Originally Posted by deelmakur
Cigar, I'm pretty good at this game, and so's my dog, who has made 4 transcons to Seattle from EWR, so far this year. You are better off not checking bags first, with a pet, since (a) if the pet doesn't go for some reason, neither do I, and (b) that bull s**t Quick Pak office is like the Mad Hatter's Tea Party. You need to allow for delays there, so itr makes sense to go there first.
Next point. I knew the QP office didn't open until 5AM, and booked a 7AM departure. For some reason, although it operates Sunday through Friday at 7AM, CO 1554 to PBI, leaves at 6:30 AM on Saturday, our day of travel, in this instance. I was only advised of that a few weeks ago.
Lastly, we rarely check a bag, but my wife and I were going to our Florida home for the next 7 months, and had shipped what we don't keep there, but a few things had to be carried, and as long as we had to wait for the dog, it didn't matter.
I have my own business, and travel well over a hundred thousand miles a year. While it continually gets tougher, and you can't find many airports more unuser friendly than Newark, it just seems all these airline guys are in a feeding frenzy to cut everything they can think of. Continental, of late, has risen above that noise, and it's sad to see it going the other way.
Okay. I'm going to pick at you. IF you knew for a "few weeks" ... that really is no excuse to cut it close. You should have allowed more time.
Having said that. I do agree that things are not functioning as well as in the past. But that is very widespread. Everybody cut, and now the planes are full. I had to fly AA to london this week. No international online check in, No international Kiosk check in... so I get to the airport and the first class line has 4 people in it. It takes AA over an hour to get to me. Two people need re routes. Do they EVER pull from my line to one of the THREE people helping coach... Of course not!
There is plenty of stupidity going around.
But, I do think they ought to be able to check your bags, when you check your dog. I am going to suggest it. There is no good reason why that wouldn't work. Presumibly, the TSA has to check Fido's cage out for a explosive. Why not check owners bag at the same time?