New Carry-On Size Policy - Reports and Effects (6/4/2018)
Jun 4, 2018, 12:04 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Programs: Alaska Airlines 100K MVP, Oneworld Emerald, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 197
New Carry-On Size Policy - Reports and Effects (6/4/2018)
I don’t fly out this week until Wednesday, but I’ve heard from friends and looking at Twitter that it’s not going well. What has your experience been? Delayed flights while everyone fails the new bag sizer and gate checks for $25? Is there reinforcement at the gates with enough staff to handle the chaos? Continue to be vocal about your unhappiness. Business travelers who live out of their carry-on with work materials and clothes are going to suffer the most. We are Alaska’s bread and butter customers. We sometimes travel last minute with higher fares and earn 75K early in the year. They need to hear our voice of unhappiness. Tweet or email Alaska to share your opinion.
Jun 4, 2018, 1:41 pm
#2
Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: AS 75K
Posts: 75
Flew from GEG to SEA this morning and GAs were being very strict about bag size. Most people's bags were measured against the sample carry-on bag while boarding. I was able to board with a slightly larger backpack since it had multiple thousands of dollars of camera gear.
Jun 4, 2018, 1:54 pm
#3
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 917
I don’t fly out this week until Wednesday, but I’ve heard from friends and looking at Twitter that it’s not going well. What has your experience been? Delayed flights while everyone fails the new bag sizer and gate checks for $25? Is there reinforcement at the gates with enough staff to handle the chaos? Continue to be vocal about your unhappiness. Business travelers who live out of their carry-on with work materials and clothes are going to suffer the most. We are Alaska’s bread and butter customers. We sometimes travel last minute with higher fares and earn 75K early in the year. They need to hear our voice of unhappiness. Tweet or email Alaska to share your opinion.
Jun 4, 2018, 1:56 pm
#4
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Anchorage, AK
Programs: CO - Onepass Gold Elite--> UA - MileagePlus Gold Premier--> Silver --> AS - MileagePlan MVPGOLD!
Posts: 735
I don’t fly out this week until Wednesday, but I’ve heard from friends and looking at Twitter that it’s not going well. What has your experience been? Delayed flights while everyone fails the new bag sizer and gate checks for $25? Is there reinforcement at the gates with enough staff to handle the chaos? Continue to be vocal about your unhappiness. Business travelers who live out of their carry-on with work materials and clothes are going to suffer the most. We are Alaska’s bread and butter customers. We sometimes travel last minute with higher fares and earn 75K early in the year. They need to hear our voice of unhappiness. Tweet or email Alaska to share your opinion.
And if you're their "bread and butter 75k customer", then you're certainly not paying any $25 to check your bag.
Life is short. Find something better than carry on size to be outraged about.
Jun 4, 2018, 2:28 pm
#6
Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: SW WA
Posts: 3,886
Yeah, I also just cruised over to Twitter to see what was going on, and yeah, not good. Stories of passengers being forced to check bags even when overheads are empty, and not being allowed to put the bag in a sizer to see if it fits because the GA has decided that it's "too big." One person tweeted a pic of the F cabin with completely empty overhead bins because a SEA GA announced that all rolling bags were too big and none would be allowed.
It's one thing to roll out a new bag size, but it sounds like the implementation today was pretty terrible.
It's one thing to roll out a new bag size, but it sounds like the implementation today was pretty terrible.
Last edited by Buster; Jun 4, 2018 at 2:28 pm Reason: typo
Jun 4, 2018, 2:44 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2013
Programs: Alaska Airlines 100K MVP, Oneworld Emerald, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 197
Okay, and in contrast to the above entitlement-angled rant, I think it's very relevant to remember that Alaska's new bag size limits now MATCH WHAT OTHER AIRLINES ALREADY HAD.
And if you're their "bread and butter 75k customer", then you're certainly not paying any $25 to check your bag.
Life is short. Find something better than carry on size to be outraged about.
And if you're their "bread and butter 75k customer", then you're certainly not paying any $25 to check your bag.
Life is short. Find something better than carry on size to be outraged about.
Jun 4, 2018, 2:50 pm
#8
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,633
Yeah, I also just cruised over to Twitter to see what was going on, and yeah, not good. Stories of passengers being forced to check bags even when overheads are empty, and not being allowed to put the bag in a sizer to see if it fits because the GA has decided that it's "too big." One person tweeted a pic of the F cabin with completely empty overhead bins because a SEA GA announced that all rolling bags were too big and none would be allowed.
It's one thing to roll out a new bag size, but it sounds like the implementation today was pretty terrible.
It's one thing to roll out a new bag size, but it sounds like the implementation today was pretty terrible.
flying AS next Monday, will just have one medium sized duffel bag and a fly rod case, not going to be willing to check either one.
Jun 4, 2018, 3:00 pm
#9
Join Date: Aug 2013
Programs: Alaska MVP Gold
Posts: 917
Yeah, I also just cruised over to Twitter to see what was going on, and yeah, not good. Stories of passengers being forced to check bags even when overheads are empty, and not being allowed to put the bag in a sizer to see if it fits because the GA has decided that it's "too big." One person tweeted a pic of the F cabin with completely empty overhead bins because a SEA GA announced that all rolling bags were too big and none would be allowed.
It's one thing to roll out a new bag size, but it sounds like the implementation today was pretty terrible.
It's one thing to roll out a new bag size, but it sounds like the implementation today was pretty terrible.
I once sat next to a guy who said he was letting Virgin America have it on Twitter for how "horrible" they were at the gate. So I pulled up the tweets, and 90% of his complaints were bogus or hugely exaggerated. There was a thing that happened, but it was nothing even close to what he was flipping out about online.
So maybe it's a nightmare, or maybe not. I'll continue to hope for the best but not count on it.
Jun 4, 2018, 3:09 pm
#10
Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 1,610
If I'm MVP/MVP Gold, or have the alaska credit card - both of which waive first checked bag fees - does this mean I can get gate-checked bag fee waived also?
If yes, then I'm fine with taking my normal carry on which hasn't given issues over the last several years on any airline, with the offchance that the gate agent will ask me to check in.
If yes, then I'm fine with taking my normal carry on which hasn't given issues over the last several years on any airline, with the offchance that the gate agent will ask me to check in.
Jun 4, 2018, 3:18 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Northern Calif./Eastern Ida.
Programs: Amethyst Premier Plutonium Medallion
Posts: 20,633
Jun 4, 2018, 3:45 pm
#12
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Snohomish, WA
Programs: AS MVP Gold, HHonors Diamond
Posts: 2,793
I'm finally paying attention to this whole bag resizing thing. Blah. I checked and the rolling camera bag I've flown with for years, with $$$ gear in it, is 16x15.5x10" and will violate Alaska's new baggage size rules. If I go with my *bigger* rolling camera bag, it's 21x14x8" and will meet the carry on requirements. Siiiiiiiiiigh. My next trip will be fun.
Neil
Neil
Jun 4, 2018, 4:06 pm
#14
Join Date: May 2006
Location: TUS/PDX
Programs: WN CP/A-List, AS MVPG75K
Posts: 5,798
Glad Alaska invested and heavily promoted those space bins on their planes. Another excellent move by the folks at Angle Lake.
Think Tank bags?
If there's any trouble with the camera bag, politely explain you're a photographer and there's many, many expensive cameras and lenses in it. I've opened it up for people and once they see what's inside, they usually don't have a problem with it. This also works when the FA tries to rearrange your bag in the overhead with the new bins, or someone wants to be helpful and take your very heavy bag out of the bin. Worse case, unpack everything and take it on with you.
I'm finally paying attention to this whole bag resizing thing. Blah. I checked and the rolling camera bag I've flown with for years, with $$$ gear in it, is 16x15.5x10" and will violate Alaska's new baggage size rules. If I go with my *bigger* rolling camera bag, it's 21x14x8" and will meet the carry on requirements. Siiiiiiiiiigh. My next trip will be fun.
If there's any trouble with the camera bag, politely explain you're a photographer and there's many, many expensive cameras and lenses in it. I've opened it up for people and once they see what's inside, they usually don't have a problem with it. This also works when the FA tries to rearrange your bag in the overhead with the new bins, or someone wants to be helpful and take your very heavy bag out of the bin. Worse case, unpack everything and take it on with you.