timezone_trooper

I was the first person to board the aircraft.

I would have ignored the guy, as I have done in the past, but he was positioned directly next to the stairs so it was pretty hard to ignore his barking.

UAX_Brasilia

Only for checked baggage apparently.

Benny8444

The OP said his bag did fit on the plane and that is why he wanted some sort of an explanation. The person working may have just been having a rough day and decided to take it out on the pax. Yes, he could have been nicer about it but maybe he did not know if the bag could fit or not and assumed all rollaboards need to be gate checked.

Ari

The sad fact is that not every CSR is as in tune as you are. It isn't a matter of the CoC or anything else

Just the other day, a CSR offered to FIM me onto AA on a YPASSA fare. No thanks! (Debit memo for full-Y would come from WHQ at the end of the month). Would I then owe defference to that CSR's boarding efficency . . . I think not. Protest in the jetway? Maybe. Mature? No. Gets my bag on? Yes. Ends justify the means? In this case, yes.

stevenshev

Situations like this are one of those rare times that warrant a flashing of a BP, MP card, or simple DYKWIA-type response.

fastair

Touche!

gre

I'm not sure that's true.

The agents seem to know how they do it at their station. Sure, they've loaded more planes, but only in one place.

I suspect this is why those of us that get around see such an inconsistency in policy and action.

emanon256

I was flying with a friend who is an ex FA, and now travels for business 2-4 times a week. We were leaving from the same airport separate destinations, similar time, so we carpooled. She was in the process of moving and had 3 bags. One 40 pounder, 2 roll-a-boards, and 1 personal item. She is NWA Plat, but had never been on UA before. I kept convincing her it was worth it and even offered to pay the $40 for her 2 checked bags.

When she got to check-in, sadly the GM line, she went to check her two bags and they told her she would have to check the 3rd. She said that it fits in the OH and they told her it was to long. (It is not, I have flown with her and it fits wheels or handle first, this was a 757, not a CRJ). They argued and said it will not fit and she needs to check it or they can't give her her boarding pass.

Although I feel like a jerk doing this, I pulled the "I'm a 1K and I have flown with her many times and I know this bag will fit". I was told if I am 1K, why don't I check it, I explained the different destinations and the check in agent rolled her eyes and said, "its being checked, or you don't board." Then they charged her an additional $125 for a third bag!

I was shocked and appalled. There was a long line behind us growing, the other agents went on break, when I asked for the manager, my friend said she didn't want to start a fuss and just decided to pay it. We got her name.

That night she e-mailed United, complained, its now 5 weeks later and they still haven't responded. When she called they apologized for the agents attitude and said the agents are trained to know what will fit and what will not. They would not refund her the $125 3rd bag fee.

I don't think my writing in will help any. And have seen people shunned for doing that on this board. But I can not believe they pulled this. She was considering switching to UA and has sworn to never fly UA again and says she is lucky it was just a 1 way ticket. Sadly for UA, she flys about 200 segments a year.

notquiteaff

This might then have been the time where I suddenly didn't speak a word of English

I mean seriously, the airlines tell us to put certain valuable/breakable items into the carry-on, and suddenly I am supposed to hand over my $100,000 diamond collection to some ramp worker in exchange for a green luggage tag? I think not.

mre5765

Anytime a bag is placed in the cargo hold it counts more towards weight than a carry on. In those situations, we are told to put 22inch bags as carry on, or not fly.

Note to self ... wear head phones when boarding non-Skywest RJs.

Very few of you have good spatial reasoning. Whereas, that 1K on the BP should be a good indication that the bag we bought will fit on board. My bag fits every plane in the fleet, but nonetheless I leave a green tag on it because arguing with people who lack spatial reasoning is like arguing with a fence post. As for our experience, most 1Ks have flown every plane in the fleet, whereas many GAs cannot say the same; how many Mesa GAs have loaded a 747? OP gave an example where the 25" rule was apparently enforced and then ignored, depending on the pax. Keep in mind that our business to your employer is not guaranteed either.

Finally, if your employer had as good a track record of delivering checked (gate or otherwise) baggage in as good a shape as the pax, this would not even be an issue. Focus on the real problem.

PineyBob

I'm thinking that your friend should dispute the $125.00 charge with the bank. UA's policy states up to 62 linear inches for overhead. Some question are,

Did anyone from UA measure the bag?

If it wasn't measured how can ANYONE factually determine it to be over sized?

The fact is unless it was measured and the gate agent informed her that it was over sized I'm thinking a credit card company would side with it's customer over UA.

Secondly a gate agent can no more judges a bag being over size then a cop can determine your speed merely by watching you drive by. Both require a measuring device of some sort.

Since UA stands to gain financially in the form a excess bag fees, I'm not so sure the line from the CoC stating "At United Airlines sole discretion" would withstand a legal challenge.

So failing disputing the charge on your credit card you can seek redress through small claims and through your states attorney general's consumer fraud unit.

United and other large companies count on customers not having the time or inclination to actively pursue these issues. Every time we as customers let them off the hook we cheat everyone who uses that service. When enough people take action it will be economically better for UA and others to clean up their act. Until then we're entries on a spreadsheet. Just a whinning member of the Sheeple

pueywei

At that point, I would assume you had gotten a BP. I would have said I was taking the bag for her. That can always be changed later.

gooseman13

I agree it can be maddening, but please keep in mind that OFFICIALLY the maximum carry on size is not "whatever fits in the overhead," but a specific measurement that has been defined by the airline, which is smaller, and maybe significantly smaller than what fits in the overhead.
Whatever this measurement is for the particular airline has been specifically signed off on by the FAA, and if an FAA inspector happens to see oversized carryon items being let onboard, it technically could be a violation or fine.
Does this happen in practice? I don't know, I doubt one bag that doesn't fit size guidance is going to get an airline in trouble but I do know that they are out there looking.

Now is this what a gate agent has in mind when they tell you your bag is too big? Who knows???

VideoPaul

I would have just ignored the ramp talent and kept walking. Just keep going on board, if he wants to run up after you, tell him to go ahead and find the bag that didn't fit (and get all hot and bothered and work up a sweat and generally act like a trained ape). Some people in this world need to be completely ignored and ramp talent working a vomit comet is a great place to start. Now fi the FA or captain says something, that's a different situation. Them I GOTTA listen to. Rampers aren't flight crew. You got caught up in his power trip.

--PP

notquiteaff

If I am not mistaken, the overhead bins on the RJs I have been on are usually smaller than the maximum carry-on size specified by UA.