Global_Hi_Flyer

Oh, brother.

On most of my flights folks are within the carry-on limits. The bins still fill up.

If you don't like it, you have a choice: fly Southwest or another carrier that doesn't charge for checked bags. Problem solved.

mikemey

It is NOT the job of the TSA to play baggage size police. THAT is the job of the airlines!!!

Its bad enough the TSA can't do its job now. To make them police several airlines different sized carry on requirements is over the line.

Make the counter agents DO THEIR JOBS and enforce the size restrictions. Hell, I'd think the airlines would be militant about this, trying to get revenue, etc.

If the airlines didn't decide to unbundle all this we wouldn't have this problem. Americans, while rulebreakers, don't like to spend wasted money. Charging $25/bag to make sure it gets to my destination is a bit excessive, IMO.

But that's another thread. Giving this job to the TSA is just plain stupid.

Caradoc

Charging $25/bag for the "privilege" of having the TSA steal things from it is asinine.

spd476

I don't see how it should be the TSA's responsibility to enforce carryon rules. I have no sympathy for the airlines on this one. They created the problem by charging for bags. I don't blame people for trying to avoid these fees. I don't think we would see the same problems if they included one checked bag in the airfare. I think as long as the TSA continues it's war on liquids, the airlines should be forced to accept one checked bag as part of the airfare. I have no problem with them charging for a second checked bag or oversized bags.

mulieri

Generally people take the path of least resistance. Period. This includes the checking a bag/carry-on decision. For the general public, the baggage fees create a big barrier to this behavior that they would otherwise follow. Now, if the TSA adds more hassle to the process of taking a carry on through "security" then more of the general population might check bags--and this would reward the carriers that charge baggage fees.


Most FF don't check bags due to the time/convenience and are not driven by cost. In most cases, they wouldn't have bag fees anyway (elites usually have some exemption/allowance). Generally, they know how to pack light and efficiently and are not the ones responsible for oversized carry-on bags (except maybe when on a plane for holiday!).

One thing is quite clear, however. If an additional task is added to TSA, the effectiveness of their "core" mission would further suffer. Just think about how many guns went through when they started policing the 3.4oz rule (originally 3.0 oz). Funny thing is that if you don't take you little baggie out, they usually don't even notice you have it at all. As a whole, the TSA is not adept at multi-tasking or exercising critical thinking skills.

bdschobel

Of course. People are behaving rationally. Nobody would voluntarily pay those outrageous fees. Even I, being exempt from the usual fees as an elite traveler, almost never check a bag for several perfectly legitimate reasons: (1) delays in getting bags on arrival can add 30-60 minutes to my travel time, and I often arrive late at night when time is precious, (2) damage to my property is far too likely, and it has happened before, and (3) theft of my property is perhaps even more likely, compounded by the fact that TSA (who are sometimes the thieves!) don't allow me to lock my bags and secure my property. Non-elite travelers have all of those reasons not to check bags, plus (4) outrageous baggage fees. And we wonder why carry-on bags have become such a problem? Really?

Bruce

rochel

The airlines created their own problem here, now it is up to them to fix it. This is in no way a security issue and doesn't fall on the TSA.

14940674

Doesn't BAA enforce carry-on rules at security at LHR? Since they manage to do that without extreme disruption, the TSA should presumably adopt the same approach. If I am missing something here, please correct me.

Upstate

So if the TSA goes along with this and becomes the baggage size police they will just be shooting themselves in the foot. The airlines don't want to be the bad man that makes you follow the rules so they are trying the pass the buck. The TSA is already hated and this will just direct more hatred towards them.

14940674

For their perspective this is certainly a stupid move. If they had any sense they would force this job on the airlines.

spd476

The TSA shouldn't care what is brought onto a plane as long as it isn't WEI or some other threat to the safety of the flight. Of course the TSA does tend to overstep their authority as we've seen in previous cases. If somebody wants to try to bring a full size suitcase on board, that's the airlines problem. The TSA just needs to screen it.

Caradoc

If they had any sense, they wouldn't be the TSA.

Often1

First, someone clearly needs to police the carry-on situation as it has gotten way out of hand and the carriers have demonstrated that they are not reliable. Each carrier is responsible for proposing its policies (carry-on limits) included and, once filed with FAA, it's a violation of FAA rules.

There are three relatively easy ways for TSA to acquire the authority: 1) Secy of DHS could promulgate rules on safety/security basis citing to volume constraints (in other words, the more cubic feet of carry-on screened, the slower the process); and 2) FAA could simply issue a delegation of its enforcement authority to TSA (example: before INS and Customs merged into ICE, INS and Customs inspectors both had delegated authority to enforce the other agency's rules, thereby eliminating the need for separate INS and Customs inspections/examinations unless necessary. Third, while it's shakier ground, it's a reasonable presumption that anything one takes through the checkpoint is intended to be carried on to an aircraft. If it's violative of FAA rules (via incorporated carrier policy), TSA has an obligation not to allow violations to occur and can act reasonably to prevent that (sizer on mouth of X-Ray).

The TSA checkpoint is the logical place to stop the games. If your bag doesn't fit through the sizer at the mouth of the X-Ray, it doesn't go into the sterile area and into the OH. No muss, no fuss.

Eliminating the carry-on games not only makes the boarding process faster and reduces pushback delays, but it's fair ("DYKWIA, I spend $1 Million per week and the CEO allows me to push a steamer trunk into the OH 3 time a week, I can't understand why you won't let me.")

Of course the carriers ought to do a better job of delivering checked luggage to the carousel, but violating the law, delaying the flight and making the last minute connecting pax suffer for lack of OH isn't the way to fix that.

Fredd

That about covers it. ^

What next? Should TSA enforce having pax board only when their row is called?

bdschobel

Sure -- while they check IDs yet again!

Bruce