bubbashow

They become really, really important to you if you are on the connecting flight that crew is working, and you have to wait for the crew to go to baggage claim and get their gate checked bags. Get over yourselves. Crew IS more-important than you in A LOT of cases. Delta can operate a flight without you or by compensating you to go away. Same can't be said for crew in many cases.

kb9522

They don't need to check and pick up the carousel. The last time I had to valet check a bag (CRJ) I dropped it off in the jetway and it was waiting for me on the jetway as I deplaned at my destination... and I was in row 2.

bubbashow

They don't do that with non-regional jets.

kb9522

But the point is that they could for crew bags.

SamOF

They definitely do, though I don't know why (maybe a late arriving deadhead crew?). They just use the same gate tags as mainline flights use for strollers and wheelchairs.

Jeff767

Delta is a non union airline other than the pilots and dispatchers. They are the least unionized major airline. SWA is the most heavily unionized despite press reports to the contrary. Flight crews are authorized 3 bags as they fly trips up to 12 days long. There are many flight attendants who will however take things to a extreme or they are in training to be Sherpas! Deadhead crew members should board with zone 1.

GagaPilot

Keep telling yourself that. Crew bags WILL trump the highest paying D1 ticket if absolutely necessary. If my bag as a crew member doesn't get on the flight, neither do I, and then another flight down the line is affected.

Let's be be more realistic though: Crew should board early-ish (hence why I board in SKY). This is after Pre boards, D1/F, but before basic Y. If a bag needs to be bumped/checked, let it be a Y pax in Zone 3. Don't inconvenience crew or premium pax. Personally, when I travel for pleasure as a revenue pax, I rarely take a carry-on that can't fit under my seat and check the rest. I hate lugging around a suitcase for a living, and enjoy it being automatically transferred for me when flying for pleasure.

kb9522

You still haven't explained why valet checking isn't an option. On the other hand, I have explained why valet checking is not an inconvenience.

GagaPilot

As someone above mentioned, this is NOT an option when traveling mainline. If you are on an RJ flight, then yes, valet is a good option. I've done that plenty of times. But mainline ops do NOT valet check crew bags as part of normal SOP. Another issue is time. When we are deadheading, we often hit the ground running.

s0ssos

I guess it is not disruptive at all for passengers to bring their clothes in a carryon and to arrive finding their gatechecked bag is gone, and they have nothing.

pvn

Nobody is disputing that.

SJC ORD LDR

Time. Bags that are gate checked don't magically appear at the end of the jet bridge when the first people deplane. If the crew has a quick connection time at their destination, every minute counts. They can't just waltz on a flight they are working right before the door closes.

vincentharris

But my meeting or event where every minute counts that I need to get to is not important? Seems kinda one sided.

Also mainline, under line, overline, regional, or any other flight if airlines wanted to they could have someone carry the crew bags up immediately via valet. No one is saying offer that option to passengers on mainline just crew.

I don't dispute the need to get to work on your next flight but so are the paying passengers on board. Is the airlines business more important than the paying customers business?

kb9522

And as I mentioned above, that doesn't mean it can't be. Unless SOPs are hand carved in stone with special diamond chisels and can never be changed again. And my experience has always been my valet checked bag is ready by the time I get onto the jetway or a few seconds after that. And this response time should be even better if it is only crew bags being valet checked. You can still "hit the ground running."

They have when I've had to valet check. I'm always in the first few rows, so I'm always one of the first to deplane. Grabbed my bag and off I went. Sure, sometimes it took a few seconds, but always <1min.

Guys. We're talking about someone going down the jetway stairs, grabbing a few bags and bringing them back up the stairs. They're not trekking across Himalayas here

SJC ORD LDR

How often do you schedule a meeting where you don't buffer in any time to get out of the airport and to your meeting site? I usually fly in the night before, so it's never an issue.