Only one carry on bag from JNB-ATL?
Jun 16, 2011, 6:00 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Platinum, Marriott Gold, Hertz #1 Club Gold, DL GM, SPG Gold
Posts: 52
Only one carry on bag from JNB-ATL?
When I was in line checking in for my flight from JNB-ATL, I (and everyone else in line) was told that we were only allowed to bring one carry on bag per person onto the flight. They gave us a red tag for our one bag that was approved for carry on.
Is this normal for an international flight? It seemed like there would be plenty of room for people to bring 1 or 2 bags onto the 777.
I had booked an EC ticket...so I knew that by boarding the plane with Zone 2...there would be plenty of overhead space. But with each person only allowed one bag in general...there would have been plenty of overhead space no matter when I boarded the plane.
Is this normal for an international flight? It seemed like there would be plenty of room for people to bring 1 or 2 bags onto the 777.
I had booked an EC ticket...so I knew that by boarding the plane with Zone 2...there would be plenty of overhead space. But with each person only allowed one bag in general...there would have been plenty of overhead space no matter when I boarded the plane.
Jun 16, 2011, 6:28 pm
#2
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: DL Diamond, HHonors Diamond, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,360
When I was in line checking in for my flight from JNB-ATL, I (and everyone else in line) was told that we were only allowed to bring one carry on bag per person onto the flight. They gave us a red tag for our one bag that was approved for carry on.
Is this normal for an international flight? It seemed like there would be plenty of room for people to bring 1 or 2 bags onto the 777.
I had booked an EC ticket...so I knew that by boarding the plane with Zone 2...there would be plenty of overhead space. But with each person only allowed one bag in general...there would have been plenty of overhead space no matter when I boarded the plane.
Is this normal for an international flight? It seemed like there would be plenty of room for people to bring 1 or 2 bags onto the 777.
I had booked an EC ticket...so I knew that by boarding the plane with Zone 2...there would be plenty of overhead space. But with each person only allowed one bag in general...there would have been plenty of overhead space no matter when I boarded the plane.
Delta spells out its policies very clearly here:
http://www.delta.com/traveling_check...ryon/index.jsp
Jun 17, 2011, 4:57 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Platinum, Marriott Gold, Hertz #1 Club Gold, DL GM, SPG Gold
Posts: 52
Sorry, I should I have explained more.
They were only letting people bring one item on per person (carry on or personal item). Everyone in line was very confused...because this resulted in a lot of people having to consolidate everything into one bag...and then putting one of the items into their checked bag.
My mom had a purse and a very small bag (not a hard rolling suitcase). She ended up having to put her purse into her smaller bag. For her it wasn't too much of an inconvenience...but other passengers in line had harder times consolidating everything.
I was just confused because they didn't tell us this on the way from ATL to JNB....but they did tell us this in line from JNB to ATL.
They were only letting people bring one item on per person (carry on or personal item). Everyone in line was very confused...because this resulted in a lot of people having to consolidate everything into one bag...and then putting one of the items into their checked bag.
My mom had a purse and a very small bag (not a hard rolling suitcase). She ended up having to put her purse into her smaller bag. For her it wasn't too much of an inconvenience...but other passengers in line had harder times consolidating everything.
I was just confused because they didn't tell us this on the way from ATL to JNB....but they did tell us this in line from JNB to ATL.
Jun 17, 2011, 5:14 am
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
It could be that the flight was flirting with weight limits for range and they wanted to weigh (more) bags rather than using a standard carry-on estimate. One doesn't hear of this very often on big-jet flights.
Jun 17, 2011, 7:23 am
#6
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: ATL
Posts: 637
I have flown the 77L LAX-SYD-LAX twice (2009 and 2010), and they did the red-tag on my carry on. I do not recall it on ATL-FCO-ATL on the A333 in 2010.
When I flew J on the 77L in 2009, they allowed two red-tagged carry-ons for J customers.
I was thinking the red tag was required to put something in the overhead. In J on the 777, there is no underseat storage.
Were you in a bulkhead seat?
When I flew J on the 77L in 2009, they allowed two red-tagged carry-ons for J customers.
I was thinking the red tag was required to put something in the overhead. In J on the 777, there is no underseat storage.
Were you in a bulkhead seat?
Jun 17, 2011, 7:45 am
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: LHR
Programs: DL DM 2MM, BA Bronze, Various Hotels
Posts: 10,187
IME, agents (not always DL) at airports outside the US tend to apply the red tags more than in the US. LHR (KL, DL, AF flights) tends to enforce the yellow (KL, AF) and red (DL) carry on tags. That said, in ATL this past Monday night, the SP check in agent did not care that I had my purse and 19" suitcase as a carry on.
Jun 17, 2011, 7:50 am
#8
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: SUX
Programs: BA Silver; HHonors Gold; SPG Gold; Points but dirt with everyone else
Posts: 8,050
IME, agents (not always DL) at airports outside the US tend to apply the red tags more than in the US. LHR (KL, DL, AF flights) tends to enforce the yellow (KL, AF) and red (DL) carry on tags. That said, in ATL this past Monday night, the SP check in agent did not care that I had my purse and 19" suitcase as a carry on.
I do think the trend is likely contractors (not regular DL staff) who work with carriers (such as even VS) that allow only one carry-on item. (NOT a carry-on bag and a personal item. One item!)
Jun 17, 2011, 10:14 am
#9
Join Date: May 2000
Location: Home: Arlington, VA; Home airports: IAD/DCA/BWI
Programs: Active: AA, UA, DL
Posts: 4,095
It's "one plus." It looked liked the contractor screwed it up. When I was in JNB, I got the red tag for my main bag and my laptop bag.
Jun 17, 2011, 12:45 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Platinum, Marriott Gold, Hertz #1 Club Gold, DL GM, SPG Gold
Posts: 52
I wasn't in the bulkhead. I was in the last row of EC.
If I remember correctly the staff at JNB were from Swissport.
Overall it really was not too much of a problem. It just would have been nice to have more notice than while waiting in line. Everyone was scrambling to repack their one item that they were allowed to take on the plane.
If I remember correctly the staff at JNB were from Swissport.
Overall it really was not too much of a problem. It just would have been nice to have more notice than while waiting in line. Everyone was scrambling to repack their one item that they were allowed to take on the plane.
Jun 17, 2011, 1:14 pm
#11
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: DL Diamond, HHonors Diamond, National Executive Elite
Posts: 2,360
They were only letting people bring one item on per person (carry on or personal item). Everyone in line was very confused...because this resulted in a lot of people having to consolidate everything into one bag...and then putting one of the items into their checked bag.
I was just confused because they didn't tell us this on the way from ATL to JNB....but they did tell us this in line from JNB to ATL.
I was just confused because they didn't tell us this on the way from ATL to JNB....but they did tell us this in line from JNB to ATL.
Not surprising, I guess. When I flew JNB-ATL, boarding was complete chaos, with no regard for Sky Priority or zones. There was additional security screening on the jet bridge during which beverages purchased post-security and other permissible items were confiscated.
I thought the airport itself was nice. Just wish Delta would better monitor its contractors' performance.
Jun 17, 2011, 6:02 pm
#12
Original Poster
Join Date: May 2011
Location: ORF
Programs: Amex Platinum, Marriott Gold, Hertz #1 Club Gold, DL GM, SPG Gold
Posts: 52
Completely agree with you about boarding at JNB being complete chaos.
The night before my flight from...I was at the victoria falls hotel in zimbabwe. I wanted to check in online for my flight (for my parents, my sisters, and myself). I entered our information (had to re-enter all of our passport info again), and it came up with a message that the other 4 people in my party where checked in (and that we had the EC seats that I had booked few days earlier when they became available on June 1), but that I would need to see the agent at the gate.
I then did an online chat with delta. They said their was no problem with the reservation (despite the fact that I could not check in). My mom was on the phone with AMEX travel at this time, and AMEX told us that I was unable to check in online because I was one of the people randomly selected for additional security screening.
We get to JNB and I'm finally able to check in and get my boarding pass (with my original EC seat assignment...so I was happy about that). The Swissport ticket agent told me to arrive at the gate at 7:20 (I think the fight was scheduled to leave at 8:20 to ATL) for the additional screening.
My family was waiting in one of the clubs at JNB (I forget which one it was), until I needed to go over to the screening. People were already sitting down at the gate, but there were about 20 (I think swissport) security people standing around. They told everyone who was already sitting down to leave the seats and wait outside of that specific gate area. Men in one line, women in the other. The people who were not selected for additional screening...also had their bags checked. The people such as me who would receive the "additional screening as indicated on our ticket" were in another line.
They took a group of us (about 15-20) people to sit by the gate to wait until they began the additional screening. About 45 min before the flight was supposed to leave...they took the group of us for additional screening. Some people were worried that we wouldn't get to board the plane with our original zone. They told us we would be able to board the plane early.
I wasn't too worried about getting on early since everyone was only allowed to bring one carry on item OR one personal item. So I knew there would be plenty of room in the overhead bins.
After the completed the additional security...we were able to go directly to the plane. Some people were already on the plane...but I think we were able to get on when people in zone one were boarding. (I was supposed to be in zone 2 for EC).
My parents and sisters got on the plane a few minutes after me...and said it was completely disorganized in the boarding area.
I guess the "additional screening" wasn't too terrible. I did get to get on the plane early...but it didn't really matter.
The night before my flight from...I was at the victoria falls hotel in zimbabwe. I wanted to check in online for my flight (for my parents, my sisters, and myself). I entered our information (had to re-enter all of our passport info again), and it came up with a message that the other 4 people in my party where checked in (and that we had the EC seats that I had booked few days earlier when they became available on June 1), but that I would need to see the agent at the gate.
I then did an online chat with delta. They said their was no problem with the reservation (despite the fact that I could not check in). My mom was on the phone with AMEX travel at this time, and AMEX told us that I was unable to check in online because I was one of the people randomly selected for additional security screening.
We get to JNB and I'm finally able to check in and get my boarding pass (with my original EC seat assignment...so I was happy about that). The Swissport ticket agent told me to arrive at the gate at 7:20 (I think the fight was scheduled to leave at 8:20 to ATL) for the additional screening.
My family was waiting in one of the clubs at JNB (I forget which one it was), until I needed to go over to the screening. People were already sitting down at the gate, but there were about 20 (I think swissport) security people standing around. They told everyone who was already sitting down to leave the seats and wait outside of that specific gate area. Men in one line, women in the other. The people who were not selected for additional screening...also had their bags checked. The people such as me who would receive the "additional screening as indicated on our ticket" were in another line.
They took a group of us (about 15-20) people to sit by the gate to wait until they began the additional screening. About 45 min before the flight was supposed to leave...they took the group of us for additional screening. Some people were worried that we wouldn't get to board the plane with our original zone. They told us we would be able to board the plane early.
I wasn't too worried about getting on early since everyone was only allowed to bring one carry on item OR one personal item. So I knew there would be plenty of room in the overhead bins.
After the completed the additional security...we were able to go directly to the plane. Some people were already on the plane...but I think we were able to get on when people in zone one were boarding. (I was supposed to be in zone 2 for EC).
My parents and sisters got on the plane a few minutes after me...and said it was completely disorganized in the boarding area.
I guess the "additional screening" wasn't too terrible. I did get to get on the plane early...but it didn't really matter.