magexpect

Moderator, please feel free to move the thread if not in the right forum. Thank you.

I am just back from a trip where again many passengers took their luggage on board. Does nobody realize that by doing so, the boarding process and the passing through security lines is being slowed down considerably?

I have noticed that many really believe they are saving time at the airport. This is definitely not true. People were queuing up for a hell of a long time in the 777 from ATL-CDG, before they could settle down. FA's had to juggle with big cases until they could stow them, while passengers stood around complaining or just gawking at C passengers while waiting to get through.

The transit in CDG took again more time because everybody in transit had to pass security. With just one attaché-case, I waited 30 minutes to get to the screener, passed in 30 seconds flat.

I am appealing to all of you FTers, show the good example and have your luggage checked-in, we'll finally be able to take-off on time.

wharvey

I have found the problem to be not enforcing the carry on restrictions.

People bring on several bags and expect everything to go overhead... no one wants to place a bag under the seat in front of them. You also have people who wait until the last second to board... and they are always the one who has a large carryon bag that has no change of being fitting on board since everyone else has placed their stuff overhead.

Also, I do believe it is a timesaver for me to not check anything. I follow the rules... and I get onboard early. Also, my timesaver is that I do not have to wait for my luggage after I arrive... that is the delay factor for me.

William

DoubleJ

I also follow the rules concerning carryons, usually just carrying on a case or one small bag. I can't help but notice the size (No way that would fit in that pipetubing bag-size checker "your carryon needs to fit in here" whatchmacallit!) and number of items brought onboard by many of the other passengers (Sitting in an aisle seat, many a time I've been hit in the shoulder or head-dodged a large bag slung over the shoulder of a boarding passenger carrying a bag in each hand as well). I see this a lot as I take mostly transpacific flights and passengers returning home do tend carry back a lot of goodies, much of which ends up in the cabin. Enforced limits? Sometimes I can't believe there are any limits.

empedocles

I actually think you are preaching to the choir here. I would believe most of the FT regulars travel with a reasonable amount of luggage and aren't the ones who cause the problems.

wharvey

But, I would also bet you that we only check luggage when absolutely necesary...

William

tom911

Quite true. I just flew home today from RDU with laptop and duffle bag as carryon, and wouldn't think of checking in anything unless I was over the maximum allowed, or knew my bag wouldn't fit in the overhead. As one was has had luggage lost before, I'll only put it under the plane if I have to.

slippahs

Think about it this way...

We FTers are saving the backs of those baggage handlers

aloha

Arthurrs

I used to always check bags, but ever since the TSA has required checked bags to remain unlocked, I have bought a carryon case that fits the requirements set by the airlines, and have carried everything on board with me, normally a 20 inch Travelpro, and one Targus laptop computer briefcase. If it doesn't fit in those two bags, then it doesn't come with me. Sometimes when I return home from overseas and bought a couple of souveniers that won't fit, then I will unzip the expansion feature of my travelpro, and check the bag, but with great hesitation.

Sorry, I don't trust the TSA, or anyone else that might be handling my bag, and no, I refuse to spend an exhorbitant amount for travel sentry locks when they will likely be cut off anyway by some clueless idiot that can't be bothered getting the keys. The few times I have checked my bag after an overseas flight, it has been delayed by the TSA (I have confirmation of this). One time it was a major inconvenience, as I had a meeting the next day, and my delayed bag had some things inside pertinent to the meeting. I had to wait until that morning to pick up my bag!

Sorry, but for the most part everything comes with me. I come to the airport early enough, and get cleared through security well in advance of my flight, and am first to board with other upper tier flyers on my plane, so it shouldn't be a problem for anyone.

BearX220

I don't notice that we take off late because people don't check bags (not when boarding starts 30 minutes before departure). I do notice that when I check a bag, I have to hang around the airport for 30 to 45 extra minutes after landing. So I don't check my bag unless ordered to. It's not secure, it's time-consuming and if it's lost you're up a creek.

P.S. I can survive for one week out of an over-the-shoulder carryon. Teach people to pack properly and we'll all do fine.

AllanJ

Arriving late may bother the passenbvers but it bothers the airline more. The airline failed to enforce its own carry on baggage rules for size and quantity and as a result the flight took off late and arrived late. When this problem gets bad enough for the airline the airline will correct it.

Travel tips:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/travel.htm

I dare say that if the airline failes to enforce its own rules about baggage or whatever and some other passenger has to gate check his properly sized baggage, the liability limits do not apply if the baggage is lost.

cawhite

I rarely check bags unless I have to. Agree with the comments about having to wait 30 minutes for bags to show up. Then again, I know exactly which of my bags will fit in the overhead on various airplanes, and which won't, and I pack accordingly. Likewise, I also know that my 20" TravelPro will also fit underneath the seat in front of me in Y (in most mainlines) if need be. I also have no problem gate-checking my bag on express flights.

(I do have to say that I'm always amazed at the folk getting on an EMB thinking they're going to be able to get a 20 or 22" rollaboard to fit in the overhead despite the FA and other pax telling them it won't fit. )

wck4

I had a United checkin clerk wanting to hire me to teach packing lessons to the rest of the people in the line when I checked in for a 2 week trip to Australia with one 18" Tumi shoulderbag and a 14" x 7" x 2" purse. I just told him flip-flops and bathing suits and a few sundresses compress easily.

What airlines let people get on a RJ with a 20" rollaboard? At both EWR and DTW, I've seen the gate agent force people to gate-check anything close to that size- but maybe I just get super-vigilant gate agents.

parkesy

Sorry, but the airlines are at fault for not enforcing their own
rules and adopting sub-optimum boarding processes.

I take a 22" Hartmann which meets the requirements of most
of the airlines and a "vertical" laptop bag. The 22" fits in
the overhead quite nicely and the bag goes under the seat
in front of me UNTIL after take-off when I slide it behind my
knees thus allowing me to stretch my 34'" legs. Why should
I feel bad about my bringing on board my luggage which meets
the airlines' own requirements?

As for boarding processes, as much as I like group boarding
for elites, in practice it falls apart for on major business routes
the vast majority of PAX are elite and any notion of prioritization
evaporates i.e. fly to ATL from DFW on a Monday morning and
90% of the PAX are Group 1.

Would it not be far better for the airlines to,

(a) enforce their own baggage policies at the gate; and,

(b) after the FC PAX are seated, board the planes from the REAR
first? Would this not avoid the log-jams that occur on most flights?

Oh and, (c) FAs should actively manage the "sticking bags in
overhead" process rather than stand back and watch the
PAX fight it out amongst themselves?

Cheers,
Parkesy

Pat89339

Except the passengers in the REAR would use all the bins towards the front of the plane thus causing the passengers seated in the front to head to the back to stow their carryons. It would be like salmon swimming up stream when the plane lands and the two converge in an attempt to reach their stowed baggage.

magexpect

Thank you all for your input.

I had forgotten to mention that I fly 99% international and although flying a lot, there were just two occasions where I had to wait for my bags, otherwise they always get there before me.

I NEVER had a lost baggage in 30 years of flying and there was only one occurrence in which something had been stolen in a bag but as the thieves have been caught recently, the watch stolen a year ago was returned to me.