones774

[Steph27]

From experience I believe the reason that AA will offer to check bags for free at the gate is to eliminate the amount of bags in the overheads. It would be easier if AA just waived the fee for the checked bags but this is a revenue producer. If a flight is fully booked the gate attendants have discretion to free up more space for the bags. I have seen this happen on Delta too. I usually only take carryon domestically and internationally and would prefer not to check anything. If you only have a carryon why would you want to check it anyway? Kind of defeats the whole purpose.

[mugtech]

Delta and British Air did not seem too concerned about size and weight of carryons on trans Atlantic flights , but smaller airlines in Europe (Aegean, Cyprus) insist that your carryons weigh no more than 8 kg.

[Cruisernat]

Just be aware that there is a difference between a "gate check" and checking your bag at the gate. A gate check usually means that you hand over your carry on bag just before you enter the plane door & retrieve it as you exit the plane. Checking your bag at the gate (if requested) usually means that you hand it over before you even enter the jet bridge and you must retrieve it from a luggage carousel with all the other checked luggage. At least this was my experience on a recent Delta International flight. This can be a tricky if you have your valuables in your carry on.

[sparks1093]

Sheesh, no wonder I choose to drive when I can:eek:. Not looking forward to flying to Germany next year, the way DW packs I'll probably pay as much for the bags as I do our ticket:eek::eek:.

Edited June 27, 2014 by sparks1093

[mking8288]

Different airlines and their regional ("commuter" connections) partner fly different equipments, with varied sizes in overhead bins - and, unless you fly strictly from major hub to major hub (i.e. SFO to JFK, EWR to MIA, etc.) non-stop, odds are good that you will be flyer a smaller (maybe a newer extended or stretched version) narrow-body jets - that often do not have the traditional full sized ++ bins (22" x 14" x 7" is the semi-official legacy USA airline carry-on sized MLC being enforced these days.) Welcome to the new era of the airport "sizer" at the check-in counter, gate and even next to the boarding jetbridge.

 

Most overhead bins are not designed to hold overweight luggage that weight 25 or 30+ lbs. each and they are dangerous to YOU & anyone sitting underneath or nearby if the bins popped open mid-flight due to air turbulence or otherwise. Granted that not everyone pack heavy and drag them into the main cabin, there is simply NOT enough space, physically to allow each seated passenger a space overhead for their 22" rollers or spinners, PLUS their "smaller" personal bag that's supposed to go underneath the seat in front of you (=less/reduced legroom) The end result is a slower boarding process, struggle to LIFT them overhead and finding no space if you are in the general boarding group 3 or 4, etc. and they are on the clock to turn the plane around to fly for a on-time departure and arrival.

 

The ground crew or gate agent has the authority and sometimes the mandate to do all these - and, thus, begin the PA announcement at the boarding area early to speed all this up. Just make sure whether they are doing a gate check (often being mandatory & necessary for small commuter jet or turboprop's) or free luggage check to the final destination only - and, obtain a claim check and that it is tagged to the final destination if you are making a connection to another airline en route. Sometimes, even gate check luggage are delivered to the airport's arrival carousal INSIDE the terminal building and NOT outside on the tarmac - always have luggage tag/ID's and extra tag inside if case it's lost/misrouted - never leave medications, valuables or electronics with items gate-checked. When we fly - we always pack a folded canvas/recycling tote bag as extra.

 

European & Asian carriers have tighter rules on weight & size of the carry-ons and be thankful that US airlines haven't "downsized" yet ;)

 

Here, a PSA from one of the nephews who worked on the ground at one of the area airport.