That means that enforcement of carry on bag size limits needs to be done before check in, or based on subjective judgement by gate agents. Or perhaps less or no enforcement at all, leading some passengers to bring oversized carry on bags which do not fit in the bins or crowd out other passengers’ bags, leading to more last minute gate checking.
2 Likes
We usually fly Alaska, and while there are bag sizers at some of their gates, I’ve never seen the gate agents make anyone put their bag into the sizer!
2 Likes
I fly United almost exclusively and the gate agents are very good at spotting oversized “carry ons” and getting those bags checked before boarding. It doesn’t slow down boarding at all.
2 Likes
I mostly fly United and mostly pre board with my medical gear so don’t poi ay much attention to sizers & boarding. My luggage always fits in overhead bin or under seat in front so never any issues for us. I’ve seen people bring hefty pieces aboard and no idea what happens as they’re often late in boarding process too.
The new trend we noticed with Jet Blue is forcing those in the last boarding groups to gate check carry on luggage if no one volunteers. On previously full flights, the offered gate check, now they are demanding it.
Just one more instance of airlines treating people like crap. You bought your ticket to allow you with one carry on and one personal item. If they know the last boarding groups will have to gate check, let them know when they buy their tickets. I’d hate to be the person with a tight connection that wasn’t told about this ahead of time.
4 Likes
If they put Space Bins or Airspace XL bins in their aircraft, then there should be space for approximately one full size carry on per passenger, if passengers put them in properly (they should put signs in the bins showing how to put stuff in them).
Smaller bins that allowed only about 2/3 as many full size carry ons as passengers may have worked when checked bags were included, but not when charging for every checked bag results in more competition for overhead bin space.
Comparison of smaller and larger bins:
We just flew American, and on one end there was zero checking, and on the other the gate official was very strictly checking anything he thought was oversized, and even reallllly stuck to the ONE personal item. Made some woman with a handbag, sack of lunch, and a rolly carry on give up the lunch! And then they said they needed 10 people to check their bags, or they “guaranteed” that boarding group 8 would have theirs checked anyway. On the plane, there was tons of overhead space when we taxied, so not sure what was going on.
Counting bags is a lot easier than estimating whether a bag is within the allowed size limit (if it is somewhat close to the size limit). I recently saw a (Southwest) gate agent stop a passenger with three bags to make the passenger repack into two bags (one full size carry-on and one personal item).
Couldn’t the passenger put the lunch or handbag in the roller bag?
1 Like
OTOH -The last time I flew, a man on my flight had a rolling carryon bag, a good sized backpack AND a large shopping bag. The one carryon and one personal item rule needs to be enforced in this case.
2 Likes