compwhiz

So this happened to me second time(in many years, but when you are set to arrive at 1am, every minute counts).

showed up at the gate 8 mins after notification of boarding, and all of a sudden gate agent announced that overhead is full and they will start checking bags. So they made me check mine. I immediately had flashback to one other time where I was a bit late for boarding and GA started checking bags, and it was also on a late flight, and as I entered the plane, there was PLENTY of overhead bin space left and I was quite upset that I had to wait for my bag on arrival which also took long time.

well, today was the same. As I reluctantly complied and let my bag be checked, I discovered that there was still plenty of overhead space left on the plane!

really not happy with United’s poor assessment of the overhead bin space situation that caused many people to unnecessarily check bags and thus be forced to wait for them on 1am arrival. I think we deserve better service than this!

fumje

Yes, some GA's get it way wrong, especially for the planes with Space bins, which is annoying.

Tip: if you know better than the GA that the bins aren't full, take the white tag off in the jetbridge and bring your bag onboard. Best to be discreet about it rather than start an argument with the GA or crew.

mduell

They may count, but they don't really know how efficiently people are packing bags.

Just politely take the bag tag and take your bag onboard.

jsloan

There's a reason that this is verboten -- it messes with the count of bags, potentially causing them to scramble to look for your 'missing' bag.

I've seen FAs take the tags off and call the gate agent down to un-scan them; I've also seen FAs send passengers back up the jetway to ask the GA to un-scan them directly. Either of those approaches is better.

Note that I recently had two separate UA FAs lie to my face about the bags "really" being full when I asked before I set foot on the airplane, when I found myself in a similar situation. I took pictures of several nearly empty bins and sent them to 1K Voice, but I'm not sure I successfully made my point. I wasn't angry about having to check my bag, which is what 1K Voice apologized for -- I was angry about being lied to.

bmwe92fan

I always assumed this was because it is WAY easier for the GA to tag the bags in advance -- then after you've already boarded and then bring it to the front and then they are going back and forth to get the tags, make sure it is the right pax bag, etc... I can imagine if you board a dozen planes a day and have to do it so often it makes "sense" to the GA...

fumje

If it's been scanned already, it does mess with the count, and then I wouldn't recommend unilaterally 'un-checking'. But typically in my experience they aren't scanned until the end of the jetbridge, and by then you don't have a tag for anyone to be scanning.

For sure it's lazy GA logic. Improves chance of getting plane out on time and requires no thinking.

DELee

I know a bunch of FT flyers are committed to their rollaboards but I'd respectfully suggest working to fit one's carryon as either a backpack or a soft-sided duffle or a larger computer/briefcase bag with strap as your standard travel gear and eliminate a rollaboard as a carryon.

As soon as a lazy GA sees a rollaboard and decides to call "full", you're hosed. Period.

On RJs and limited sized overhead cabins, there's always a food fight for space - particularly with the rollaboards.

David

Bear96

So you had to check a bag. I think we have all been there?

How on Earth does this warrant a whole thread?

On the plus side, if this is the worst thing that has happened on UA today, they are doing a great job.

emcampbe

Yup - see this all the time. Though with bins, there are many issues that lead to the 'actually full bins' issue:

- basically zero enforcement of carry on limit - both size and number - combined with people trying to bring on the kitchen sink...
- people throwing bags in the bins as if it is a hot potato, taking up much more space than it needs to. I've watched folks quickly put up bags lengthwise, when it will clearly go in widthwise - in fact - Ive moved these bags around before - it is such a waste of space. I realize the old style bins don't have room for a full-size carry on per passenger on full flights, but no need to make the least effort to efficiently store it.
- people throwing smaller items like jackets, small backpacks, etc. I'll admit I often put my small backup in the bin - but only at the end of boarding when the rollers are in - I vaguely recall maybe one flight where there wasn't a spot I couldn't squeeze these items in - but there almost always is

It would also help for FAs to make announcements about storing bags efficiently - particularly on aircraft with spacebins. I realize folks are not used to them, so might assume they can't fit their bags like that, but a reminder with the boarding announcements, and having the FAs that are in the aisles anyway check for this would go a long way toward clearing bin space for others.

raffe

I would also say this is the problem.
I also put my backpack and jacket in the bin. As I see I have the same right to use it as everyone else :-)

Kacee

They may not even count.

Aircraft boards faster when they force everyone to gate check, so GAs have an incentive to unnecessarily force-check bags. I've seen them arbitrarily impose a cut-off at the end of Group 2.
Putting aside the ethics, the other problem is that there's a strong chance an even more inconsiderate pax will jam their roller on top of your jacket.

PA815

Ramp scans the bag, not CS. It doesn’t show “loaded” until ramp scans it.

Although CS issues the bag tag that will show in the system, a “missing” bag that shows a tag issued at the gate reader is generally assumed to be in the overhead bin, especially if ramp has cleared the jetway of bags.

mduell

I was thinking of green tags for express gate checking, not actual tags for gate checking on mainline.

DELee

That's a fair point - OP: was the flight mainline or UAX? Also, what station?

David

_fx

Some airlines and stations are MUCH more aggressive with gate checking bags (...cough, AA at PHL) even when bin space remains than others. Personally I find data points like this extremely useful, especially as a non-elite. Helps me gauge what my chances might be of squeezing my squishy duffle into the bin even after GA claims bins are full.