dd992emo

Actually, I would be in favor of eliminating gate checking of luggage.

If it doesn't fit under the seat in front of you, check it. My oversize laptop fits under the seat in front of me. The airlines could adapt and make some provision for bulkhead seats. If you don't want to check it, find another mode of transportation or stay home.

Regardless of what some FTers might say, flying is a choice. Just because one may say they "have" to fly doesn't make it so. If airplanes went the way of the Dodo bird they would find another way to get where they are going.

PaulMSN

Much easier to just remove dd992emo from all aircraft, wouldn't you say? Problem solved.

dd992emo

Why?

xanthuos

Simply? For how long were there NO luggage fees...and yet people still carried on. Real simple.

lsugolfer

Before luggage fees, I never had to gate check a bag on a full flight when overhead space was occupied or worry about people demanding their bag stay with them as in this story from yesterday.

Why? Because people simply carried their immediate items on and just checked everything else.

TheBisch

I would as well. If it won't fit in the bin, it should be checked at the ticket counter.

While my laptop, etc will fit underneath the seat in front of me, my feet will not once I sit down. I'm quite tall, and have big feet. If I am sitting in Y, it is physically painful for me to sit with a bag under the seat in front of me, as there is no place to put my feet. I need those precious extra inches to sit down. Therefore, my bag has to go in the overhead bin. The only way I'd support removing overhead bins is if the pitch in Y matched the pitch in F.

The overhead bins do serve a purpose. My proposal would be....

- ONE bag per pax onboard (not one plus a personal item... ONE).
- Second bag per pax onboard costs $25 for bin space.
- Bags underneath up to 50 pounds fly free, max 100 pounds per PAX.
- Excess weight costs extra.

Poopdeck90210

Interesting idea. I'll have to add this one to my "Boarding Playbook" in case I ever run up against a GA that wants to make me check my small carry on bag.

On a separate note, is it just me - but does it seem like the number of PAX who try to "carry on their steamer trunks" seems to go up expotentially when the flight is a Red Eye flight?

-A

Moebius01

This + 1,000,000 ^^^

gegarrenton

What? Do you people know how gate checking works?

rbwpi

Thank you for your moral support of my girl friend. She's a DM, knows who she is (a princess) and doesn't put up with any crap from airline personnel. This is a perfect example of one of the many things I love about her.

DeltaFan4Now

Do you mean gate checking or gate valet? Don't think there's a difference? Watch where your bag ends up if you gate check and expect it to be brought planeside!

indufan

You said this the other day. Yes, flying is a choice. But wanting people to fly is the what the airlines do. In fact, they still have tremendous market growth available....but not with an attitude like this. More discouragement from flying means less customers and less profit and the industry doesn't benefit from just those that "really want to fly".

gegarrenton

yea, yea, I meant valet!

avidflyer

"Gate Valet" is a perk reserved for DM's only and will be announced with the rest of the 2011 program details. Basically, you get a window sticker that allows you to get through security at the tarmac gate, pull up to the ac, and board. There is a small parking charge that you will need to pay and please, remember to tip the Valet.

No more dealing with gate lice.

DeltaFan4Now

I made that mistake once and only once... I've been on a mission to disabuse the population of the confusion between "gate check" and "gate valet" and between "direct" vs. "non-stop". Both ventures are maddening and seemingly futile, but I never give up!