alchemista

I'm livid right now due to missing seeing my son tonight because of a gate agent who decided to start making everyone check their carry-on bags after group 3. When I got on board, half the bins and spaces were empty, accommodating easily another 20-30 people.

I asked the FA if I could go get my bag and she said I could. I went back up and my bag was still there. Once a bag tag is printed, the desk agent needs to delete the record. I asked if she would do that because I checked with the FA and there was plenty of space. She refused.

Now this is a 1st world problem, but something is wrong when an airline charges you for the option to check your bag initially, then forces you to check your bag in order to board the flight even when there is plenty of space available!

[The agent] mentioned this would delay the flight - but little did she care that she just delayed several others and myself by the 20+ minutes to collect your bag at this airport.

I have seen other gates and FAs communicate as the bins fill up - warning the gate agent when spaces were getting full. [The agent] clearly did not do this, and just made the arbitrary decision to stop after group 3.

What recourse do we have in this situation? I wanted to refuse to give up my bag, but then I was going to be denied boarding.

My main concern is that UA would operate in this way, and have a rude desk agent (she wouldn't even answer a question, just repeated "your bags will be in..."). It's a racket if a company charges you for X, then forces you to do X when it's not necessary.

Icing would be getting compensation for the wasted time, and forced separation from my bag when it was not necessary.