Check you bags, board with Zone 2

 
Old Feb 2, 2011, 3:52 pm
  #1  
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Check you bags, board with Zone 2

Just heard this while waiting for my flight: "We have a very full flight to Houston and we will run out of overhead space. If you are in Zone 4 or 5 and would like to go ahead and check your carryon, you will be able to board with Zone 2."

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of boarding early? I know if I don't have anything going in the overhead, I wait to get on towards the end.
RIC Hokie is offline  
Old Feb 2, 2011, 4:15 pm
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It does defeat the purpose of boarding early to secure bin space, but it serves a very good purpose of giving people an incentive to gate-check before boarding. Even if it means you just end up smooshed into your Y seat for 10 more minutes (a bad thing, not a good thing) people still are very motivated to be "before everyone else."
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Old Feb 2, 2011, 9:04 pm
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If you've gate-checked your carry-on, what's your incentive to board earlier?

I guess the good news for the later boarders is that your earlier boarding hasn't negatively impacted them.
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Old Feb 2, 2011, 10:18 pm
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Originally Posted by AZ Travels the World
If you've gate-checked your carry-on, what's your incentive to board earlier?

I guess the good news for the later boarders is that your earlier boarding hasn't negatively impacted them.
Well some people essentially have two carry on bags so they will still try to place the 2nd bag in the overhead compartment instead of under the seat in front of them. Kind of like the people who insist on placing jackets and other items in the bins which take up space that could be used for larger items.
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Old Feb 4, 2011, 11:31 am
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I suppose unscrupulous people could get their bag tagged, board in Zone 2 and rip the tag off on the way down the jetway.

I'm glad I'm always in Zone 1 so I can stow my bag except for those unfortunate tight connections when I have to run to make the final call.
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Old Feb 4, 2011, 11:34 am
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Originally Posted by ukchris
I suppose unscrupulous people could get their bag tagged, board in Zone 2 and rip the tag off on the way down the jetway.
I believe the GA takes the bags when the passenger volunteers to take the early boarding/check bag trade. At least when I've seeen them doing it, that's how it's gone. Maybe different GA's do it differently though. If they all follow that process, though, it closes that loophole.
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Old Feb 4, 2011, 11:43 am
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Originally Posted by dcpatti
I believe the GA takes the bags when the passenger volunteers to take the early boarding/check bag trade. At least when I've seeen them doing it, that's how it's gone. Maybe different GA's do it differently though. If they all follow that process, though, it closes that loophole.
Most of the GA's I've seen give you the bag bag and ask you to leave it at the end of the jetway but I'm sure the approach varies. I can't say I watch that closely so I'm not basing this on a large sample of data!
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