Rant - Baggage Claim
 

I am not weekly flyer, but fly enough to appreciate the conveniences afforded to a economy travler by checking the roll-on. In other words, I don't have to fight for space in the overheads.

So the question is - WHY do families insist standing four-abreast at the baggage carousel to collect to bags? Shouldn't Dad stand there and collect the luggage, and send it back to Mom and Kids - standing away from the carousel?

WHY do people insist on allowing their three year olds up to the front of the carousel so they can take up space, slap, hit and spit on every piece of luggage that magically appears before their eyes?

WHY do couples who have wondrously large bags stand their luggage as they grab it off the belt right next to them - as opposed to behind them - thwarting the efforts of others who wish also to reclaim their checked luggage? They have already taken up six feet of space at the carousel.

Thank you - I feel better now.

I've seen what you are discussion. My husband gets the bags, I mind the kid(s). He has, however, but a bag either behind the cart or in front of him because he has an organizational system and if something like a pack 'n play comes off first, and it goes on the cart last, he puts it aside.

Welcome to FlyerTalk. I understand your frustration, but a lot of times when we travel you have people three deep, all trying to get their luggage too. It would be pretty hard to put the luggage anywhere than where you are standing without dropping it on somone's feet. Sometimes I will stand behind with the carryon's while my husband grabs the two bigger bags off the carousel. unless the two bags come out together, then I need to be right there.

Well, it used to be cool as a kid to go with dad to see the planes taking off and landing, and it was cool to see all the technology working in airports. Ahh, but that was a different time when people who flew were more or less savvy, I think.

Anyway, the types of people you are talking about are unfortunately on the rise, as we continue to live in a "my way or the highway" type of world.

these are the ones who do things at the ATM machine and then stand there to balance the checkbook despite the fact there's a line of 6 behind them waiting only to grab a few bucks in the fast cash mode.

these are the types who have NO CLUE you are behind them on the busy sidewalk on the way to the office, and then they get all huffey when you do squeaze by saying, excuse me, but still brushing past unintentionally...

these are the types who have no clue what is around or behind them on the highway, and while they--and many--may hate the speeding flash headlights driver, they'd most certainly do it to you if it were the other way around!

these are the types who gab on the cell phone about Aunt Mary's breast augmentation in the commuter bus/train and then glare at Japanese business people who use a cell phone mostly for work.

Oh, I could go on. Sadly, some of these people actually have jobs and some smart people I know are currently out of work. Oh well. Maybe we need a real big war to wipe a bit of the general population out... :D

:) MM

This IS the perfect explaination for selfishness. Except for little old ladies who HAVE to give the cashier the correct amount of change at the market, people like you showed, totally make me nuts.

If you have lots of bags you want at least two people at the carousel, one to grab the bags, and one to shuttle them away. Additionally, bags on the same PNR usually come bunched together, so it's sometimes tough to get all the bags in one go, hence the "need" for multiple people.

That dad sure is old fashioned.

What's equally annoying is when people stand flush up against the carousel, leaving no room for me to step up and collect my bag when it comes. Until my bag comes, I have no need to be so close that I block off everyone else from that spot. So I stand back one or two feet, so that people that can see their bags and then step up and grab them.

... so that people can cram in front of you and block your view of the carosel. I agree totally - stand back and enlarge the circumference of the circle (more people have a direct view) and provide a path for people to step up and get out. However - I know enough to see when the crowd on a particular plane isn't going to play along. Sometimes if you can't beat em you have to join em.

I have found people very reasonable when I say "excuse me, would you mind if I step in for a moment, my bags are right there" or something to that affect.

Agreed, unreasonable.

Space is an issue. So what if they slap the bags.

Behind them where they can't keep an eye out for baggage thieves??

These people obviously feel that their children have too many fingers, and are attempting to thin out the offending digits.

We talked about a couple -- one could watch the bags, the other could pull of more bags.

If it's a single person, in most cases it would be only two bags anyway. In those cases I keep contact to the bag I can't see with my leg. If someone removes the bag I will feel it.

HTB.

Arrival at TBIT, LAX
 

We came in on a flight from MNL on PR. To "expedite" things, they had two carousels, one for 1st and Business, and one for economy.

Couldn't tell if it was happening at other carriers' carousel, but almost every PR passenger grabbed a cart and shoved it straight up against the carousel. Of course, standing behind their carts, there was no way to get to the bags.

Even after some polite (and impolite!) maneuvering, I had to just force myself between carts and people and swing my rollerbag wide to clear the way out.

And if you've ever flown PR, you know practically everyone brings their limit of two large 70 lb boxes. So annoying...

Just general decline in society, really. Lack of manners, lack of awareness, lack of politeness.

The number of people who can't grasp simple concepts to make everyone's life better irritate me, like not stopping randomly in fast moving sidewalk traffic so I don't walk straight into you.

I see the "step over the yellow line to right next to the carousel" all the time at airports, since I typically know when my bag is coming out and which direction the chute flows, it drives me nuts. I tend to lose all politeness about it.

Same thing goes at security though - I can get through security with 2 laptops & a backpack faster than people carrying only a handbag can.... why is that?

Except you'll lose contact with it while grabbing the next bag.