rickscholz

I've seen many times when gate attendants were proactively encouraging passengers to gate check bags to make sure overhead space didn't fill up. Last Saturday, when flying SJC-PHX on a full flight (A319), they took it one step further.

I was in Zone 5, and between zones 4 and 5 they announced that all overhead space was now full, and all remaining large bags would need to be gate checked. The agent scanning BPs was enforcing this, sending people back to the podium if they attempted to board with a bag that didn't have a gate check tag.

When I boarded, I found it amazing that despite the announcement, the overhead bins were not full... There was probably still room for about 10 bags. Most of those spots were still empty when the plane took off.

I don't fly enough to know if this is a trend, declaring the overhead space full before zone 5 (or at some other point) on full flights without actually looking first, of if I just found a lazy gate crew. Any thoughts?

dcpatti

The amount of remaining bin space is estimated by the GA's computer; it's relatively impractical for the FA's on board to try to communicate proactively with the GA so that the GA can begin gate-checking, because that tends to result in a lot of people having to turn around and swim upstream against the onboarding crowd to gate-check once the bins are totally full. Usually the computer is pretty accurate, but sometimes people just bring less stuff and they declare bins full when they're not, and other times everyone's got the maximum size rollaboard and computer thinks there's still space when there isn't.

The key to not having total gate-check mayhem is to get the bags gate-checked before the passenger gets onto the plane. If you wait till the passengers are on and the FA's can see what they're carrying, then it's too late and there's a traffic jam underway.

PaceLaw2012

#nostatusproblems

GotCalcio4

LOL How bout #myconnectionmademelate

Had this happen on a flight from PHL to DFW recently. I was one of the last to get to the gate. I also was NOT happy about having to check my Tumi and was doubly unhappy when I noticed lots of bin space still left on board. Lots of scratches and a small tear on the bag when I finally claimed it in DFW.

Tttony

Proactively stating that overhead is full is not new. I don't think it is based on any computer. They GA just guesses themselves. I have heard them talk to each other about it. "do you think it is full?". The next second they make the announcement. The reason they do this is to push off on time. Pushing off on time is really all that matters to some of US's employees.

Lovethecabin

We witnessed the hyper carry-on management several times over the past two years flying out of Mexico and SJU on both US and AA and STT on US. Lots of very unhappy passengers.

tommyleo

I find it really hard to believe that a computer's estimation of carry-on quantity can ever be called "pretty accurate." If that's the system US is using, it will lead to more problems. I've seen far too many examples where bags are being checked when there is still empty space in the overheads. Passengers are catching on to this and I've seen some demand to try to bring their bags in the cabin to find space (and usually succeed).

BoeingBoy

I don't know if it's computerized or not but at least two years ago US started using the count of passengers already boarded as a guide for the gate agents on when the overheads are likely to be full. "Pretty accurate"? I certainly don't know but given that more people carry on bags than before checked bag fees started plus most people don't seem to want to use the underseat space let's just say it's erring on the safe side (checking bags unnecessarily being "safe") to help ensure an on-time (early) gate departure.

Jim

AZ Travels the World

I think this practice is ridiculous and unreasonable.

You pay all their fees and play by all their rules. The average traveler doesn't understand boarding zones and how they're created. To arbitrarily, without knowing whether it is even the case, tell people they have to gate check because US put them into Zone 5 is over the top, in my opinion.

A recent DEN-PHX flight, the gate agent announced that EVERYONE in Zone 5 or higher had to come and get a gate check tag prior to boarding, as the overhead bins would be full by then so they had to check. Ridiculous.

But the way around this is simple. Put the tag on the bag with a smile, thanking the agent for not charging you. Once in the jetway and out of sight of the agent, take it off and stick it in your pocket. If you get on and the overheads are indeed full, you can always slip it back on and drop the bag at the door.

GrjApp

This pro-active gate check is a common complaint on the US twitter feed.

AlphaTango

^^ from what I saw from my vantage point, sipping on my PDB of choice in 1F this afternoon, it definitely looks like this strategy would work. The FA was guarding her boarding door for illegal bag entry like a lounge dragon guards the precious snacks in her Club. She was denying entry to bags with gate check tags on them - even though quite a few passengers remarked that they could see space further down. (They were right). So removing the tag in the jetway would definitely work IMHO.

Often1

Pushing on time also matters to some pax !

Seriously, the answer is for US to better police the system from the first pax on. Bags which don't fit the sizer should be gate-checked to the baggage office at the final destination. The non-compliant pax can then pick up his bag and pay the fee + penalty (no freebies).

Even elites can be trained.

Tttony

Two quick comments from me on this.
1. No musical instruments!!! They take up a whole bin.
2. Non F flyer should not be allowed to put their stuff in F. With all the FA stud there is no room as it is. I hate being in F and having to put my carryon in row 7 and then see someone in row 7 had their stuff in F.

tommyleo

So then US should begin boarding earlier rather than forcing people to gate check their bags when there is still room in the bins!

ACA321

So, what would you do if you had to travel with a $500,000+ instrument, simply check it? Great logic there. I can say with reasonable certainty that the instrument I travel with is worth more than the rest of everyone's carry on combined on most given flights. The best part for me? It travels in a case that still allows another roll-on bag to fit in front of it, but sideways. So no, unless you're traveling with a guitar, musical instruments don't usually HAVE to take up a whole bin.

If you think I'm inflating the price by claiming my instrument is worth over $500,000 think again. Most Strads or Guarneri violins run in the several million dollar range. And you may be surprised that many of the people playing them, hence traveling with them for professional duties, can't always afford a ticket up front or their own private jet