The airlines and their 2 bag rule

[trymahjong]

just completed round trip to east coast--continental airlines going and us airways returning

i had purched the smallest wheeled bag possible to be a carry on and avoid the bagage fee--plus you can get ahead start in taxi line if you don't have to wait for bags to be unloaded--

all 4 legs of my journey the airplanes baggage compartments filled up before I took my seat and my bag was taken to cargo from jetway--there was no baggage fee of course --but it drives me crazy! I saw plenty of people take oversized bags or more than 2 bags etc-- does this happen to anyone else?

Edited November 9, 2010 by trymahjong

[livincinco]

Sure - it happens all the time and many people do it intentionally. I take a bag that meets carry on guidelines and there is no way that I'm ever going to check it voluntarily and pay fees. If the plane doesn't have enough overhead space, that's their issue.

[skwatra]

just completed round trip to east coast--continental airlines going and us airways returning

i had purched the smallest wheeled bag possible to be a carry on and avoid the bagage fee--plus you can get ahead start in taxi line if you don't have to wait for bags to be unloaded--

all 4 legs of my journey the airplanes baggage compartments filled up before I took my seat and my bag was taken to cargo from jetway--there was no baggage fee of course --but it drives me crazy! I saw plenty of people take oversized bags or more than 2 bags etc-- does this happen to anyone else?

i just had a similar trip, except US Air out and Continental back. US Air lady stopped people early on and made them check their bags at the jetway. Just depends on the Agent, but yes, 9 times out of 10 they don't stop people and plenty have above the limit. Same with SW though, and they don't charge for checking in.

If you sit in the back of the plane you'll board earlier (for Continental), but of course have to wait to get off.

Us Air is random...

Boarding Processes

[livincinco]

Not that I'm condoning this, but the vast majority of gate agents will not stop you if you accidentally board out of sequence...

[dbigtex56]

I've had the experience of being seated one of the forward rows, and finding that not only 'my' overhead bin was filled, but that the closest empty one was towards the back of the plane. Apparently, it's inconvenient for some people to haul their bags to their own seats. I find that random theft from their bags helps them to overcome this bad habit.

But seriously - some airlines have started boarding planes from the front to the back, instead of vice-versa. Seems counterintuitive, but the slight delay in boarding time is more than offset by eliminating the chaos of people in search of their carry-on bags struggling to go in opposite directions upon arrival.

[skwatra]

I've had the experience of being seated one of the forward rows, and finding that not only 'my' overhead bin was filled, but that the closest empty one was towards the back of the plane. Apparently, it's inconvenient for some people to haul their bags to their own seats. I find that random theft from their bags helps them to overcome this bad habit.

I believe people do this because they are afraid overhead is going to be full in the back, so they take what they can at the front. I don't think its because people don't want to carry their luggage to the back.

[ricco67]

I believe people do this because they are afraid overhead is going to be full in the back, so they take what they can at the front. I don't think its because people don't want to carry their luggage to the back.

I disagree; I have seen this, and other forms of asshat-ness when I've been traveling.

It seems to me the traveling businessmen seem to be more polite then the casual traveler that just seem lazy in their manners and quite self centered.

EDIT:

Hey! My curseword survived!

Edited November 12, 2010 by ricco67

[dbigtex56]

I believe people do this because they are afraid overhead is going to be full in the back, so they take what they can at the front. I don't think its because people don't want to carry their luggage to the back.

I've heard more likely explanations regarding hands in cookie jars.

[Subdude]

Not that I'm condoning this, but the vast majority of gate agents will not stop you if you accidentally board out of sequence...

It depends. I was just on a flight where they were quite strict about the boarding order.

i had purched the smallest wheeled bag possible to be a carry on and avoid the bagage fee

I find it incredibly obnoxious that there is a fee to check baggage, when for years airlines have been encouraging passengers to check bags instead of carrying them on.

[skwatra]

I've heard more likely explanations regarding hands in cookie jars.

I'm just stating what I've seen, probably flown 20 times on Continental since they introduced fees. I sit near the front and get on the plane early, and watch all the passengers taking their luggage to the back. Its not until the overhead is close to full do I start to see people scrambling back towards the front to put up bags, then you see the people that use the first bin they see.