Tag Archives for carry on.
A low-cost carrier passenger got called out at the gate for a carry-on that was just a bit too big, and instead of paying to check it he ripped the wheels off on the spot. The bag technically makes it into the gate sizer — but then he struggles to pull it back out, turning a fee-avoidance “hack” into a perfect live demo of why these rules drive people insane.
Starting Monday, American Airlines will pull bag sizers from boarding gates. Instead of the metal frames deciding what fits, gate agents are being told to “use their judgment”—and even to lean in favor of the customer if a bag is close. That means your carry-on, even if a little oversized, might suddenly be waved through.
There are reports that American Airlines is planning to remove bag sizers from gates. These are the metal frames designed to test whether passenger carry-ons are within allowable size to bring onboard aircraft.
In an aircraft fire, passengers have just 90 seconds to escape—and grabbing a carry-on or stopping for a selfie could be what dooms everyone behind them. The FAA wants safety videos updated to address passenger bags but that’s unlikely to help.
Southwest Airlines demanded that a passenger check one of their bags, because carrying a photo in their hand put them over their carry-on allowance. This gate agent would not allow a carry-on, personal item, and a picture “that was a 8×10 peice of paper basically.”
American Airlines updated its stroller and wagon policy for families with children a couple of weeks ago. There is no longer any weight restriction on strollers – whether or not it can be brought on board is now entirely dependent on whether or not it is collapsable.
Flight attendants have grueling multi-day trips, and they can’t wait for their bags at baggage claim between flights or they’d risk delaying other flights (and passengers!). On the other hand, if nothing happens to change their trip sequence they could check their bag to that night’s destination! The airline might lose their bags… just like with a passenger.
KLM, Virgin Atlantic, easyJet and Ryanair no longer allow passengers to bring coffee on their planes. Supposedly the reason isn’t so that you’ll buy a drink from them onboard.
Keeping people out of line until it’s their turn to board, and keeping passengers from slowing down the boarding process, benefits everyone.
The most important thing for a carry on bag is size. Make sure the measurements you are seeing for your bag include the wheels if you want it to fit into an airline sizer. Many luggage manufacturers are deceptive about this!
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 »
