When I'm travelling anywhere, my time at the destination is precious whether it is for work or pleasure. Thus, I try to avoid doing hum-drum things like going shopping for undergarments or toiletries when those can be done at home instead.

My wife frequently comments on this behavior. I repeatedly remind her that when we are, for example, at our summer home, I don't want to spend time buying domestic things (say, coat hangers), when we can bring them with us. I'd much rather spend time enjoying ourselves there rather than shopping for annoyances. Or if I'm on business and need to have some item with me, it is a far more efficient use of my time at the client site to bring exactly the right thing in my luggage, rather than driving around for an hour or two finding some store that has something maybe close enough in stock and buy it there.

My specific recent experience of an ATH-EWR arrival is a counter-example. All of the priority-tagged bags came out last. Oops. At least customs and bag re-check was a breeze. But, waiting over 30 minutes for bags at EWR with priority tags mixed in with other luggage is, in my experience, not unusual.

I've only had to do this once in the last 20+ years. I've had bags come in late but that's always on the return trip home so it costs me about 20-30 minutes of waiting fruitlessly at baggage claim then filing a report at the United counter to have them deliver it. In the meantime, I lug my carry-on through the airport on the outbound legs but enjoy an unburdened stroll through the airport on the return legs. I have never failed to receive my bag when checking on the outbound leg for vacations; my mother did when visiting me for Christmas about 35 years ago and her eyes lit up at the prospect of a shopping trip when she got the "inconvenience" check from United (and her bags were still delivered to my house 2-3 days later).

I check bags all the time.
The only complaint I have is United disregard the “priority”’tags at destinations when unloading them at US domestic airports.

umm, no. I often arrive late evening - in a location where there is no Walmart for miles (not that I ever set foot in one) and everything else is closed except maybe fast food. If it’s a biz trip I have meetings the next morning.

I used to visit Nigeria, Venezuela, Angola - shopping was not an option due to the security situation.

so no, it’s not an inconvenience I am willing to risk when it is 100% avoidable.

If this experience were even remotely possible at a typical UA destination for me (like SFO), I would be much more amenable to checking a bag :)

Hmmm ... seems like we're crossing wires here. My response(which you quoted) was a reply where someone said they carry spare underwear, shirt, etc. in their carry-on with their main clothes in checked luggage. I do the same when I travel overseas (which is almost always for pleasure). I've said numerous times in this thread that I take the carry-on on my outbound leg for domestic work travel but check it on the return leg because there's nothing in it I can't live without for a few days at home.

As far as your not being willing to set foot in a Walmart, that seems to me to be a you problem -- there are other stores in the United States; I simply cited one that is found in most major cities, has extended store hours, and isn't very expensive.

I've been preaching this for years. In fact, I feel carry-on should be banned (save for a personal item purse/briefcase/etc.)

Imagine how fast boarding and egress would be? Reduced wait time at security. Major reduction in workplace injury for flight attendants. More space in lounges boarding area and lounges.

It would make flying much more civilised.

I rarely wait more than ten minutes at security, from entering the line to exiting the scanner; often it's closer to 5. Why would I trade that for 45 minutes waiting for my bag, if it even arrives?


Not in my book. :)

Simply a question choosing the greater good over that if the individual. It’s usually how I roll.

On the later point, I see nothing civilized about lugging a suitcase through security/airport, lifting in and out of overhead compartments, bumping people, wasting others’ time while waiting for people to find space at boarding and slowing down egress, but hey, maybe there is a Sherpa Fantasy Camp out there for people who would miss all of that should my dream of no carry on come true.

But you're not. You're simplify optimizing for things that you care about. :)

All of those bags that would be in the overhead would come out instead onto the baggage belt, and on average half of them would be before yours. Also, half of those passengers would be at the check-in line before you; and getting off of the plane earlier just means you'll be waiting longer for your bag. And, all of the pushing and bumping will occur at the baggage carousel and check-in line instead of on the plane.

Very much this. United's baggage delivery times at SFO are abysmal--it's not uncommon to see first bags at 45 minutes after gate arrival. If United offered a 20 minute delivery guarantee like DL and AS then I'd be much more inclined to check my bag on trips where I don't anticipate much risk that I'd want to change flights or encounter irrops.

do we have ANY evidence that the red priority tags mean anything?

They seem pretty consistent outside of the US in my experience. Maybe also better experiences on widebodies? Based on widebody vs narrowbody bag systems.

Umm no.

The greater good (and most economically and process efficient) is for each person to make their own decision. Those who value time and money will carry on bags and stow them in overhead. Those who value not rolling bags through airport and lifting into overhead will pay to check bags (or in the case of elites - don't pay).

On occasion I fly euro planes with strict carry on requirements that force me (and others) to check bags and I see no difference whatsoever in terms of boarding efficiency, time to board and disembark. My time is never wasted by frequent travelers who know the drill, but rather by travelers who are situational unaware or too slow to move when they should be doing so. My time is always wasted by checking bags and waiting for bags. If you fly 100k like some people then this is literally hours of your time each year waiting for bags.

Quite frankly you should be thanking all of us who carry on bags as it means fewer bags for the handlers to offload from the airplane and quicker turnaround for the checked bags.

Boraxo - I agree a balance between time and money
I value both - and the money does not come into play since I get free checked bags
and the time is sort of a wash in that when traveling with work, I need to rent a car and by the time that is done - my bags are available....rarely do I have to wait (even at SFO last week, my bag came out pretty quickly) - but, yes - probably a balance in there are less bags to off-load since everyone is bringing on a carry-on