Sean Peever

@Ben

If you're still reading this thread (hope you are) I'm just going to be honest and direct with my situation, and why it bothers me. I know I'm one person, I know I'm probably an exception, but I am hoping you are looking to gather honest and direct feedback on this change.

Regarding your earlier points: I have NOT been checked in YYZ yet, but this year I HAVE been checked 4 times in YQF and 3 times in YYC.

Why it bothers me: I don't like to be bothered while traveling (I'm odd like that), it's my personal time to myself, and I try to interact with AC staff as little as possible (to be clear, I like your staff, they are friendly and polite 99% of the time, I just want my personal time to me). It's also a nuisance to do, and slightly embarrassing when there are hundreds of people at the gate watching the Agent single you out to test your bag - not an experience in public shaming I wish to go through (7 times this year so far).

Steps I have taken: I don't like to be bothered or singled out so much that I decided to go and purchase an Air Canada branded carry-on bag, my hope was that because it's an Air Canada carry-on bag your agents would know it's an approved size.

Points to be clear on: I fully support the enforcement of the size to avoid running out of room onboard, and to improve on time performance. I do not support any enforcement of weight as I see (and have shared) better ways I feel this could be done which wouldn't take up any more space but would be more FF friendly (and in the cases of a total weight for 2 pieces could in some cases reduce the amount of baggage carried on, as some people split it now just to be under weight but could have fit it in one).

Exception to my weight feelings: Pax need to be able to lift their own bags unassisted, if the bag is too heavy for that pax to handle then it should be checked.

In conclusion I'm actually happy about the size enforcement but I think AC could do better on the following.

1) Improve the weight rules or eliminate them (like WS) or just require that Pax have to be able to lift their own

2) You need better carryon sizers like United

3) Train staff on common carry-on bags that are an approved size (think sending out a document with pictures / names) so that they can skip pax with known approved Carryon - save everyone time.

eigenvector

For those suggesting a 20 kg limit, that is all well and good but I'd wager most people cannot lift 20 kg over their head, and it is hazardous when someone who can't lift something tries for the first time within the confined space of an airplane. I'm sure YOU can lift your 20 kg bag. But there will be many with 20 kg bags who can't.

ffsim

This post implies that it's not hazardous to have a 10kg weight limit. There will always be some portion of the flying public who cannot lift the maximum allowed weight, regardless of where it's set.

Ergo:

mkjr

that is why you can buy insurance since many people have to check very expensive stuff ALL the time.

they just make sure they have the appropriate insurance to do so.

the problem, and i sympathize, is that those that must seek to increase client costs will face backlash when they charge more for services because of AC.

so it is but one more cost of doing business although if i was in the area and i had lots of equipment to do my job, i would probably have it insured anyway.

we all have choices in life and when it comes to insurance, some pay to protect against it and others don't. but there is most certainly a choice. the choice does, however, have a cost.

superangrypenguin

Look at 2:12. There's another reason you don't check expensive stuff.

Priceless. I'm surprised no one has brought it up yet.

This is not realistic. I just made 2 claims this month through home insurance. I'm screwed during renewal as they look at # of claims within 5 years. For those of us who travel weekly, or daily, we'd be claiming insurance until we're uninsurable!

ffsim

This keeps coming up. It's not a question of the cost of insurance or the unwillingness of people to insure their cameras / instruments / clothes / etc.

It's a question of not being able to do your job once you arrive at the job site with broken or lost equipment. Some professional photographers I know get around this issue by shipping their equipment via courier or renting at their destination. But that's not an option for everyone, especially when we're talking about highly specialized and calibrated equipment.

pmax

Very well put. This is in fact the root problem. If this were fixed, it would be much less interesting to even bother taking anything onboard unless it's extremely valuable, delicate, or needed in-flight. Fix checked baggage and all the issues go away.

jmottle

That would be great if the statistical probability of actually having to use the insurance is very low, however I think we all know that's not the case.

Having had to use insurance A LOT for personal and business, I can tell you first hand that if you claim more than once or twice in a 7 year period, your rates are going to go up considerably. If you have to claim 3-4+ times, there is a VERY strong chance that you will be dropped.

Not only does this mean you lose coverage, but it also means anyone who might consider accepting me will charge astronomical rates for the rest of my professional career. There is a question that ask when you apply for insurance: "have you ever been refused coverage or had your coverage dropped". If you answer yes to this, then assuming they'll even cover you, it's going to be VERY expensive.

Now, if I don't have coverage, it's not just travelling that is an issue. That same insurance is used for theft, fire, damage etc while on my premise too. So just trying to check my gear has a much larger cascading effect beyond just how an airline deals with my fragile gear.

Trying to courier gear is a major nightmare internationally as you often have to compile reams of paperwork for electronics and then try to ensure they don't issue tax and duty on gear you are shipping back.

Not to mention what happens when it gets inevitably stuck in customs. So I should be without gear for 1-2 weeks on either side of a trip just so I can appease Air Canada...no thanks. Also, finding a local courier is not always possible. Not to mention that the cost of shipping that same gear in large protected Pelican cases in an overnight scenario will costs in some cases thousands of dollars. Multiply that by two and you can see how it's really not a practical solution. Especially when the gear does fit in the overhead and the only reason this is coming up is so some Air Canada bean counter can justify his job.

Arthurrs

While I applaud AC for addressing this particular nonsense at YYZ last year, I have to wonder what is done with checked baggage that is beyond our public view and at other airports. Wpgjetse, was that your bag of samples and camera gear being dropped??

Hello again

You are listening to someone who has not flown in years. The baggage "problem" is way overstated. Yes bags do go missing at times and in 99.995% of the time the are recovered. In term of damaged bags my wife had one (first time ever after many many years of flying around the world), and reported it. she was given a repair authorization and got a new bag out of it. No real hassle or fuss.

InTheAirGuy

In YYZ T1 US.

I didn't see anyone looking at luggage; really didn't see any of the newfangled tags. Just seems like any other day ....

dheian

We almost need a separate photographers thread.

Just had a twitter convo with AC support. Asked about the "camera bags right size, wrong weight" issue and was told "you can check the bag". Reminded them to read their own site which says it should be brought onboard and suggested handlers shouldn't steal.

1) on the photo issue. I can potentially see an increase in rental inventory in major media centers. Right now, the shelves can be empty in LA for events like Oscar weekend.

2) On the handler issue: since 9/11 we've treated the airports with intense scrutiny and a "national security" emphasis. I realize that people can slip through the cracks but when you see the tallies of stolen items or the massive sting at LAX you wonder how we're letting those people in the bellies of aircraft.

I'm not sure what we can do in North America about that issue. Maybe the solution is not to just charge the person with theft. Make it some new "violation of airport security" offense with some nice "national security" added harsh minimum sentence add-on. Maybe we'd see less theft if workers caught doing it faced a minimum 10 yr stint even if all they stole was a pair of your socks.

CloudsBelow

I don't understand this thinking. If a PAX hurts their back/shoulder during a trip, Does that mean they should not be allowed to have a carryon? Are the FAs not there to aid passengers?
As a guy who wears L/XL shirts, 36/34 pants, size 12 shoes, it is extremely hard to pack even for a 2-day business trip within 21.5" and 10kg.

kwflyer

Very well put Ken ^ As society has become more individualistic (as seen on this board with AC Apologists and those who give too much credence to logic) this shouldn't be surprising. What is surprising is how AC think antagonizing their customers is a great way to build their 'humanized' brand.

Hello again

Did AC not give a lot of publicity to this change in baggage policy. Every airline in the western world is doing the same thing. Its got nothing to do with apologists or logic but simply business decisions. AC is in business to make money and in any event they have always listened to real logic when the rules don't fit the situation. That's my experience at well over 3MM miles flown.