The Cattle Call: Why crowd the gate?
 

I'm sure this has been covered exponentially in FT, but i bet each time it comes up, it brings fresh gripes.

Why, oh why, do people crowd the gate waiting to board? Is there some special prize for a 14B seat who jumps up as the 25-and-up row is being called?

Get of my way, people. You've got plenty of time to get on, so have a seat in the boarding area -- not by the gate.

(And those who stretch all the way out into the traffic lanes as I'm trying to get the the gate a few doors down -- come on, people!)

I'm not exactly the last one to board, but I sure as heck don't push my way to start breathing that recycled air.

And too many times to count have I been standing behind someone right in front of the gate, wondering why the line isn't moving. Turns out it's because the clown I'm behind is really in 22C and I am boarding with medallion.

Move, people.

I don't understand it either unless some people just cannot resist joining a line when they see one form. I like it a lot when the boarding pass scanner person rejects those attempting to board out of turn. I mean who is in charge? We all benefit when the process is orderly.

I believe the primary factor is overhead bin space. Too many folks carrying too much junk onto the planes. People realize that the last ones to board a full flight will have a challenge finding bin space for their carryon. If carryon limits were enforced then there would be less need to compete for the space available.

Amen

I first saw the term "gate lice" in the United Forum. I do not know who coined it, but I think it is absolutely perfect!

Overhead space
 

I agree with the previous poster - people bring too much carp onboard expecting to fit it all overhead.

What good is the "size limit" sign at the counter and at the gate when it's not being used?

Is that a US thing? Because when I traveled through Europe, overhead bins were relatively empty compared to domestic sardine cans. It made boarding and exiting really fast....

I agree with the stoarge bin hypothesis. Before I was Elite on ATA, I was usually in an exit row in which my being allowed to store my carryon under the seat in front of me was entirely at the whim of the FA. It was also in the last boarding zone to be called. Being first in line vs. being last was often the difference between having my laptop and other in-flight necessities or being forced to watch them sent off and subjected to the whims of the Luggage Handling Gods in one my one tiny carry-on because the bins had been hogged by those who bring a dozen bags containing every possession they've ever owned since birth.

agree, its all about being able to store my carryon. I usually have this only if I don't have any luggage to check. so..if there is no space left over, it defeats the purpose of having only the carryon (a lot of time wasted waiting for luggage..if it ever makes it...recently completely lost a bag on an international trip). frankly, if airlines were efficient in luggage delivery and did not lose bags ...most people would probably check in luggage. but with the current state of luggage handling, I would try to avoid checking luggage if possible.

;)

Well, when they randomly change gates, you want to be out of there fast!

http://www.skyhighairlines.com/Radio...GateChange.mp3

[QUOTE=Orion]I don't understand it either unless some people just cannot resist joining a line when they see one form. QUOTE]


^ ^ ^

im a big believer in this. its not the chow line!

grb

Try going to Asia - they like to put stuff where they can get at it too.

I sure the overhead bin space is a big part of it. But there's also a 'herd mentality' - people instinctively want to move with the crowd.

Maybe airlines should put a scent on boarding passes and have trained Border Collies to keep people under control. :-)

From the recent study data less than 1% of baggage is delayed and the term LOST in its real sense (doesnt ever return) is infantesimally (sm) small. So even if 1% is delayed what is the other 99% of the excuse for all the carry on crap. Really tired of flights leaving late because of trying to stow everything the "cattle" (and elite cattle) drag on. Use the "under foot" storage bin people (cargo hold!)

I don't believe the study. However, even if it's accurate, that means that, for the average FT FF, luggage is going to be delayed once or twice a year. Those of us who travel for business cannot afford this (and I think the figure is much, much higher). As I posted last time this topic was raised (last week, I think), the few times I've checked luggage on business trips, I had my luggage significantly delayed twice. One time, it cost me nearly $1,000 out-of-pocket and unreimbursed by the airline.

I will continue to carryon what I need, fully compliant with the restrictions imposed by the airline, of course, until such time that (1) the airlines take full responsibility for lost or delayed luggage, (2) the airlines can get bags to the carousel in a reasonable time, and (3) the airlines' employees and TSA don't steal from, vandalize, damage or destroy bags.

This situation raises a question about the bin hogs.
One time about a year ago, my spouse gave me his carry-on to take throught the security checkpoint while he went to park the car. Then he was going to meet me at the gate.
So I had both 45" carry-ons & my personal item. The TSA screener gave me a hard time for having "too many pieces of carry-on luggage". Rather than stand there & argue with a human brick wall, I stepped out of line & waited for my husband.

My question is: How do the bin-hogs get away with bringing more than their allowance without the TSA catching them first?

But when that luggage gets delayed, it gets *delayed*. And then you promise youself that you will never check your bags again.

Additionally, I've had some damage done to my checked luggage. Doesn't give me good feelings about checking my bags.

Some of my non-FF buddies that don't know about my frequent flying were discussing this earlier... how frustrated they were about group 5 people rushing to get on when they were in group 3 and all the overhead bin space was going to be taken up.... I couldn't help but laugh and suggest that sitting up front tends to take care of those problems. Yea, I've got my nose up a little bit...

This is exactly right!

Over the past 4 years, I have checked bags only once--last year on an F award to Africa. Because I was travelling in F, they even dutifully placed an important-looking "priority" tag on my luggage.

So, guess who arrived in JNB without his luggage?

It's like, the ONE time I entrust a bag to them, and they lose it! I understand that it happens sometimes, but this doesn't exactly renew my faith in the system. From now on, I will let other, luckier, people play bag roulette with the airlines.

My bag didn't arrive with me THREE times in calendar year 2005 -- once on NW, once on KLM, once on Hawaiian (KLM and Hawaiian acted like it was a normal occurrence, too :( ). Unless I can avoid it, I carry it on. I can cram 3 days of clothes into an overnight bag if necessary.

It never ceases to amaze me that the only people in the world whose bags are lost/delayed/damaged/impregnated/inconvenienced/destroyed...are FT posters. If you're that unlucky, should you be flying? :D

:D

PS I travel for business constantly, usually in 2 different cities every week. I have had my bag delayed and usually it shows up on the next flight. Going out and spending $1000 instead of waiting for the bag is a choice.

I love the "I dont want to wait for my bags" arguement. All it means is that anyone using it feels their time is more important than anyone elses, because we waste MORE time waiting on the tarmac for people to stow all their crap than it does for bags to show up at the carousel!!!!

My bag was "delayed" for three days. I started a trial at 2 pm the following day. My "choice" was spend $1,000 on a suit, shirt, tie, shoes, etc., or be sanctioned (and possibly jailed) for contempt of court, not too mention losing an important client. Not much of a choice, is it?

Sorry, but that's utter crap.

Stowing and retrieving my bag takes seconds -- I don't hold anyone up. If I checked bags, I'd have to wait on line to check in, instead of using the kiosks, and wait half an hour to 45 minutes to get it back. You're pretty cavalier about my time.

I wouldn't mind checking bags, even rollerboards, if I KNEW that when I landed, I didn't have to wait 45 minutes to get my bags. It seems to me, at most of the AA destinations (and my home base at AUS) this job is contracted out. Thus if they are slow in getting bags off the plane, no big deal, there is no fault on their end, they are doing the best (slow) job they can do. I won't check home to AUS if I don't have to, because the union guys take their time getting the bags from the very few planes landing to the baggage pick up.

Not trying to be negative, for I know a few employees at AUS, but it has led me to believe that if I check a bag, I'm going to wait (most recently happened at BUR as well). That's sad... If airlines (or AA in particular) would coin the old phrase from Dominos, "30 minutes or it is free" and use it for baggage "10 minutes or a free voucher" then more people would check bags... or at least I would! definitely.

edited for spelling error

My home base is ORD and it takes at least 45 minutes to get the bags out.

That's OK....gives me time to pop into the AC and grab a cup of coffee
and use a nice clean (compared to the terminal) bathroom.
Make a couple of calls and then saunter down to baggage claim :D

The worst is being an AA Gold, boarding in Group 1. Group 1 is usually the smallest boarding group in my experience and gate agents will blast right through it and move on to Group 2. Ergo, if you're not standing in the vicinity of the jetway door, chances are the agent will call Group 1, wait twenty seconds and then call Group 2. Therefore if you're not close, the giant herd of gate lice will cut you off, and you're at the back of the line.

Short of flying Southwest, I really don't understand the rush to board the plane. I know overhead space is some of it, but it still doesn't explain the Group 5/6 people who insist on standing in the gate area.

delete

In the aggregate, that may be true. But at the margins, it is rational behavior to avoid checking bags when possible. If I bring my rollaboard on the plane, that may add another 15 seconds to the total boarding process (but if 60 pax do this, that consumes 15 minutes). But I save 15-45 minutes waiting for luggage at the back end, so it is a good investment from an individual's perspective.

Also, nobody mentioned that checking bags takes time (and sometimes money, if using curb check-in for bags)--sometimes a non-trivial amount of time.

Another reason for the preference for early boarding: make sure your seat works ok, especially relevant if travelling in premium classes on international trips, where you have a lot of features in that seat.

This happens to me a lot, and it p*sses me off, but I still do it. It's usually worse for me because I like to drop my wife and daughter off ahead of me so I can go park the car first.

When I travel with the little one, I bring on her Britax car seat (for her to sit in), as well as my own legal carry-ons. I don't know what's so hard for them to understand about "my wife and daughter are behind me", as I don't know what kind of idiot would carry-on a giant car-seat who didn't intend to use it.

Last time through MIA I got in a fight with the ID checker - and since there were no other AA employees around, I had to appeal to a TSA guy, who in this case was the only rational person around! He told her to let me through.

My you are a hostile bunch. Can't we all just get along? Sing some songs together? Why all the anger? It's just a boarding area. Take a few sedatives before you enter the gate area, and you will be OK.

Over at the travel security forum some folks would point out that that's outside the jursdiction of the TSA.

The line people and gate knats (which I have been) are "rule followers" and they think the rule is to be ready and not get left behind.......kind hearted people.

You must be different than the gate 'lice' who stand at the front and block other travelers--or worse yet, try to get on first--even though they know they're in group 6.

I don't know what they were thinking? :confused: I will try to train them to relax as I visit each airport. :)

There should be some sort of invisible force field that will zap people when they try to crowd the gate before they are called...we can only dream. Maybe space travel 2050. :D

Reminds me of a story someone told me about a flight out of Kinshasa where a passenger had stowed a fish in an overhead bin which proceeded to break down and leak rotting fish juice down onto the passengers below during the course of the flight.

I was stopped last month in Tampa at the ID checker -- she wouldn't let me continue until I put my (small) purse inside of my laptop bag (I also had a legal sized roll-a-board). She made me hold up the line of about 6 people behind me just to do that, even though I explained that I was going to just pull it out again when I got to the gate area, since that's where I was going to purchase a cup of coffee. I told her I would put it in there before boarding, but that just wasn't good enough for her... and then she got ticked off when my attitude wasn't all sunny and rosy. :mad: Too dumb.

I guess I crowd a little, but I prefer to stand before a flight and if I'm going to stand, then why not near the gate (but as out of the way as possible)? Getting cut off by the crowd so I can't board with the rest of group 1 is a pain. I'm also a window seat guy, so I try to board early so as to get in before the aisle/middle pax to avoid the up/down dance. If I'm on an airline I have no status on, I won't stand as close as I'm unlikely to be an early boarder.

This is true. But do you remember what it was like before WN started the three lines system? I flew them a lot in the mid-90s (required to for work unless they didn't serve the destination), and it was madness. They'd announce preboarding, and 80-90% of the pax on the flight would crowd around the jetway door. If you were in an earlier boarding zone, people in the later zones would refuse to move to let you by. I'd almost always be in the first boarding zone, and I would literally have to elbow my way through a crowd of second and third zone people standing in front of the jetway door, because most people would not respond to a polite request to let me by.

So, I guess the only way for airlines to solve the problem is to have a line for every boarding zone, but I think DL often has 8 or 9 zones for bigger planes, so not much chance of that happening.

IMO, part of the problem with full overheads is due to folks who do carry on two items, but then insist on putting BOTH of them in the overhead!

I can understand if you are tall and really might need the extra space under the seat in front of you to allow you to sit comfortably. But, most of the folks doing this don't look like they fit in the "very tall" category.

if you want the convenience of not having your luggage misplaced or having to wait forever at the baggage carousel (which I for one do), then you should be able to live with the "inconvenience" of putting one of your items under the seat too (and I do this also).