Bumping and Checked Baggage, in 2008
May 28, 2008 | 8:38 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2000
Location: Nashua, NH USA
Programs: Seashore Trolley Museum "flight attendant"
Posts: 2,015
Bumping and Checked Baggage, in 2008
It's been several years since "9/11" and it appears that some airlines are now lax about baggage going without the passenger on board but...
1. Nowadays if I volunteer, does/should the gate agent find out whether I checked some baggage?
2. If I checked some baggage, does that lessen the chance I will be involuntarily bumped?
(I most often fly United and Delta.)
1. Nowadays if I volunteer, does/should the gate agent find out whether I checked some baggage?
2. If I checked some baggage, does that lessen the chance I will be involuntarily bumped?
(I most often fly United and Delta.)
May 28, 2008 | 8:51 am
#2
In Memoriam
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Easton, CT, USA
Programs: ua prem exec, Former hilton diamond
Posts: 31,801
Sometimes they ask, sometimes they bang away for a few seconds and say sorry, you have checked bags, other times they bang away and see it wasn't loaded yet so they just call to have it put aside.
Yes, the gate agent should check, and yes, there have been times I've been told sorry, you checked bags, we will first take those who didn't.
Yes, the gate agent should check, and yes, there have been times I've been told sorry, you checked bags, we will first take those who didn't.
May 28, 2008 | 8:55 am
#3
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Alexandria, Va. USA
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, DL Silver, UA Gold, *A Gold, OW Emerald
Posts: 1,492
I never check bags and gate agents tell me that I go to the head of the volunteer list when traveling internationally. If they use my seat they don't want to have to go to the time and trouble of pulling my luggage off overseas flights.
In April I answered the call and volunteered to give up my seat on Delta (jfk to dca). Another pax was not eligible for consideration as a volunteer because he had checked baggage and this was the domestic portion of an overseas trip. I originated overseas too but I had no checked baggage.
I believe that if your itinerary is purely domestic it makes no difference if you have checked baggage or not.
In April I answered the call and volunteered to give up my seat on Delta (jfk to dca). Another pax was not eligible for consideration as a volunteer because he had checked baggage and this was the domestic portion of an overseas trip. I originated overseas too but I had no checked baggage.
I believe that if your itinerary is purely domestic it makes no difference if you have checked baggage or not.
May 30, 2008 | 4:32 am
#4
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: RTM
Programs: DiamondClub (rip), Currently an Alliance Treble Champion (BA, A3, AZ)
Posts: 1,804
I never quite understand why it is such an issue to get a bag off a plane if a passenger is not traveling??
I see the obvious logistics argument... (i.e. bag in Houston, passenger in London wanting bag returned... and variations thereof.)
But in terms of security, surely this is absolute nonsense to waste handling agents time when they could be doing something much more productive (Oh i don't know - something like braking straps/handles and burying priority bags at the bottom of the pile.)
Anyway, just reading between the lines here - but, by the fact that the bags are exrayed, rooted through by handlers and security; combined with the fact that the days of terrorists with waxed moustaches, trenchcoats and trilbys sneaking a ticking bag onto a plane and hurrying out the fire exit of the terminal, are long gone.... is it really necessary to remove the bag?
I see the obvious logistics argument... (i.e. bag in Houston, passenger in London wanting bag returned... and variations thereof.)
But in terms of security, surely this is absolute nonsense to waste handling agents time when they could be doing something much more productive (Oh i don't know - something like braking straps/handles and burying priority bags at the bottom of the pile.)
Anyway, just reading between the lines here - but, by the fact that the bags are exrayed, rooted through by handlers and security; combined with the fact that the days of terrorists with waxed moustaches, trenchcoats and trilbys sneaking a ticking bag onto a plane and hurrying out the fire exit of the terminal, are long gone.... is it really necessary to remove the bag?
May 30, 2008 | 8:35 am
#5
Join Date: Sep 2007
Location: retired from SFO Terminal 3
Posts: 7,437
If your airport have x-ray machines (CTX's) then you do not need to travel with your bags. Pulling your bags off a flight is not that simple. Bags are bulk loaded as the ramp agents receive them and to find a particular bag can mean off loading all of the bags loaded to find yours and then re-loading the entire bin, which can take alot of time.
If you are traveling international, it is a major issue with passengers arriving without their bags due to Custom's inspections, possible bonding of your bags and so on. We don't get to take your bags off the carousel and take them to our office without jumping thru alot of hoops.
If you are traveling international, it is a major issue with passengers arriving without their bags due to Custom's inspections, possible bonding of your bags and so on. We don't get to take your bags off the carousel and take them to our office without jumping thru alot of hoops.