timezone_trooper

Last Friday I was flying ALB-ORD-YYC and both legs were CRJ-700s. At least 50% of my flights are on CR7s, so I'm pretty familiar with the overhead space and what fits and what doesn't.

That said, my roll-aboard fits very easily into the overhead bin. I know this, because I always carry it on so I don't have to wait 10 minutes for the ground crew at ORD to bring it plane side after we land. Roll-aboard in the overhead, laptop bag under the seat in front of me. 1 carry-on, 1 personal item - following the policy that is clearly stated all the time.

So on Friday, I'm in ALB walking across the tarmac to the aircraft and I start up the stairs with my gear and one of the ground crew barks at me:

"Sir, I'm going to need a bag!"

"It fits in the overhead and the other one fits under the seat in front of me."

"Sir, give me your bag!"

"No really, it fits, and I'm not violating the stated policy."

"SIR, THIS IS NOT NEGOTIABLE! GIVE ME YOUR BAG!"

To avoid a scene, and only because the flight was on-time and I had enough breathing room for the connection, I gave him the bag. However, I was not happy with the treatment, nor can I understand why it wouldn't be allowed.

Fast forward to the flight to YYC, take both of my bags on no problem. Again from YYC-SFO on the CR7, both bags, no problem.

Is this some unwritten rule? I see a lot of people bringing their rollerbags and personal items and as long as it fits, no problem.

Thanks for the input.

mahasamatman

The only unwritten rule is that some people are on power trips.

timezone_trooper

That's what I figured. I fly ex-ALB every week and this is the first time I've ever been denied taking it on. The only other issue I had was when I bet another ground crew member at ALB $10 that it would fit - he never paid up.

Ripper3785

"That's right, it's not negotiable" and walk on the plane. It's one thing for a FA or GA to be on a power trip, but for someone who I don't believe actually has any authority regarding your carry-ons... ridiculous.

weero

On ORD-BOS UA forced me to gate check my tiny carry on bag and there was no budging. They immediately threatened to have me removed from the bridge by security if I did not comply right there - there would be no more space in the overheads (the bag got badly damaged on that journey btw).

Minutes later, lady comes on board with a rollerboard thrice the size of my bad. I immediately jump up and demand an explanation from the purser. She tells me that it is none of my business. One expletive later and after me demanding to have a word with the captain she explained that the lady "needed the carry on"....

Ever since I pull the same line. They are not getting my carry on. IDB me, offload my three checked bags all fine. But my goodies stay with me. Always worked.

wilp888

Yesterday, SFO-BUR, the GA walked around the sitting area tagging everybody's bags. When she came up to me, I told her the bag fits under the seat in front and that I fly the CJ200 out of BUR all the time. She smiled and said I may not get it pass the FA but walked off without tagging my rollaboard.

Absolut1377

I fly on these regularly and see that it is very inconsistent as to whether my bags are allowed on or not, though I've NEVER had ground personnel give me an issue. I am shocked at how inconsistent this is with the FAs/GAs as well.

jfhscott

I agree; enforcement of carry on sizing is inconcistent and a bit arbitrary. I suppose ground personnel might be reasonable in this inconsistency when one flight has a light load but another has a heavy load (and overhead space might become tight). And last week, I changed to a flight where the door was about to close. GA took my rollerboard, as he suspected (correctly) that overhead might be tight.

But I understand there is a maddening at times to have inconsistent application of the rules.

Palal

Just tell them you have your anger management meds inside the bag and if you can't have them on board, you'll probably cause a scene in the air .

ryan182

I frequently get told my rolling laptop bag (expandable tumi roller) won't fit, but it does swimmingly if I simply pull the inner laptop bag out, most of the time I explain I know it will fit and the GAs move on, sometimes they insist on green tagging it. I let them, then simply yank it off when walking down the jetway, never had a problem. Sounds like you got some sort of a power tripping ramp worker, but I would have just ignored the idiot....you know its loud out there on the tarmac and all

WineCountryUA

While no excuse for poor customer service approach, can there be a weight balance issue that would create a need to put as much in the cargo hold as possible? Weight balance issues seem to occur frequently with the UX planes.

osxanalyst

Exactly. I would have turned my eyes and kept walking, ignoring him.

geckoflyer

There is 1 GA and 1 CS/ramp agent @ ALB that seem to always be on power trips. I'm sure you remember the 1 GA I'm referring to during the couple of weeks prior to charging for checked bags.

fastair

"FROM TIME TO TIME EXCEPTIONS ARE CONSIDERED CONCERNING THE ALLOWABLE
NUMBER/SIZE/WEIGHT OF CHECKED BAGS. SUCH EXCEPTIONS ARE AT UNITED’S
SOLE DISCRETION."

From page 28 of UA's CoC. Demand to know all you want...until you ARE UA, it really isn't up to you...somethinng about "UNITED'S SOLE DISCRETION."

Also from page 29 of the COC, a personal item (ssuch as a laptop case) can have a maximum of 25 linear inches. Say (I bet it is bigger) the defining dimensionis of your laptop are 13x9. Maybe the case is 14x10. That would mean it can't be more than 1 inch wide. So maybe your bag is 13x9. That would allow it to be considered a "personal item" of it is 3 inches wide. The size of the typical 2P "laptop bag is NOT in line with those dimensions. The typical bag can hold 3 laptops or a desktop.

So be offended...act wounded. Demand the world, but be realistic... The agents may seems to you to be on a power trip, but as much as you think you fly, most of us have more experience with boarding a plane and carryon rules than you. Pick your battles...demanding to know why UA did something for someone else is not a right guaranteed to you.

kokonutz

Assuming the ground crew didn't know for a fact that the overheads were already full, it was just an ignorant ground crew.

I myself am still surprised every time my Tumi fits in the overhead on that plane after years and years of flying express flights where not even my laptop would fit in the overhead...one more reason CR7s ROCK!