AA Increasing Carry On Bag Enforcement, Audits (Oct 2019)
#331
Join Date: Apr 2002
Posts: 2,921
There simply needs to be a uniform policy that is enforced systemwide. I see it all the time when flying to leisure destinations. A family will spend $15K for a week in Disney World, but refuse to pay for checked luggage. Then there are those who fly Basic Economy and throw a fit at the gate.
#333
Join Date: Mar 2005
Programs: UA 1K and PP, AA PPro (3MM, former CK), Marriott Ambassador and LTT, Uber One
Posts: 1,342
Last week, the dragons at the bottom of the escalator to Pre Check at LAX T4 were in rare form...they were making everyone put their bags in the sizer, even when it was obvious they would fit. A woman in front of me had a compliant duffel bag, but when she put it in the sizer, one of the outside pockets got hung up on the metal rail, so the dragon said she had to go check it. The woman lightly tapped the pocket and the entirety of the bag was then within the confines of the sizer, and she then took the bag and went up the escalator while the dragon yelled after her to come back. LOL
I don't understand the application of the baggage "rules" pre-security. The requirement isn't to have a compliant bag at time of security, it is at time of boarding. And I understand if AA wants to use contractors to help with enforcement, but IMHO this should only be done when there is an AA employee nearby to adjudicate (such as at the gate).
I don't understand the application of the baggage "rules" pre-security. The requirement isn't to have a compliant bag at time of security, it is at time of boarding. And I understand if AA wants to use contractors to help with enforcement, but IMHO this should only be done when there is an AA employee nearby to adjudicate (such as at the gate).
#335
Join Date: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,546
So yeah, I think a paid F ticket who says, "can I please just have a shot at finding space" ought to be allowed to have a shot at finding space without getting a bunch of s#*t for it, and they ought to be trained to have the two points of IQ required to understand that this is a premium passenger and generally ought to be given the benefit of the doubt.
You'll still get the odd flight where every F pax on a 738 has a rolling bag and then you're out of luck. This happens sometimes on flights with lots of international connections e.g. ex-MIA. But that has nothing to do with boarding groups. I would suggest that if the bag is compliant and the passenger is in F they should be allowed to board and try to find a place for their bag.
#336
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: SAN
Programs: AA CK, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 839
You'll still get the odd flight where every F pax on a 738 has a rolling bag and then you're out of luck. This happens sometimes on flights with lots of international connections e.g. ex-MIA. But that has nothing to do with boarding groups. I would suggest that if the bag is compliant and the passenger is in F they should be allowed to board and try to find a place for their bag.
#338
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: CMH
Programs: BA Gold, AA Plat, NK $9 fare club
Posts: 666
Many (far from all) FAs enforce that the first class bin space is for F passengers only. For me, this is one of the most valuable benefits of domestic F. I can board late and still have a place for my bag.
You'll still get the odd flight where every F pax on a 738 has a rolling bag and then you're out of luck. This happens sometimes on flights with lots of international connections e.g. ex-MIA. But that has nothing to do with boarding groups. I would suggest that if the bag is compliant and the passenger is in F they should be allowed to board and try to find a place for their bag.
You'll still get the odd flight where every F pax on a 738 has a rolling bag and then you're out of luck. This happens sometimes on flights with lots of international connections e.g. ex-MIA. But that has nothing to do with boarding groups. I would suggest that if the bag is compliant and the passenger is in F they should be allowed to board and try to find a place for their bag.
I'm a nervous nelly and always board with group 1. You're right the 738 fills up fast. So does the E175 and A319. Too bad there's not proper closet spaces, just in case.
#339
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,152
On a PSA CRJ-200 flight today, the gate agent was actively asking passengers to use the sizer, which seemed odd given all the bags would end up in the hold anyway. I guess in the FAA's eyes there's still a distinction even when bags are valet tagged.
#340
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: BOS
Programs: Marriott LTG, HHonors Diamond, Nat'l Exec
Posts: 3,580
Was it at an outstation? They may have orders to size bags on the first leg so that connecting passengers don't run into inconsistency on their next leg ("but it was fine on my first flight!").
#341
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BMI
Programs: AA EXP, Delta, Amtrak, Hertz PC
Posts: 654
AA 1002 ORD-DCA today (11/18) gate H14. There was an announcement ahead of time that anyone with oversize bags or more then 1 carry on and one personal item would be expected to check their bag. Announcement was polite and the gate agent said she appreciated our assistance.
There was an employee standing behind the boarding pass scanner, it appears her job was to look at bag sizes. One of the first passengers (likely first class), with what appeared to be an overstuffed bag was ask to check. He didn't even bother with the sizer. He did not appear to be overly upset. The employee was still when I boarded with group 4. She was definitely looking at bags, but did not ask anyone else to put their bag in the sizer.
There was an employee standing behind the boarding pass scanner, it appears her job was to look at bag sizes. One of the first passengers (likely first class), with what appeared to be an overstuffed bag was ask to check. He didn't even bother with the sizer. He did not appear to be overly upset. The employee was still when I boarded with group 4. She was definitely looking at bags, but did not ask anyone else to put their bag in the sizer.
Last edited by KBMIFlyer; Nov 18, 2019 at 2:53 pm
#342
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: SAN
Programs: AA CK, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 839
AA 1002 ORD-DCA today (11/18) gate H14. There was an announcement ahead of time that anyone with oversize bags or more then 1 carry on and one personal item would be expected to check their bag. Announcement was polite and the gate agent said she appreciated our assistance.
There was an employee standing behind the boarding pass scanner, it appears her job was to look at bag sizes. One of the first passengers (likely first class), with what appeared to be an overstuffed bag was ask to check. He didn't even bother with the sizer. He did not appear to be overly upset. The employee was still when I boarded with group 4. She was definitely looking at bags, but did not ask anyone else to put their bag in the sizer.
There was an employee standing behind the boarding pass scanner, it appears her job was to look at bag sizes. One of the first passengers (likely first class), with what appeared to be an overstuffed bag was ask to check. He didn't even bother with the sizer. He did not appear to be overly upset. The employee was still when I boarded with group 4. She was definitely looking at bags, but did not ask anyone else to put their bag in the sizer.
#343
Join Date: Nov 2016
Location: Raleigh NC
Programs: AA P DL MR UA
Posts: 81
I had the same dragons at that terminal two weeks ago. They were telling people "it's too big,you'll have to check that" without putting any bags (while I was there) in the sizer right next to them. I told her it would fit in the sizer. She huffed and told me to just go on, waving me on up the escalator. Last I saw, she was still arguing with other passengers with carry-ons that looked within the limits, but not using the sizer.
#344
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: AA Executive Platinum/Million Miler, Marriott Titanium Elite-Lifetime, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,152
#345
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: BMI
Programs: AA EXP, Delta, Amtrak, Hertz PC
Posts: 654
I agree with this. I think she was looking for bags that were obviously too big, as opposed to the ones that were maybe just slightly oversize. I personally don't really have a problem with that.
Last edited by KBMIFlyer; Nov 18, 2019 at 7:51 pm