CDKing

I'd be curious as to what happens if a bag tag gets printed, it magically falls off in the jetway and my bag somehow makes its way into a overhad bin?

Will they come looking for me wondering why some baggage count is off? Im assuming with all the lost bag horror stories airlines dont pay attention to bags not being on the plane?

Points Scrounger

Now you're brining up a horrible experience of seeing a crated dog headed up to the cargo hold where he wasn't positioned well enough and was in danger of toppling off onto the tarmac!

bofc

You'd think the FAA would have more to do re: the Q400s - like making sure the water temperature in the bathroom sinks can be raised high enough to disinfect.....oh never mind.

baliktad

This is like asking what happens if you buy a stamp but never mail a letter. Will the USPS come after you about a never-mailed letter? Nope, they're busy enough just making sure what goes in one end comes out the other.

dgreen12

Couldn't help but tie these two posts together.

* * * * * * *

Back on topic:

The QX carry on problem is mostly controlled by the fact that bags just don't fit onboard and the a la Carte needs to be used.

Mainline AS, however, could use some enforcement every now and then.

What irks me the most is that there should be "one size" of allowable bag for all the airlines to take onboard (space and capacity permitting). The fact that AS is rather generous and UA is rather stingy from an allowable size perspective drives me nuts. On one airline my 19" carryon is just fine and on the other it might be 0.5" too wide.

ANC

when AS still had some 732s and MD80s the baggage things could change in a minute with an aircraft swap. Remember those double sided baggage measuring things at the gate or whatever they called. They would just spin it around depending on what a/c pulled up to the gate

CDKing

I believe one did. UA is cracking down and sent email out to everyone reminding of the carry-on bagage limits. A few weeks ago I saw a post on AA facebook page of someone upset that AA allowed oversized bags and was going to complain to the FAA. He said FAA had reminded them about oversized bags. I know you cant trust everything on the internet but it seemed credible based on this thread and UA crackdown

I was at SAN yesterday and every AS flight, they made multiple announcements about the baggage sizers and having to pay $25 to gate check if they did not fit. I was off in a corner charging my laptop so i didint pay attention to see if anyone was forced to check. I did see a few people come over to teh empty gate in a panic putting their bags in the sizer and moving stuff around so it fit.

TProphet

I doubt this is FAA, because there would not be so much talk about PAYING for the extra checked bag. This is a revenue grab, Ryanair or Spirit style, plain and simple. If I get hassled, I'll be sure to jam up the line and delay boarding for as many people as possible for as long as possible, and spread out my stuff all over the place making it tough for people to board. This works really effectively most of the time, because then the GA has to choose between hassling passengers or getting the flight out on time.

Tide_from_PAE

Would AS/AA/DL elites have the option to use their free checked baggage allowance for a bag that has to be gate checked because of its size in lieu of paying the higher fee? I've gate checked bags on DL once my upgrade cleared and my free checked baggage allowance was subsequently increased.

beckoa

If you haven't used it already.

IIRC MVPG's + can gate check a bag anytime as a courtesy. Not a widely promoted benefit, but one I've heard of before.

ctporter

I have checked two bags, (tools and FR great) and then at the gate when I realized just how full the plane would be and that I was sitting in an exit row have gate checked my 3rd bag for free without any issue since my carry on does fit in the sizer.

I have also checked 3 bags at the ticket counter when I asked if the plane was fully booked can I just check this now or wait until they ask at the gate. The ticket counter agents said normally I would have to wait to check at the gate, but they also knew I would be getting it checked free if I did it at the gate so they allowed me to check it with them.

The bottom line is that the $25 fee is ONLY if your bag was not eligible to be a carry on bag, meaning it was too big. Even non-elites get the bag checked free at the gate if it will fit.

Not sure why someone would disrupt other passengers just because their bag was too large for the sizer.

ANC

if one doesnt mind my shoe prints all over their stuff....go right ahead

TProphet

Given where my stuff has usually been, you probably don't want it on your shoes. Consider yourself warned.

ctporter

Local Seattle news yesterday featured a story about UA cracking down on carry on bags by hiring extra bag checkers around gate area to verify proper sizing.

CDKing

And i hear it was a CF at DFW due to contract workers making everyone put their bags in sizer even if its obvious it fits