Joshua

I've been noticing the biggest impediment to turning around planes quickly right now is the massive amount of carry-on luggage passengers attempt to bring on board. Much of this luggage ends up checked (for free).

I think a smart airline could offer a programme like this which would benefit both the passenger and the airline:

- Passengers may check a carry-on sized bag (35 lbs., etc.) for free when they check in. Their boarding pass will have a special stamp on it, and at the gate, attempts to bring on another carry-on will result in a $25, etc. charge.

- Passengers may report when they check-in that they are not bringing a carry-on at all (just a personal item), and their boarding pass will also get the special stamp. They could get some kind of cheesy reward, like a a drink coupon or a few bonus miles. This would save both fuel and valuable overhead space.

This wouldn't bother elites (or those silly "premier access" etc. buy-ups), since they have free bags and early boarding anyway. I believe Delta has just started requiring checking of all rollaboards on some of their regional aircraft.

This would simply save passengers the hassle of lugging their carry-ons through security and out to the gate, and save the GAs the extra time to manually tag all those bags.

alanR

My solution - include the cost of gate-checking in the fare then give a partial refund to people who don't have luggage gate-checked.

Alternatively - and quite radically I think - airlines should enforce their own rules and tell people that they either pay to gate check or they don't fly.

Or like many airlines these days tag the permitted piece of hand luggage and require the checking of other bags at check-in.

BearX220

Both unnecessary and overcomplicated. The system would work fine if existing size-and-bag-count rules were enforced. They aren't. Both occasional flyers and road warriors are guilty of flouting them. If GAs made passengers dunk their carryons into the size-wise measuring box and gate-checked every bag that flunked, as well as any third and additional bags, all these problems would go away.

As one who follows the rules and carries on a small overnight bag plus computer attache, I resent having to gate-check the former because too many people ahead of me have lugged huge rollaboards, giant briefcases, enormous "purses," a backpack, and their lunch onboard. Force those passengers, who are often female business travelers whose bags are bigger than they are and which they cannot lift into the bins unaided, to follow the blinkin' rules.

emma69

I think free checked baggage would reduce the number of carry ons - I've certainly seen carry ons increase in size and number since airlines started charging for bags (first and second bags). I have NO desire to lug carry on with me, everything I need for the flight will happily fit within my personal item. But if it is free to bring a 10kg carry on rollaboard, and cost $25 / $50 / $100 to check that bag, guess which I am going with?

Tagging carry on doesn't work well - so many people don't go near a check in desk when they print their own boarding pass online - it would just add to line ups and require additional staff.

CyBeR

I have an even better idea, that might even make the airlines a buck or two:

Add the cost of checking a bag to the fare, always.

I know, revolutionary idea, never heard of and all that but it might just work.

BearX220

Um... that's exactly how the whole world worked until about five years ago.

CyBeR

It appears sarcasm is lost on you :P

bkcarolina

Because chances are HIGH that they'll lose it and have to pay you for it...the main benefit of charging for bags is that everyone wants to carry on, no one wants to check, and the airlines save a ton on lost baggage payouts. So what if the passengers have to fight each other for space in the overhead bins.

squeeler

Spare a thought for the poor baggage handlers who miss out on all the valuable pickings that they would have sold on e-bay.

localady

I think that you need to check your facts... Go to Delta.com and read their luggage policy... They still gate check anything that won't fit in the overhead (rollaboards, duffel bags, and plain old suitcases) on barbie jets.... but that has been their policy for years.. Anything gate checked is delivered jetway or gate area immediately following the flight... My SO has a small (19") rollaboard that fit in the overhead and has NEVER had to check it... Including our flight earlier this afternoon.

localady

Tizzette

[QUOTE=Joshua;16669226]I've been noticing the biggest impediment to turning around planes quickly right now is the massive amount of carry-on luggage passengers attempt to bring on board. Much of this luggage ends up checked (for free).

I think a smart airline could offer a programme like this which would benefit both the passenger and the airline:

- Passengers may check a carry-on sized bag (35 lbs., etc.) for free when they check in.

Allegiant was doing this very thing in Orlando, volunteering to check your carryon roller bag free if you happened to check in at the ticket counter instead of bypassing that by checking in online and your own boarding pass.

sbm12

Not at all true. The stats on lost bags simply do not agree with your claim of high chances of them being lost.
:-:

I love all the elites who think that the carry-on bag rules don't apply to them. Seriously entertaining to watch them flip out when they get "caught" with an oversize bag.

Loren Pechtel

What they really need to so is enforce that your personal item goes under the seat. You get *ONE* item in the bins unless you have no underseat stowage.

Often1

Easier solution would be for carriers to enforce their own rules and for FAA to enhance its inspections for compliance. The problem now is that with the premium on an on-time push back, nobody wants to do anything. But, with tougher enforcement:
1. If you have a carry-on which doesn't fit the sizer, you get pulled out of line and you wait while those complying with the law board.
2. Your bag is then gate checked and specially stickered so that it doesn't go to the carousel on arrival but rather to the baggage office. At the baggage office, you wait and pay the fee + penalty (elites don't pay the fee, just the penalty).
3. This ought to eliminate the lack of OH space but, if by chance, the OH are full and a pax presents with a bag which fits the sizer, he gets his bag gate checked free of cost and some type of mileage credit.

There is absolutely no reason why any of us ought to tolerate what goes on now.