This is an intersting thread. Personally, I have a twofold perspective here.

First, as a frequent flyer (both revenue and non revenue tkts, I commute from Canada to the UK as I'm based out of LHR), I like being able to take my 20" Travelpro rollaboard and my tote bag 'topside' and not check it.

Like everyone, I resent the luggage wait times at the larger airports. But there's a bunch of other pressing arguements to go for carry on as opposed to checked:

1. If you're connecting, especially through a major hub like MSP, DTW, ORD, or god forbid, LHR, then beware. Not only is there an increased chance your bag might go awol, but a delay in your flight inbound might mean that YOU make your connection, but your bags do not. Last flight of the night into your destination, and it's not pretty having no luggage.

2. You'd be shocked to see what goes on to your luggage behind the scenes. On our crew bus at LHR, we weave in and out of service roads out of the eyes of the pax, and it's shocking to see baggage 'trains' take corners at alarming rates, with cases often falling into the road where at best they get left for hours before the airport authority sweep vehicle makes a routine patrol, or at worst, they get hit be the next oncoming baggage train/bus/tug etc and get a good mangling.

3. In the event of service disruption, a mechanical issue with your aircraft, active weather etc etc, you're at the gate, major delay. There's another flight option. Got checked baggage? chances of being able to switch fall dramatically, and on International itinerarys it's next to impossible as you cannot travel on a flight without your checked bags. If your other flight option is on another carrier, domestic or otherwise, the logistics of getting your bag from the tarmac of NW in Terminal X to Carrier Y in terminal Z mean your chances of switching (or seeing your bag again if you do) fall dramatically.

4. Flight diversion? Want to get off at your diversion airport and make your own arrangements? Not if you've got bags checked, sorry, tough luck. One time I checked my rollaboard on a flight from MSP - LGW - MAN (final destination). Imagine my frustration when we were DIVERTED to Manchester, my final destination, but they would only let people off who had no bags, I had to stay on to go to Gatwick, then take a domestic flight back up to Manchester...!

Ok, so that's all the reasons why we have a handbaggage problem.

So here's the flipside. From a Flight Attendant perspective, I am increasingly concerned when I'm working flights of late and the hand baggage situation gets ugly. A number of issues here:

1. Too many bags in the overhead mean the people boarding last have nowhere to shove their bags. It inevitably ends up being not only stressful for both passengers and flight attendants alike as we lug bags about a packed aircraft, but risks delaying the flight, especially if we have to check bags on board and leave them at the aircraft door.

2. Most importantly, safety. The overheads are only stressed to take so much weight, and we're packing more and more in them these days. On a recent flight a colleague and good friend of mine was working, we had a bit of a heavy landing, and the sheer weight of the bags in the overhead (and the way the compartment must have been forced shut with stuff pressing against it) forced the bin door open and a large bag fell on top of a female passengers head on the 'D' aisle seat. She was knocked unconcious. This was about 5 weeks ago. The extreme end of the scale, we have an emergency landing, and I can only hope and pray that those overheads hold up and don't collapse... just look at the British Midland 737 crash at Kegworth where the majority of deaths in the forward part of the cabin were caused by collapsing overhead bins crushing and trapping the occupants of seats under them.

Sorry for the 'mother of god' post, and I'm also sorry if I'm telling you stuff you already know, and for maybe wandering off topic, but the sum of everything I mentioned earlier seems to be the root cause of the insane handbaggage issues and why people are taking as much as the can on board. If the airlines (collectively) were to work harder at resolving these key issues, customer confidence would rise and people would be more open to checking their worldy belongings. And, as mentioned earlier, a priority baggage system THAT REALLY WORKS(!!) at NW would be a BOON and encourage many business travellers and elites to 'take a load off' and check a bag or two.

But for now, whether I'm your fellow traveller, or whether I'm the flight attendant working your flight... a couple of respectful 'pleas'...

1. Pack light and fit everything into a regulation size 20" rollaboard, and please try not to overstuff it so much that it doesn't fit into the overhead bins. Bring a tote, but not one the same size as your rollaboard! If it wouldn't fit under the seat in front of you, don't bring it topside!

2. Put your rollaboard in the overhead 'wheels first' so rather than 'broadside'... this is a no brainer, but you'd be amazed how many people still don't do this....

3. If the flight is wide open, go ahead and put your baggage in the overheads... but if the flight is busy, put your second item under the seat in front of you. I politely asked someone to place his tote bag under his seat recently, and I got a stream of verbal abuse as he 'refused to go for 3 hours' with a bag under the seat in front of him. If you don't want this, then please don't bring two bags on board a full flight, there is simply not enough room for 2 bags per person to go up in the overheads.

4. If you have a jacket or coat, please try and put it on top of your luggage in the overhead, and not laying flat taking up the whole bin beside it.

5. NEVER ever place your bags in the first First Class/Business Class overhead bin you come to if you're sitting back in Economy... If an F/A offers or directs you to do this, fine, but don't do it without express permission. It's rude, inconsiderate, and I run out of things to say about how much this frustrates me and everyone else. If I'm working a flight, I now *try* to close all the F/C class overhead bins on narrowbody aircraft before boarding begins so that the temptation of an empty overhead bin for a passing passenger in 35F is not an issue!

6. If you're having trouble, seek out a flight attendant. If I'm working a flight, I always have time for people who politely ask if there's anywhere of stowing the bag or whether they should gate check it. I'll happily search out a space in a closet or wardrobe if I can. But demand that I deal with your bags and be rude and ill mannered, and it doesn't help anybody out.

Safe and pleasant travels to you all!!!!!