<p>I always travel with just carry on. I can live for a month out of a carry on bag and have everything I need that’s liquid in under 3 ounce sizes. Very frequent travel, lost bags and waiting for luggage made me start this long ago. And now that they charge for checked luggage, it’s probably a wash with getting your clothes cleaned during a trip.</p>
<p>As many business travelers will tell you, the biggest problem with overhead bins is that flight attendants get their first with all their luggage.</p>
<p>There would be rioting - with me joining in the riots. The airlines themselves hugely increased the pressure on the overhead space when they started charging for checking luggage. Putting your rollerboard in the overhead is pretty much the only thing that keeps you from having to check luggage. And when you are traveling for business, as I frequently do, the two cardinal rules to speed things along and minimize hassles are never check luggage and never fly through O’Hare.</p>
<p>I flew on United recently and was very annoyed by their overhead bin policy. I traveled with a rollon bag that I checked (and paid for), a small carryon bag, and my purse. As I stood in the aisle watching the people ahead of me load their bags into the overhead bins, I noticed more than one person stowing not only a large rolling bag, but a second, huge carryon up there. When I got to my seat, I put my small carryon in the bin, even though the flight attendants kept instructing people to use the overhead bins only for suitcases. I did not want to put my carryon under the seat ahead of me because I have long legs. On the way back, a flight attendant even took my bag out of the bin and asked for the owner. I ignored her and she finally put it back up there.</p>
<p>I see no reason that I should not be entitled to about one-sixth of the overhead space that some people are using! I sent United a complaint about this when I got home, but of course I didn’t get a reply from them.</p>
<p>I hate to fly. The experience is awful. First you must take off a lot of clothing to get screened for security. Ok, I am thankful for the screening, but it is not fun. The carry on luggage wars have existed for years on the flights that I have taken. I used to go regularly to Ft. Lauderdale, and that flight from Newark was full of rude passengers and flight attendants. Once no one would switch seats so that I could sit with my kid who was quite small at the time. The flight attendants for the most part didn’t care and finally some on who saw how upset I was took pity on me and switched. People on those flights would take your bag out of the overhead bin to fit in their own and leave it in the aisle!</p>
<p>I know what it is like to have luggage delayed for days too. </p>
<p>The current carry on wars are a direct result of the pay to check policy. Of course the checked luggage will get priority over the gate check carry on bag (revenue). Now I check my bag, and carry a small backpack with essentials, and a purse. I put a computer in the backpack. Because people don’t want to pay, there is less checked luggage, and it has been coming off much faster. I have been on overseas flights where each person had three bags the size of trunks (in the old days where you could do that sort of thing. ) My little bag that they wouldn’t let me put in the overhead, of course, came off last (after over 1 hour).</p>
<p>On of my client’s years ago traveled from France with just her attache case. She was quite stylish too. A very successful woman, she wore the same dress two days in a row. She went on the Concorde, so I doubt there was a problem with space.</p>
<p>OP thanks for the heads up on new things to look out for.</p>
<p>proud amateur here! i check my bags which are actually carry-on size (according to some other passengers)! then, I only have a small bag with essentials, id, and my e-book. i don’t have to heave/ho anything into a bin, i don’t have to scramble trying o find an open bin, and i don’t have to take time on the way out to drag down a carryon bag.</p>
<p>i rarely (if ever) have to wait at baggage claim. i usually stop by the restroom on my way and the bags are already coming out on the carousel.</p>
<p>i may be an amateur, but i fly quite often and have found this to be so easy.</p>
<p>Many years ago, we were flying out to the West Coast to go to Asia and from there to board a cruise ship for a three weeks’ cruise. Our bags did not make it to the connecting flight. There were four of us, including our two boys, both under 10. We were absolutely panicked. Luckily, we were in one country for one day before going on the ship, and during that day, our luggage arrived. Whew!
Then on the way back, we made the last leg of our trip on a small commuter plane that was going on to Ottawa. Because our bags were big, they were put into the hold first. When we got off the plane we were told that it would be too much trouble taking off the other bags in order to reach ours, so the plane would go on to Ottawa, and that our bags would be returned to us when the plane made the return journey to Boston. Luckily, by then we were at home so having our bags returned was not so urgent. Otherwise, we would have been without a stitch of clothing!
And then there was the time when I checked my bags for a foreign trip but found that the first plane was delayed and I would miss my connection but my bags had already gone without me.
Because of experiences such as this, I do value carry on luggage.</p>
<p>I travel fairly often and find it utterly amazing the amount of crap that people try to carry on and stuff in the overheads. I avoid the aisles because I’m waiting for the day one of those bins pops open and a 50 pound “carry on” lands on someone’s head. Traveling isn’t fun these days, but it would be alot easier if people didn’t try to bring their entire life on board with them. Airlines don’t enforce the carry-on size rules at the gate either and that’s part of the problem. It’s a classic case of the vast majority thinking that it’s “not them.” Southwest has a box right by the gate. I would guess I see 80% of the people “roll” on bags that would never in a million years “fit” into the box let alone fit under the seat. I hate to schlep in airports so my motivation is less smug than personal preference, but I travel with a laptop/briefcase, a small fit under the seat tote with personal gromming stuff and one extra change of clothes and a small purse which can sit next to the underseat bag. Laptop can fit, too, with some squishing and fott pushing if the bins are full. Coat goes into the bin, and if no room behind my back in the seat. I’ve had “lost” luggage plenty of times, but it generally shows up at the hotel in a reasonable amount of time. I’ve had lost luggage returning home, but who cares about that.</p>
And the flight attendant did nothing when the bag was left in the aisle?</p>
<p>Air travel definitely brings out the worst in people! </p>
<p>I don’t understand why strict rules about allowable carry-on can’t be implemented and enforced. Here’s the size allowed, here’s the space you are allowed (only right above your seat), and that is that. People don’t get on the flight until their carry-on(s) are approved. When there are more flight delays, people will start abiding by the rules and there will be less of the “not me” attitude.</p>
<p>^^^ That’s another thing that bugs me about carry-ons. When you get to your seat, rather early on in the boarding process and the overheads above you on both sides are already full and no one is sitting in your row!! I’ve watched many travellers put their bag up front and are seated in the back of the plane. Take your bag with you!</p>
<p>Momof3boys - you’re not supposed to have a laptop briefcase, an under the seat tote, AND a purse. Pick 2 of the 3. That’s why I suggested a wristlet that you can then put in your briefcase. People bringing 3 things is part of the problem!</p>
<p>Years ago, United had a sizer on the security belt itself whereby if your bag didn’t fit on the belt, it was disqualified for carry on. Anyone remember those?</p>
<p>I still don’t see the big deal though. If you are late to board, you might have to gate check your bag. Oh well. Don’t be late to board then. I fly standby a lot. So I might be the last on the plane, so they gate check my bag. Oh well. I’m still at my destination earlier even if I have to wait at baggage claim. I still observe that it’s the amateurs, not the frequent flyers, screwing up the boarding process because they just don’t MOVE with purpose. They stand in the aisles debating who in their party wants the aisle or window. Gah </p>
<p>And for crying out loud, people, if someone is in the aisle seat, just squeeze by and step over them. This whole unbuckle the seat belt, step out, let you go in, wait til you’re in, then sit back down wastes so much time. Unless there’s a physical disability, just step over them. I tell people to step over me if I’m in the aisle. Saves time.</p>
<p>“Southwest has a box right by the gate.” and “I don’t understand why strict rules about allowable carry-on can’t be implemented and enforced.”</p>
<p>LOL. I was recently on a full flight where the Southwest gate attendant tried to do this. The very first man in line was asked to fit his carry-on in the box. It didn’t fit, and he spent the next four minutes pulling things from that bag and shoving them into his briefcase … and then his pockets. He was finally able to jam the bag into the box. He stormed down the jetway and into the plane … where I encountered him blocking the aisle, pulling stuff from his briefcase and pockets in order to put them back in the carry-on bag.</p>
<p>As I noted before, the big deal is that you can apparently no longer count on your checked carry-on bag to arrive with you to be picked up at baggage claim. Your carry-on could be placed on a later flight to arrive at an unknown time. Not too many people will be anticipating this, I expect. For me at least, the things I carry on the plane are the things I most want to arrive with me safely. Maybe my most recent flight was a one time aberration, but I expect not, especially for travel during the upcoming holidays. </p>
<p>These days, I fly 4-5 times a year and used to travel more (granted, not several times a month like some of you), so I am not a totally unseasoned traveler. I think many of you are dumping on us more non-frequent fliers and ignoring the real reason it takes so much time to load. What I see holding up the plane is not amateur fliers but too many bags for too few spaces. It is obvious there is physically not enough room for every passenger to have an overhead bag (and even less space when early loaders grab space for two bags). More people are trying to fly with carry-ons so it just takes time to try and leverage an almost full overhead bin compartment to accept one more bag. It takes time to figure out that, no, the bag is really not going to fit into the tiny space left by your fellow passengers. (Some of us are vertically challenged so it might take even more time :). I can zip a carry on in and out of an empty bin, no problem. If the bag is jammed in or I need to jam it in, one of you is going to have to step up and help me…or you can wait a bit while I try and do it myself.) Yes, stepping out of the aisle is a no-brainer when it is possible, but often times it is not (like when there is someone, probably a frequent flyer, already seated in the aisle seat.)</p>
<p>The problem, I still think, is the baggage fee for checked bags. The ‘law of unintended consequences’ kicked in with the result being too many carry-ons for the available real estate in the overhead bins. My DS will be flying home for winter break and now knows he needs to figure out how to carry his camera gear and laptop in one bag that will fit in the seat in front of him. Anything else he can check. Those of you with students traveling with musical instruments that won’t fit under the seat might want to upgrade their seats so they can possibly board earlier. If they won’t fly if they are forced to check their musical instrument, you may have a problem this holiday season.</p>
<p>I’d be interested to know how much airlines are spending to have luggage that did not arrive at the same time as their owners sent to their home? I’ll bet is must be substantial.</p>
<p>I know one man who’d traveled from out of town to take part in a public appearance the following evening. His checked luggage did not arrive with him, so he spent most of the day buying necessities. Lucky for him that he carried his suit on board, otherwise he would have had to buy a brand new one in very short order in a strange city! The airline did deliver his luggage to his hotel by taxi eventually (it costs me about $40 one way, but perhaps the airline has a cheaper deal).</p>
<p>This only works in first/business class and on exit aisles. Otherwise, squeezing by/stepping over means pretty much sitting in the other person’s lap. I don’t like shoving either side of my body up against someone else, and I certainly don’t want some random person’s posterior shoved up against me. </p>
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<p>D1 will be flying from O’Hare on New Year’s Eve. I’m wondering what year she’ll arrive back home :D</p>
<p>traveled to Florida to embark on a cruise. H’s luggage made it. Mine didn’t. Spent the first few days wearing h’s polo shirts and shorts, which were too big on me. Had no choice but to buy basics on board, which was incredibly expensive. Got the bags after I came home.</p>
<p>Traveled to Spain. Had bought new clothes that were all mix and match. Bag completely lost. Had to rebuy basics and again borrow clothes from H and make do. Bag showed up at my doorstep a year later. It had gone to Wash DC and had stayed there. </p>
<p>Traveled back from vacation in Georgia. As we waited for the bags to come down, we saw personal items all over the luggage belt. Two suitcases, mine and daughter’s, had been gouged with big holes, the size of a baseball, all over. Lost shoes, toiletries, tons of stuff. </p>
<p>Nope, not checking bags. Learned my lesson!</p>
<p>I flew Continental out of Newark to Phoenix last month and they were definitely enforcing the size limit, using the box by the gate. One couple had overstuffed the pockets of a roller bag and had to unload all this stuff and shove it wherever, before they could get on. Knowing Continental loads from the back after all the people with privileges get on, when I travel for business I always get a seat in the back, just to get a shot at the bin. I would rather wait to get off then have to deal with checked or gate-checked luggage. Vacations with the family, we go for checked baggage, really small carryon with a change of clothes and try to get the bulkhead seats for legroom.</p>