# United Airlines cracking down on oversize carry-on luggage



## T_R_Oglodyte (Mar 10, 2014)

United Airlines says carry-on bag crackdown is response to flyer complaints



> United Airlines, the nation’s third largest carrier, has begun a crackdown on passengers who drag oversized bags into the cabin.
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## camachinist (Mar 10, 2014)

I've been following this for some time over on Flyertalk and am happy, in more ways than just this, that I ended nearly 15 years on UA and started flying AA last year. 

To me, UA is like a 'high maintenance' spouse. Perhaps good in the sack but man what a PITA otherwise.

IMO, airlines, in general, did it to themselves when they started charging everyone, save for certain frequent fliers (including me) for every checked bag, in addition to instituting cost-cutting measures which rendered the *perception* of passengers that checking bags was a lose-lose situation for them, whether due to loss, damage, delays or mishandling. 

I became so accustomed to luggage delay and mishandling on UA that I played the 'will it show up' game on every flight. No wonder people carry everything on, especially business people who can't afford delays and mishandling. 

The good news is that there's a mini-boom for sellers of 'legal' (for the 'new' sizers) luggage. Silver lining for someone. My Briggs and Riley is still compliant, but barely, and I don't pack 'big', based on one check at my local, since all airlines share the same gate space and lobby. I certainly wouldn't want to have to replace it due to a sizer, so I fly American 

The real pisser will be in the personal item area for those who carry outsize briefs and computer bags. Mine actually is designed to condense into the rollaboard so it's quite compliant and easily fits under the seat. I set this up due to flying internationally, where more strict size and weight rules often apply and carryons generally are only allowed in a minimalistic way. 

When wanting to become stimulated, stopping by a UA gate is generally like watching a free soap opera. Great entertainment. To think I was once part of the cast, and for many years, and paid them for the pleasure. Ha!


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## linsj (Mar 10, 2014)

Despite all the press on this topic, the reality is the opposite. Making people use the sizers is the exception, rather than the rule. (See the thread on FlyerTalk.) What I hope it does is discourage those people who think they can carry on obviously oversized bags that don't fit in the overhead bins.


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## camachinist (Mar 10, 2014)

Favorite post in the thread:






What's been happening is inconsistent enforcement and, while a boon for whomever got the contract to make the new sizers, it's a bane to anyone who is non-compliant and counting on UA's inconsistency to get them a pass. Nothing new at UA. In other news, at least their new TV ad campaign, with no trumpeting about luggage, includes the strains of the old and familiar Rhapsody in Blue.


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## vacationhopeful (Mar 10, 2014)

My personal opinion is "IF you can't lift your own bag into the overhead, you should/must check it". And Grandma or little kid, this means YOU. 

I ain't your personal bag lifter.


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## MommaBear (Mar 10, 2014)

My carry on fits into the spacer but not necessarily the overhead on regional jets. I often end up gate checking it. I hate checking it through to my destination if I have connections as it feels like Russian roulette to me, albeit with less lethal potential.


I am also all for making people carry real carry on sized bags and only two total. I am not sure how two morphs into a carry on, a backpack, a purse, enough food for two weeks, a shopping bag and a coat.


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## camachinist (Mar 10, 2014)

Gate-checking, or 'valet', is common on regional jets, save for a few of the newest models, regardless of the carryon sizer limitations. I'm lucky if I can fit my little computer bag into those overheads. Usually, there's more room under the seats. 

IME, people generally take whatever they want to take, to the extent that they care about following rules in general or airline rules in particular. Some of us follow the rules to the letter; others couldn't care less and just shrug their shoulders when called out on their entourage of luggage. 

The worst of them are the poachers of F class overheads. BTDT, seen a few confrontations, including some I started myself!

I may come off as a UA 'hater' but I grew up with that airline, smelling their jet fuel as a kid and later flying nearly a million miles on their airplanes. There's a lot of sentimental attachment. I'm simply disappointed with what became of the company, and this 'new' policy is just more of the same that I've seen over the last ten years or so. As we often say, 'is this a change you'll like'?, which is a twist on the words of Jeff Smisek early-on in the 'change' at UA.

The people I truly empathize with here? The GA's (gate agents); they're probably the most customer-facing line employees, overwhelmed and constantly being thrust into the role of 'policy-enforcers'. For the most part, they're great people! With each new 'policy', I saw more and more of them, ones I knew personally, leave. Good employees, especially the ones with the knowledge and experience to multi-task and make the chaos work, are exceedingly hard to find and replace. I can go fly another carrier. UA couldn't care less. When their employees go, watch out.


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## uscav8r (Mar 11, 2014)

MommaBear said:


> My carry on fits into the spacer but not necessarily the overhead on regional jets. I often end up gate checking it. I hate checking it through to my destination if I have connections as it feels like Russian roulette to me, albeit with less lethal potential.
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I've never had to gate check a carry-on all the way to my destination when boarding a regional. It is always brought to the tarmac or jetway. 

It is a different story when a full-size aircraft runs out of carry-on space, however. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Mar 11, 2014)

uscav8r said:


> I've never had to gate check a carry-on all the way to my destination when boarding a regional. It is always brought to the tarmac or jetway.
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> It is a different story when a full-size aircraft runs out of carry-on space, however.
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> ...


With Horizon (the Alaska regional carrier), there is always a bag drop cart at the loading area.  You simply put your luggage on the cart, and when you get to your destination, you wait for a few minutes while Horizon brings around the gate-dropped luggage.  You pick up your bag and you're on the way.

The only time I check a bag at the counter when traveling Horizon is if I'm taking something along with me that I can't get through security (typically when I have some of my field gear packed).


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## bogey21 (Mar 11, 2014)

I gave up flying about 3 years ago, too old and too much hassle.  But today I picked up my Son flying into DFW from Orlando on American Airlines.  I met him at baggage claim.  He was late getting there so I saw all the bags that came up the ramp.  There were no more than 12 including his two.  I asked him if the plane was full.  He said "just about".  Why only 12 bags?  I suspect everyone else carried theirs.

George


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## Ken555 (Mar 11, 2014)

bogey21 said:


> I gave up flying about 3 years ago, too old and too much hassle.  But today I picked up my Son flying into DFW from Orlando on American Airlines.  I met him at baggage claim.  He was late getting there so I saw all the bags that came up the ramp.  There were no more than 12 including his two.  I asked him if the plane was full.  He said "just about".  Why only 12 bags?  I suspect everyone else carried theirs.
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> George




It's likely most of the people on his flight were connecting in DFW to other flights...and their bags went with them.


Sent from my iPad


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## Passepartout (Mar 11, 2014)

Ken555 said:


> It's likely most of the people on his flight were connecting in DFW to other flights...and their bags went with them.



Might be, but after sitting sitting at a starboard window seat on a few flights watching airfreight going up the conveyor belt, forcing passengers to either pay freight rates for luggage or utilizing the planes' cargo bay for paying freight has increased the airlines' bottom line.

I might just be speculating though. I haven't been to a domestic baggage claim for years. I only do carry-on except rarely on a long international trip.


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## Ken555 (Mar 11, 2014)

Passepartout said:


> Might be, but after sitting sitting at a starboard window seat on a few flights watching airfreight going up the conveyor belt, forcing passengers to either pay freight rates for luggage or utilizing the planes' cargo bay for paying freight has increased the airlines' bottom line.




C'mon. We're talking DFW here, which is one of AA's major hubs. How can you actually believe that most of the people flying on a flight from Orlando (home of the mouse) live in Dallas? I've been on those AA flights and most people I've seen have connected to other flights. Of course people pay for their bags...but that doesn't mean they all live in the DFW area.


Sent from my iPad


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## Passepartout (Mar 11, 2014)

Ken555 said:


> C'mon. We're talking DFW here, which is one of AA's major hubs. How can you actually believe that most of the people flying on a flight from Orlando (home of the mouse) live in Dallas?



OK. You're right. Only 12 of 'em live in the Metroplex. The other 130some are going somewhere else and they all checked bags.


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## pedro47 (Mar 11, 2014)

On United international flights are overhead bends are not the same size. The one in the center of the plane  are smaller.


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## dougp26364 (Mar 11, 2014)

MommaBear said:


> My carry on fits into the spacer but not necessarily the overhead on regional jets. I often end up gate checking it. I hate checking it through to my destination if I have connections as it feels like Russian roulette to me, albeit with less lethal potential.
> 
> 
> I am also all for making people carry real carry on sized bags and only two total. I am not sure how two morphs into a carry on, a backpack, a purse, enough food for two weeks, a shopping bag and a coat.





uscav8r said:


> I've never had to gate check a carry-on all the way to my destination when boarding a regional. It is always brought to the tarmac or jetway.
> 
> It is a different story when a full-size aircraft runs out of carry-on space, however.
> 
> ...





T_R_Oglodyte said:


> With Horizon (the Alaska regional carrier), there is always a bag drop cart at the loading area.  You simply put your luggage on the cart, and when you get to your destination, you wait for a few minutes while Horizon brings around the gate-dropped luggage.  You pick up your bag and you're on the way.
> 
> The only time I check a bag at the counter when traveling Horizon is if I'm taking something along with me that I can't get through security (typically when I have some of my field gear packed).



Our small regional airport has been almost exclusively regional jets for a long time. In the last few years they started gate checking to our final destination. They even started printing barcoded luggage tags at the gate.

As for UAL enforcing the rules, I'll believe it when I see it. 

We did see Frontier enforcing the rules on our last flight with them this past October. It was entertaining watching passengers through hissy fits as if they were 3 year olds trying to get mom to give in and buy a toy. Their gate agents stood their ground as did the supervisor who was called to the gate to back them up. They even made one lady throw the stuff away she decided to leave when she took it out of the overstuffed bag and threw it in the ground. They wouldn't let her board until she cleaned up her mess. It was very entertaining but I'm glad she was on another flight. I'm sure she complained for the entire flight to anyone within ear shot.


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## uscav8r (Mar 11, 2014)

dougp26364 said:


> Our small regional airport has been almost exclusively regional jets for a long time. In the last few years they started gate checking to our final destination. They even started printing barcoded luggage tags at the gate.
> 
> As for UAL enforcing the rules, I'll believe it when I see it.
> 
> We did see Frontier enforcing the rules on our last flight with them this past October. It was entertaining watching passengers through hissy fits as if they were 3 year olds trying to get mom to give in and buy a toy. Their gate agents stood their ground as did the supervisor who was called to the gate to back them up. They even made one lady throw the stuff away she decided to leave when she took it out of the overstuffed bag and threw it in the ground. They wouldn't let her board until she cleaned up her mess. It was very entertaining but I'm glad she was on another flight. I'm sure she complained for the entire flight to anyone within ear shot.




If you think US carriers are hard on carry-ons, you should try flying in Europe or Africa! I think Americans have gotten used to the leniency and inconsistent enforcement here. I've had Ethiopian Air gate agents weigh my laptop backpack and try to charge me $50 because it was over 10 lbs! Then I just took out the laptop and carried it on by hand. 

At least foreign fliers know overseas airlines are strict and pack accordingly. 


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## T_R_Oglodyte (Mar 11, 2014)

dougp26364 said:


> We did see Frontier enforcing the rules on our last flight with them this past October. It was entertaining watching passengers through hissy fits as if they were 3 year olds trying to get mom to give in and buy a toy. Their gate agents stood their ground as did the supervisor who was called to the gate to back them up. They even made one lady throw the stuff away she decided to leave when she took it out of the overstuffed bag and threw it in the ground. They wouldn't let her board until she cleaned up her mess. It was very entertaining but I'm glad she was on another flight. I'm sure she complained for the entire flight to anyone within ear shot.


In Hawai'i, Mokulele enforces their baggage restriction very strictly.  

With Horizon there isn't any weight limit for what you put on the cart when you get on the airplane, but the weight limit does apply when you check a bag.  So when I have heavy bags, I make sure that things that are heavy but that can get through wind up as carry-on.


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## dougp26364 (Mar 12, 2014)

uscav8r said:


> If you think US carriers are hard on carry-ons, you should try flying in Europe or Africa! I think Americans have gotten used to the leniency and inconsistent enforcement here. I've had Ethiopian Air gate agents weigh my laptop backpack and try to charge me $50 because it was over 10 lbs! Then I just took out the laptop and carried it on by hand.
> 
> At least foreign fliers know overseas airlines are strict and pack accordingly.
> 
> ...




Been there, done that. Since we not only comply with the airlines rules but with the restrictions of the planes we're flying, we've never had an issue with that part. 

The only time we've ever really had an issue was when Frontier started trying to check carry ons thru to the final destination. The first time it happened, we were caught off guard. We had anticipated picking up the roll aboard plane side at our connection. Now we just plan on something that will fit under the seat. If we have a roll aboard with us, I'd prefer it not checked thru to the final destination but, if it is we won't have anything vital in it.


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