Gate Check to avoid fees?
Jan 5, 2010, 9:38 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 旧金山/Old Gold Hill/SFO
Programs: UA 1P, Marriott Platium, SPG
Posts: 1,001
Gate Check to avoid fees?
Haven't been flying a lot recently, but I saw a strange occurrence...
Was in RDU waiting to board. GA announced that this was a full flight, if anyone would like to check their bag for free she'd be happy to do it. Almost immediately there were about 10 people in line with bags to check.
Granted, I didn't see any that were too big to carry on, but it seems like a trick for non-status PAX to try to dodge the baggage charge.
Anyone else see this?
Was in RDU waiting to board. GA announced that this was a full flight, if anyone would like to check their bag for free she'd be happy to do it. Almost immediately there were about 10 people in line with bags to check.
Granted, I didn't see any that were too big to carry on, but it seems like a trick for non-status PAX to try to dodge the baggage charge.
Anyone else see this?
Jan 5, 2010, 9:43 pm
#2
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: DEN / Bay Area
Programs: UA Plat. Ex: DL PM, AA EXP, VX Gold,
Posts: 212
Yup, family has done it before...I think its relatively common.
Jan 5, 2010, 9:47 pm
#3
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: SFO
Programs: UA S
Posts: 1,335
seen this on several full flights recently, where the GAs think theyll have to gate check bags at the end and thus want to save time. I certainly appreciate it (of course I never gate check mine, but I dont have to worry about not getting overhead bin space 
)
)
Jan 5, 2010, 9:48 pm
#4
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: San Francisco/Sydney
Programs: UA 1K/MM, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Something, IHG Gold, Hertz PC, Avis PC
Posts: 8,176
Twice now I've also seen them offering the opportunity to board with group 1 if you check your bag before they start boarding, regardless of your original boarding group.
They were primarily targeting this to people to group 4 on the basis that there wouldn't be any room available by the time they came to board.
They were primarily targeting this to people to group 4 on the basis that there wouldn't be any room available by the time they came to board.
Jan 5, 2010, 10:13 pm
#5
Join Date: Aug 2006
Programs: UA 1P, AA, Hilton Honors
Posts: 1,160
Can not speak for RDU, but at the hubs, bag has to be carryon size and no more than 2 to get thru security. Hard to game the system by thinking you can walk bags too large to be considered carryon thru security and beat a charge
Jan 5, 2010, 10:45 pm
#6
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: UA 1K, DL Gold, HH Gold, and SPG Gold
Posts: 408
That's because GA offered gate check. If he didn't and you ask whether you can gate-check your bag, he will charge you according to my experience (before I obtained my status).
Jan 6, 2010, 1:21 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2009
Programs: UA 2P, AA Gold, Delta Silver (The lowest tier trifecta)
Posts: 37
As long as the flight is fairly full I don't see any reason why a GA wouldn't say no if someone asked
Jan 6, 2010, 2:13 pm
#8
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: PHL
Programs: United, Delta
Posts: 136
I've always wondered about this, are these gate checked bags waiting when you get off the plane or do you have to go to baggage claim to wait for them?
I've only done gate checking on one of the little express jets, so those bags were waiting when I got off the plane...
I've only done gate checking on one of the little express jets, so those bags were waiting when I got off the plane...
Jan 6, 2010, 2:15 pm
#9
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond, UA 1K MM, SPG Plat For Life, Marriott Plat, Nexus/GlobalEntry
Posts: 9,198
I've always wondered about this, are these gate checked bags waiting when you get off the plane or do you have to go to baggage claim to wait for them?
I've only done gate checking on one of the little express jets, so those bags were waiting when I got off the plane...
I've only done gate checking on one of the little express jets, so those bags were waiting when I got off the plane...
Jan 6, 2010, 2:17 pm
#10
Moderator: Hawaii-based airlines & Hawai'i forums
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: Ka ʻĀpala Nui, Nuioka
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Gate Check on UX - Most often returned at gate/tarmac (although some travellers have reported having to go to baggage claim at some stations).
Gate Check on UA - Baggage sent to baggage claim for retrieval.
That's been my experience, anyhow.
Gate Check on UA - Baggage sent to baggage claim for retrieval.
That's been my experience, anyhow.
Jan 6, 2010, 2:39 pm
#11
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Chicago, IL
Programs: UA 1K MM, HHonors Diamond,PC, Marriott Rewards Gold
Posts: 1,120
Genius!
Twice now I've also seen them offering the opportunity to board with group 1 if you check your bag before they start boarding, regardless of your original boarding group.
They were primarily targeting this to people to group 4 on the basis that there wouldn't be any room available by the time they came to board.
They were primarily targeting this to people to group 4 on the basis that there wouldn't be any room available by the time they came to board.
