ATOBTTR

In the words of Spock, the needs of many outweigh the needs of a few. YOU may have an important meeting to get to but that crew may be heading to a plane where 200+ people - also paying customers - are waiting on that crew to get them to their important meetings.

Loadmaster

It doesn't work that way; there are many other logistical considerations.

While it is true that RJ flt gate-checked bags are tendered to the jetway, you need to understand that those flts/gates are setup for that procedure. On a side-note, I've consistently waited at least 10 minutes or more for my RJ-gate checked bag to hit the Jetway.... if you're getting your bag faster than that, then count yourself as one lucky person!

It's not as simple as "just going down the stairs and picking up a couple of extra bags" - there are a lot of logistics and ground crew movements involved with tendering gate checks, wheel chairs, strollers, etc.

if you'd like to see crew bags in the bellies, you will enevitabily find crew members showing up late for tight connections.

With all due respect, I'd really like to understand why this is even a point of contention? We're talking about an airline's employee(s) making their way to their next duty assignment to service their customer with the least amount of hindrance possible, yes?

Please forgive me, I'm tired and a maybe a bit grouchy, but c'mon folks .... really?

kb9522

10 minutes wih priority tags? I'd submit a customer service complaint.

I've never seen a jetway that didn't have a door with stairs leading down. It would take no time at all for a GA to throw on a vest grab the bags and bring them.

It boggles the mind the type of mental gymnastics people have to go through to say this would impossible.

GagaPilot

To everyone that thinks crew bags underneath as "valet" on mainline flights is practical: I'm sorry to say you all have absolutely no idea of the ins and outs of how/where/when bags are loaded underneath. The RJ flights are designed for this. Mainline Jets are not. Period. Trust me, I'm an airline pilot! Rampers and Gate Agents already have full plates. They do not need to be responsible for crew bags.

Crew should board early, after Premium, but before the heard of Y pax. If you board in Zone 1 or higher, you should not worry about bin space. It's only those in Zone 2/3 that really have an issue to worry. And it's not worry from crew bags, it's just from the dozens of other Y pax that want to save on bag fees.

Loadmaster

Perhaps you misread my statement, I made no claim of "priority tags", I simply stated that on all of the RJ flights I've been on recently, it took at least 10 minutes for my bag to be delivered to the Jetway.

Is there such a thing as "Priority tags" on RJ's? I only ask as I've never seen such.....I've only seen gate-checked bag tags. I've flown in F multiple times on RJs and I only received the regular pink tag like everyone else.....

As for your assertition that "it would take no time for a GA to go down and simply grab the bags", is this predicated upon your many years of ramp / ops experience, or are you simply making this up as you go along? ... which seems to be the case.

Dare I ask how many years you've served in ground ops?

Fly_Delta_Jets

So what about the walkers, strollers, and other assistive devices that the ramp is also responsible for bringing up right after arrival on mainline flights? Should those come before crew bags? What if crew bags came up before them? Imagine the complaints of "Delta brought up a FA's bag before they brought me my walker." What if the FA has to be at the next gate in 15 mins and it takes 10 minutes to bring up all the strollers and assistive devices? Now the FA is late and a downline departure is delayed waiting on crew, inconveniencing 100+ other pax.

The GA should get them? Ok, but then who's answering questions about connections, baggage, Where's my gate?, Where's the closest Sky Club?, I need a wheelchair!, while monitoring the boarding door to make sure no one reenters the aircraft?

Simply put, it's much easier and less of a burden on all personnel involved to just have FAs be responsible for their own bags. It's also clear who in this thread has any sort of experience in airline ground operations...

tvnwz

Stop feeding the troll.

LarryJ

I'm not a Delta pilot but I thought that Delta did have a system for gate-checking crewmembers bags on mainline flights. Maybe I was wrong.

At UAL we have a system where we can take the bag down to the ramper ourselves then go back down to pick it up on arrival. The problem is that many airports don't allow a pilot who is not working the flight to have ramp access and we don't have anyway to know if that applies at a particular airport without asking at that airport. I know at my base and my home airports and do use the system when appropriate when commuting. When I'm deadheading to other airports I have no idea if I'm allowed to take it down, or if I'll be allowed to go down to pick it up on arrival.

It would work better, and be used more often IMO, if the system was changed to true gate-checking like the strollers and wheelchairs.

saxman66

I believe AA does give priority valet tags to elite and/or first class passengers when flying an RJ. I think I've seen Alaska/Horizon have the same thing. Delta nor United do this on their RJ flights though.

Fly_Delta_Jets

Delta has a similar system for deadheading pilots (special tag, they carry it down and pick it back up). However, sometimes at outstations (or even occasionally at hubs), these bags are grabbed by the ramp and sent to baggage claim (despite not having an actual bag tag) or not loaded at the origin station. They're the last bags loaded, so most likely to be forgotten at the last minute on a tight turn.

pvn

how do you know how many people are depending on the passenger?

DF136BRC

For DL, deadheading crews are supposed to be allowed to board with Z1 unless they are seated in comfort +, first, or working as stand in crew until the working crew arrives. If they are seated in prem or sky, then they can board there. That’s written in black and white. Some agents follow it to the letter. Others let them board earlier that as a courtesy, but it’s supposed to be Z1. If they walk up when gen boarding starts, then they use the sky priority lane and bags won’t be checked (for mainline anyway).

(FWIW, they are entitled to 4 bags.)

Jeff767

They would have. Crew members never use the regular lines if KCM is available.

GagaPilot

True, as a crew member I always use KCM if it's available. Once in DTW I elected to use the regular line instead of walking to where the KCM was by the hotel. BIG mistake. The agents working the regular line were not used to seeing crew. The gave me the 3rd degree and tried to take my full-size bottle of shaving cream. I refused, even escalated to a supervisor. Crewmembers are not subject to 3-1-1 when traveling for work in uniform (which I was). Ended up winning the battle, but was later to the gate than I wanted to be. Learned my lesson there.

GeorgeBurdell

Just got a phone call from Delta. They wanted to follow up on my feedback. I didn't have anything more to add except that I thought the whole incident needed to be brought to their attention. They told me it will be forwarded to the ATL station manager for follow up with the employees involved. I made sure I told them that I really appreciated the personal phone call.