When Carry-ons Don't Fit

[FlyGuyBWI]

Coin operated locks? No way! You've then got the weight of all those quarters - and lotsa quarters are heavy!

Why not credit card swipes? The you could charge an odd amount, like $1.77 each time, and people would pay it, since it just takes a swipe of their card. And $1.77 each time is a lot more moolah!

Even Better!!

 

[desertgal]

I felt like saying something but bit my tongue. The flight attendant stood there and watched and said nothing.

What would you have the FA say?
I'm sure he/she was also "biting their tongue".
A good FA knows to chose their battles.
A FA could spend all day, every flight, all flight long arguing with pax over FAR violations.
Besides, there's no rule that says that pax MUST put one bag under the seat.
The guy was obviously one of those "Its all about me, hang-my-coat-now-wench" types, and a lecture from a FA ain't gonna change that.

 

[Whatnow?]

Just on a flight the other day where a small young woman wheeled a rather large bag to the back of the plane....sat down in her seat...left the bag standing in the middle of the aisle and ordered the F/A to put her bag in the overhead because it was too heavy for her to do it and that's what the F/A is paid to do! The F/A replied....what's your final destination?....wheeled the bag back up the aisle and off it went! Kudos to her! BTW, the F/A was in her mid 50's and the young woman was in her late 20's or early 30's! I really think people should be educated before boarding an airplane about carry-ons!

 

[andyperkins]

I've started to turn ALL the "roller boards" wheels in during boarding working fwd from the back and any small items I find in the overhead, I ask them to place it on the floor if feasible. If the bag is too long to fit this way I politely explain that the bag is too large to be aboard and I may need to check it if I need the space. If it turns out we don’t need the space I turn the bag lengthwise and tell them were ok for this flight but next time they fly make sure to check the bag its too large to be in the cabin.

Many customers don’t believe/know the bags will fit if they are turned and I get some who just will not cooperate. Our own company website has NO information on how to stow luggage aboard the aircraft. It’s an important part of the journey. We should use our sites and show some helpful tips, even "training" videos showing the customer how to board, stow the bags, and take their seat allowing others to pass.

Boeing sent out a survey to the 787 design team awhile back asking if overheads that were compartmentalized were a good idea...I said yes but know the airlines will squash this.

 

[john john]

I really think people should be educated before boarding an airplane about carry-ons!

I have been reprimanded for "preaching" to passengers about carryons. For the most part they know the deal the American way is to act dumb

 

[Whatnow?]

I have been reprimanded for "preaching" to passengers about carryons. For the most part they know the deal the American way is to act dumb

I agree....but when you leave them no choice other than checking the bag...it kind of renders them speechless. They may get angry, but hey you've got the upper hand! Less talking seems to work.....just a final solution to the problem! If it fits and you can find a spot all the better...but most of the time if it's too heavy for them to lift....I won't touch it either! Heard too many horror stories....and quite frankly it's not worth it, I'd rather have them angry at me than a persistant lower back pain or worse!

 

[N965VJ]

We should use our sites and show some helpful tips, even "training" videos showing the customer how to board, stow the bags, and take their seat allowing others to pass.

With all the cool stuff on the internet, I doubt anyone would watch a video like that.

Boeing sent out a survey to the 787 design team awhile back asking if overheads that were compartmentalized were a good idea...I said yes but know the airlines will squash this.

Where would the crutches go?

 

[JS]

You can't force people to pay at the gate. It's too late. NW charges $15 for some aisle seats, and most airlines charge for non-elite upgrades at the gate, but both of those products are optional (on NW, if you need a seat and the $15 version is all that's left, it's free).

Paying at the ticket counter is one thing (e.g., oversized or overweight checked luggage), but you can't enforce carry-ons at the ticket counter.

 

[700UW]

Yes you can make people pay at the gate if they rules are made clear to them, guess you don't know about the First Up Program, that is paid for at the gate.

 

[700UW]

D.

 

[hp_fa]

Won't work. The people who are in the last group toboard may not be able to get their bag on and they shouldn't be charged. So, now exceptions will exist and it becomes a gate agent judgment call. So, someone somewhere will get royally (mad).

 

[JS]

Yes you can make people pay at the gate if they rules are made clear to them, guess you don't know about the First Up Program, that is paid for at the gate.

No, the First Up Program is voluntary. You're not "forcing" people to upgrade. If you're short on seats in coach and there are seats in F, people get upgraded for free.

OK, you could force people to pay the $15, but then you will lose all of their future business as well as the business of their friends. It's a stupid idea, so in that respect either US or NW will implement it!

 

[BoeingBoy]

PineyBob,

Good thought, but it ends up penalizing the wrong passengers. Those who board early may not be in compliance with the carry on policy or not utilize the underseat space for smaller items, yet get away scot free. Those that board last may be well within the allowance but be forced to pay a fee.

In theory, there's one sure-fire solution - use the same system as the RJ's. Passengers drop their larger carry-on bags of at the bottom of the jetway for loading in the cargo bins then pick them up on the jetway when deplaning. In practice, that's unworkable - getting all those bags from the jetway at the departure end (what happens when the bags pile up and block access/egress from the plane) and 120-200 passengers waiting in the jetway for their bags to come up after arrival.

The key to the carry-on problem is really only two things - enforcement of the policy and passenger compliance with using the underseat space. Those two things would probably solve 90% of the problem of having to gate-check bags.

Jim

 

[FWAAA]

The real answer is this:

Everyone's carryons bags are a huge problem. Except, of course, for mine.

Problem is, that's everyone's mantra.

 

[desertgal]

Everyone's carryons bags are a huge problem. Except, of course, for mine.

HA!

Y'all, if someone carries on only a small tote bag, they are entitled to put it in the overhead bin, just like the guy who drags on the big roll-aboard.
They should not be made to feel like they SHOULD put it under the seat in front of them.
Why penalize them for checking their big piece?