I really try to be patient and understanding, not just with travel but in general. That said, it seems like the two years without travel for most (due to COVID-19) has caused a massive number of less frequent travelers to think travel rules (such as carry on sizes and amounts) are mere suggestions.

On my flight today, the person ahead of me had a suitcase well beyond the dimensions proscribed, a large shopping bag which would not fit under a seat and took up half a bin itself, and a very large duffel purse which was too big to be placed under a seat. This traveler alone filled one and a half bins. We pushed off 15 minutes late simply due to bags having to be tagged and placed underneath.

Surely at some point there has to be more proactive enforcement, as well as penalties with teeth. For example, if a bag is placed in the hold because one exceeded the carry-on allotment, one should be charged for a checked bag.

Some might argue that we should not increase the cost of travel further. If that’s the case, then perhaps we require people to size their carry-ons and personal items quickly at the check-in desk. For those not using the check-in desk, they can use the BA app when checking in to take a picture of their items; both Android and iOS have software utilities that can accurately determine sizes of objects. This could have the knock-on effect of increasing security efficiency. One of the big reasons I’ve noticed security lines taking longer at LHR has been people having 3-4 bins worth of stuff consistently. Not only does this increase the raw amount that needs to be scanned and assessed but, for inexperienced travelers especially, it increases the likelihood of a secondary inspection, which contribute greatly to line slowdowns.

One other option might be to give avios or small flight credits for people who commit to (and confirm at the airport) not bringing a carry-on. I believe it likely that there is a reasonable amount of compensation which can change enough people’s choices at the margin to significantly reduce security/boarding logjams created by carry-on madness.