In Defense Of Checking Bags [Roundup]

News and notes from around the interweb:

About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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Comments

  1. I don’t think that WaPo opinion is anywhere near faithfully summarized here. It’s talking about bags that must be checked due to their size.

  2. We’re going to be trying to do carry-on only to Europe in a few days. SO insists, no European lost luggage for us. We’ll see. It’s summer, so lightweight, casual clothing, only 10 days, and we’ll have access to laundry in a house we’ll be staying in. Still, I’m still packing a collapsible bag in the side pocket for the return.

    Winter trip – fancy dinners, heavy clothing, no. Full size bag. Maybe two after buying Xmas gifts. Besides which, AA paid pretty well for my delayed luggage. Only next time, I make sure I have more emergency clothing. Maybe a small carry-on between us and a checked bag each.

  3. I think your headline is a leap too far, Gary.

    Some people don’t mind the fee plus the (very small) chance the airline will loose/misdirect one’s bag for the chance to bring/transport more things.

  4. Unfortunately I have to check bags, too many items that give TSA fits that I need for work. I only travel inside the US. Last year I did over 40,000 miles and Delta never missed a beat. I got my checked bag on time every time. I even had a couple of last minute rerouted flights and I still got my bag. In one case it was routed differently from me, but still was at the airport in less than an hour. Unlike the last 3 times I flew AA and they misplaced/ misrouted bags on all 3 trips. I use Tile Trackers. It came in handy with AAs inability to find bags.

  5. Still on team carry-on only.
    I can’t bear lugging around extra bags, encountering stairs where you thought there were none, and there being no assistance where you would have otherwise tipped gererously for it.
    I put the idea to the test recently, taking a 4 wheeler cabin bag plus a smaller bag which slipped oner the extended cabin bag handle. Each bag, technically one cabin bag and one personal item/bag, weighed 7kg each, the allowable combined weight if I was asked to weigh either (didn’t!). I have a small digital scale (35 grams) to check.
    As this was a casual overseas vacation of 10 days, I packed a few clothing items I rarely wear and spruced them up for one final wearing, and left a trail of them behind, freeing up space for possible new purchases, or not.
    The feeling of liberation was great!

  6. i say give free checked bags and charge for carry on bags. lets see the boarding and tsa process speed up.

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