jimntx
Veteran
Note in the article it points out that they came to this conclusion by using computer simulations.Glenn Quagmire said:
Problem: The computer always works the same way using logic which does not change. It assumes that passengers behave the same way every time, and that all passengers follow the rules--such as, only one carryon item and one small personal item that fits under the seat in front of the passenger. Or, that the passenger will take his/her larger carryon/roll-a-board bag to an overhead bin in the vicinity of the seat.
Reality: Passengers constantly try to game the system and gate agents as a rule do not care how many bags the passengers takes down the jetbridge. I worked a flight the other day where at least 3 passengers came on board carrying four different items, and then proceeded to put all 4 items in the overhead bin. Passengers seated at the back of the airplane who are in Group 1 (that random boarding assignment again), put their roll-a-board in the first available overhead bin as they come down the aisle. When they get to their seat in the back of the plane, they then put their "small" item in the overhead bin also.
Result: When the last passengers board, if they are seated toward the front othe a/c, there is no bin space. They have to take their bags to the back of the plane. Or, if that is full with smaller items, they then have to check their bags that do not fit under the seat.
We, the f/as, are supposed to "manage" overhead bin space during boarding. However, we are NOT permitted to call foul on the passengers who are not following the "rules". We may suggest, but we may not enforce. Of course, if there is a delay, we still get charged with the delay because we did not "manage the OH bin space." The worst offenders are the frequent flyers--particularly the top tier FF who sit in F/C. The first ones onboard put all of their stuff in the OH with nothing under the seat in front of them. The F/C passengers who board later (coming from a connecting flight, etc) then expect us to make people take stuff out of the OH; so they can put their stuff up. Something we can not and will not do.
In meeting after meeting between management and f/as, this issue comes up. In those meetings I have said time and time again that it is not fair to make the f/as the villains in the carry-on bag drama. The passenger has gone past the ticket counter, security, the gate agent and the person operating the EGR scanner with those 4 bags, and then the f/as are expected to tell the passenger they have to go back up the jetbridge and check a bag or two. That is not going to happen. First off, it would be a waste of breath that could be better used otherwise because the passenger--especially a FF--is not going to do that. Yet, the checking of bags on the jetbridge at the end of boarding is still the f/as fault.
They should add a bag check fee to the tablet computers that we use to sell "food" on the airplane, and then allow us to refuse boarding to the passenger until the number of carryon items has been reduced to one and one small, and all other items have been checked and charged to a credit card. Only the last people to board would get free checking and only if we had then run out of OH space.
Also, as we are "managing" the OH space, allow us to take small items out of the OH bin, announce "whose bag is this? If no response, say "under Federal Air Regulations" unclaimed bags must be removed from the a/c and turned over to the TSA for inspection. Now, again whose bag is this?" When the passenger claims it, allow us to say "please put this under the seat in front of you," and hand it to them. Allow us to take coats, jackets, and big sweaters out of the OH bin and hand them back to the passenger and tell them, "when we get all the bags placed, you can put this on top of or between the luggage."
Before long people would realize that the carryon game is over. That, however, is not going to happen because no one in management has the guts to stand up to the passengers--again, especially the FF'ers--and tell them their complaint is not valid because they were not complying with the carryon policy. Instead it ends up with "Oh, I am so sorry that the Nazi f/a made you check that steamer trunk just because it wouldn't fit in the overhead bin. Here's 50,000 miles for your FF account. Does that feel better now?"
Cynical? Moi? How could you say such a thing?
