I always bump into the likes of Mats - I travel a lot on business and don't like checking bags as I'm always rushing to get the first available cab. I have my standard carry-on, and a wheeled laptop bag - and a small purse which gets stuffed into either the carryon or the laptop bag when TSA people insist I carry only 2 items.

Anyway, back to the point, when I get on the plane and start to stow things away, 60-70% of the times, someone comes forward to help me lift my never too heavy rollerboard. I'm quite tall and look fully capable of doing it on my own. I feel really embarrassed when this happens - as I wonder if I project the damsel in distress image.. and No, I'm nowhere near being called pretty.

I'd much rather prefer people *not* offer to help unless asked to do so... Would make it much easier for me.

That's a very good question.

When there are properly enforced restrictions on carry-on baggage, there's one other beneficial effect: No longer do you have to rush to be first on the aircraft to find space. So many non-American carriers can board their elite FFs and premium pax last, not first - and the pax can spend more time being cosseted in the comfy lounges instead of being stuck inside a metal tube.

Well, they probably offer to help because they disagree with you - you might just be too modest :).

That was pretty judgemental, wasn't it?

I never said the bag was so heavy is would put anyone's back out. All I said was it is too heavy for me to lift unaided. Apparently you missed the part where I said I was small and somewhat, ahem, older.

If you don't want to help someone like me, that's fine. There are still plenty of people out there who are kind.

For PAX or Luggage? :D

:D

That is precisely the exception I mentioned at the beginning of my post. The suggestion that one bring aboard valuables (such as cameras) has been in effect for a long, long time.

I love helping elderly folks lift things (or cross the street, etc.) However, I am miffed that you infer that young ladies are especially helpful while young men are not; that has not been my observation.

I'm quite glad US airlines have not followed many European airlines' petty obsession with carryon weights. I frequently travel with carryons packed with essential items which cannot be replaced in the short term, so the risk of pilfered, delayed, or lost luggage is too great to bear. It should go without saying that I require no help with them, even when fully loaded, nor does it slow up the boarding process one iota.

FYI, my checked baggage has never arrived at its destination (Baggage Claim) at the same time I arrive at mine. Instead I am forced to wait 20-60 minutes for it to appear...if it appears at all.

The problem with the luggage compartments is not that our bags are too heavy, it's that the compartments are mounted too high to reach. I'm 5'2" and while I can always lift my own small and light carry-on into the baggage compartment, I can never get it out again after it slides to the back during the flight. I just can't reach it. Usually I get to it by standing on an empty seat, but sometimes someone taller helps me by dragging the bag to the edge of the compartment.

However, I do agree that if you can't get your own bag into the baggage compartment, it's too big for you to carry.

Sorry, J.S. I hope you aren't too miffed. :) It's just been my personal experience when struggling to get my bag up two feet over my head that young ladies are more likely to step forward to help than young men. I don't know why that is (unless the young men are too busy checking out the young ladies on board to notice that grandma needs a hand.)

Seems to me this is one of those "it depends" situations. My logic's not real sound on this, but I evaluate each situation individually. I've seen plenty of folks who look like they could use a hand with a "normal" sized suitcase because they're older, have an injury (visible or not), or just can't hoist a bag up into the overhead for whatever reason. On the other hand, I've seen plenty of able-bodied folks LUG duffel bags and other "suitcases" on board that are SO stuffed that even if you could hoist the darn thing off the floor and into the overhead, there's NO WAY that you could close the overhead door. And then those people look around like "so where should I put this?" as if CHECKING IT isn't an option.

I don't mind helping a fellow passenger, but I do get annoyed when folks "bend" or break the rules, abuse the system, and then refuse to take responsibility for doing so. If I hear one more person complain that an FA "can't check my bag" when the darn thing is oversized and overstuffed, I don't know what I'll do.

We had that same experience coming back from BsAs a few weeks ago...both on takeoff and landing the overheads on a 763 came unlatched... Those of us on the aisle (in C) were sitting there ready to catch whatever came falling out (and I wasn't going to let any of those bottles of malbec hit the floor ;) ) although the rollaboards that were up there would've been a bit tough...

Guilty as charged :o.

I'm sorry... :D.

Have you ever priced it? Plan on spending between $200 and $300 to send a rollaboard sized suitcase round trip via FedEx.

Plan ahead and ship it slow boat with U.S. Postal Service. I shipped two roll-aboard-sized items for about $20 each the other day.