I'm wondering when an airline is going to ban all carry on luggage

[bbodb1]

I know this has likely been discussed here previously but after getting home from a trip where airline travel was required, I was amazed by how much time was consumed and angst caused by people using carry on luggage. To be clear, I know this is currently permitted so this is not a rant against those people who use carry on luggage, rather an observation on how much time could be saved in the boarding / disembarking processes if we didn't have to fumble for all of the carry on luggage stored in overhead bins.

Not to mention, I almost saw two people receive a nasty knock on their head when a passenger opened an overhead bin not realizing (or caring) the overhead bin extended fore / aft of the passenger's seats.

Bottom line: as much as Southwest has been a pioneer in changing some of the 'usual' practices in the airline industry, could an airline make a mark in the industry by refusing all carry on luggage except for one purse/backpack/etc?

 

[DrQ]

Probably never as long as they can monetarize it.

 

[Laurie]

Never, because there would be no way to travel with valuables such as electronics. I would never ever entrust mine to checked baggage, and they are too heavy to carry on my back or shoulders. But they could certainly lower the sizes and weight limits, and even reduce to one insted of two.

 

[tschwa2]

Spirit charges more for a traditional size carry on than they do for a larger checked bag. The one free personal item is quite small and even a full back pack would not qualify. They also charge more if you bring to the gate and pay rather than paying for it in advance.

 

[louisianab]

Currently, I feel like that is how the budget carriers - Frontier, Allegiant, Spirit - have faster turn around on the plane because they charge essentially the same price for a checked or carry-on (above seat) so people lean towards checked bags or backpacks only.

 

[rickandcindy23]

I don't understand taking several bags on an airplane, and I see it with SW all of the time. Bigger bags than the smaller carryon should be, and of course their second bag is huge, so they use the overhead bin for that as well (backpack, giant purse, briefcase, etc.). Those don't seem like a personal item. This is so odd because Southwest has two free checked bags. I mean, I see why people want to take carryon bags because it's faster, but it's not that bad to wait for 30 minutes at the airport for your bag to show up. It's been that long in Orlando, but much less time in Denver and several other cities, where bags are faster than getting from the gate to the baggage area.

I like Southwest a lot but am constantly baffled by the bags I see going on board. Sometimes they watch at the gate, but it's rare to hear anyone getting a reprimand for carrying all of these huge bags on the plane.

 

[Xan]

I sure hope never, due to the fact that I need to access certain items during my long flight or I wouldn’t be able to travel.

I’m definitely not going to trust certain items that may not be “necessary” to my checked bag. I have to make sure I have my most important needed items in my smallest carryon bag, just incase they start to bump all the larger carryons to preboard checking.

Some business travelers usually only need the carryon and the computer bag/backpack/briefcase. I have no issue with that.

The people I have a real issue with is the people with babies and small children, and large families with underage children. They should board those people last like I’ve seen on an airline (can’t remember the name) do!

I thought that was the greatest thing in the world of airplane boarding!

If you have all this extra stuff (which is much more that is usually allowed, you should wait until the people that can get in their seat quickly are all onboard!)

Personally I would love to see a children only section, so us older people can actually enjoy their flight! Nothing like going across country with a kid kicking your seat from behind the whole trip! (I had that way too many times to count, and they are lucky I didn’t do anything besides a dirty look! Parents don’t care what their kids do on an airplane!)

Wish I could afford 1st class!

If you ever walk through 1st class on the way out, and the next class down, what slobs they are! The mess is unbelievable that they leave!



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Chrispee]

Personally I would love to see a children only section, so us older people can actually enjoy their flight! Nothing like going across country with a kid kicking your seat from behind the whole trip! (I had that way too many times to count, and they are lucky I didn’t do anything besides a dirty look! Parents don’t care what their kids do on an airplane!)

My experience is that parents more often than not will try to get their children to be considerate of others on airplanes. There are exceptions of course, but there are plenty of inconsiderate adults as well. I’m ok with a “kids section” as long as there’s a section for intolerant old folks as well.

 

[Kel]

I hope they continue to allow carry on. Two times we had checked bags lost to arrive days later. One time going and one time coming home. And, a third time my bag with my entire summer wardrobe was lost by Cayman Airways on the way to Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. My bag was never found. Now I am one of those people lugging everything I can in my carry on.

 

[jacknsara]

. . . . Personally I would love to see a children only section, so us older people can actually enjoy their flight! Nothing like going across country with a kid kicking your seat from behind the whole trip! (I had that way too many times to count, and they are lucky I didn’t do anything besides a dirty look! Parents don’t care what their kids do on an airplane!) . . . .

The following worked for me once during boarding when a young child (maybe 6 ish) sat behind me and was kicking my seat back: I turned around and engaged her in a friendly conversation. After a minute or two, I pointed out that I could feel it when she kicked my chair back and asked her if she could try to not do it. Didn't happen again the whole flight.

 

[VacationForever]

I always have an 18" carry-on and a small personal item when I fly alone. We have had checked in luggage go missing (international flight) as well as a 1.5 hrs for bags to start to come out on the belt in Honolulu. I am not taking up more than my allotment of overhead storage with my 18" carry-on and I place my personal item under the seat. As long as I am able and strong, I will keep using the overhead storage for my carry-on. The one nice thing about flying business class on international flights is that each seat typically has an entire overhead storage to the passenger. I will not fly an airline that does not allow carry-on.

 

[WinniWoman]

We only take carryons now, though it seems to be harder lately to pack everything into them. If the place we are staying has laundry facilities that helps a lot.

Sometimes if we need to we will check a bigger bag with the overflow. I use a really small back pack and my husband takes a medium pack pack- both to fit under the seat-as well. After all- now you have to bring your own food!

I just don't want to waste time once the plane lands waiting for luggage and hoping it isn't lost. Not to mention paying more to check it.

That said, I cannot lift my carryon into pr out of the overhead bin. I need for my husband to do it.

 

[geekette]

That would be the end of flight travel for me. I don’t think time is the factor on this at all. People that fly know there is plenty of hurry up ... wait...

I would like to see storage change from overhead to down below. I am not a tall woman and don’t need crap falling on me nor nose to strangers armpit. I am not going to get taller, it will not get easier to stow overhead.

There are too many items too heavy for those bins. Honestly creeps me out to see the pushing and shoving into those. I will always rather drive and avoid the whole thing.

 

[rapmarks]

only fly back and forth every six months or so, and have to bring certain items that cannot be checked such as medications, cpap and bipap machines, certain paperwork and electronics. the little bit of clothes and shoes we take, i will check if I have to.

 

[SmithOp]

I always check bags, prefer not to fight the great unwashed masses for bin space. I have a small underseat roller bag for personal items.

The irony is they slow down de-planing just as much wrestling the bags down, by the time I get to the carousel the bags are usually there. They have to schlep the same distance as me to get to ground transport.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Pro

 

[bbodb1]

Never, because there would be no way to travel with valuables such as electronics. I would never ever entrust mine to checked baggage, and they are too heavy to carry on my back or shoulders. But they could certainly lower the sizes and weight limits, and even reduce to one insted of two.

@Laurie - your observation does suggest this question. Given the size and engineering of backpacks these days, it is possible to store electronics within them safely. My DW's employer gave all of their employees a backpack specifically designed for this purpose. I note this not to disagree with your observation, rather to ask have you looked at the latest lines of backpacks? You may be surprised how much better they allow you to carry a load and still be comfortable - as long as you carry the backpack the way it is was designed to be used. And I say that because far too many people still sling a backpack over one shoulder and allow the load to ride far too low.

Given your avatar, I suspect you are very familiar with backpacks though!

 

[bbodb1]

Spirit charges more for a traditional size carry on than they do for a larger checked bag. The one free personal item is quite small and even a full back pack would not qualify. They also charge more if you bring to the gate and pay rather than paying for it in advance.

@tschwa2 Your observation makes me wonder if Spirit is able to board / deplane passengers faster than other airlines because of this. Thanks for sharing this observation as we have yet to fly Spirit but perhaps one day we might...

Ah - read a little farther and look what I found!

Currently, I feel like that is how the budget carriers - Frontier, Allegiant, Spirit - have faster turn around on the plane because they charge essentially the same price for a checked or carry-on (above seat) so people lean towards checked bags or backpacks only.

@louisianab - out of curiosity, have you seen this documented anywhere?

@rickandcindy23 - your story was our experience exactly!

 

[bbodb1]

I hope they continue to allow carry on. Two times we had checked bags lost to arrive days later. One time going and one time coming home. And, a third time my bag with my entire summer wardrobe was lost by Cayman Airways on the way to Grand Cayman and Cayman Brac. My bag was never found. Now I am one of those people lugging everything I can in my carry on.

@Kel - while lost luggage is an unfortunate reality, this is why I'd like to see one airline try this approach. That would put the choice back to the consumer. If you want the option of carryon, don't fly Airline X. (...sound of knocking on wood....) We have never had to deal with lost luggage in the years we have traveled BUT we did have one experience where a woman picked up our bag (maybe by mistake...maybe not). Fortunately, we happened to see her with our bag about 15 minutes later and the problem was solved but it could have easily tuned out different.

@VacationForever I'd just like to see more choices for the consumer when traveling and in the case, it means the airlines trying different methods to minimize the boarding / deplaning experiences.

 

[louisianab]

@tschwa2 Your observation makes me wonder if Spirit is able to board / deplane passengers faster than other airlines because of this. Thanks for sharing this observation as we have yet to fly Spirit but perhaps one day we might...

Ah - read a little farther and look what I found!


@louisianab - out of curiosity, have you seen this documented anywhere?

@rickandcindy23 - your story was our experience exactly!

I have not, but in my own experience, Allegiant has the next flight lined up to board by the time the planes lands. Most of the people do not have carry on bags when they exited. I have ridden Spirit and Frontier with similar experiences. This is both at large airports(ORD, LGA, LAS) and small (SBN)

 

[WinniWoman]

Our son had called us after arriving at the LA airport this past week. He was mad because his coworker had checked his backpack and he had already been waiting around 20 minutes for him to retrieve it. Said he hated wasting the time and couldn't understand why the coworker preferred to check it when he could have carried it on.

 

[Glynda]

I have had luggage lost as well as delayed by a few days. Twice, I have missed flights due to my first flight arriving late and as a result was put up by the airline overnight in a hotel. I can't imagine not having a change of clothes and personal care items with me. I've also waited up to an hour for luggage to reach the carousel. I do put one item overhead and carry a backpack that fits under the seat and will continue to. It doesn't take that long to get off the plane. Most people already have their items down before they even open the doors to depart. I don't find it a big deal and most passengers are helpful and polite during the process.

 

[T-Dot-Traveller]

The one free personal item is quite small ......

I would assume Spirit and other airlines , would charge for the free item - if doing so would not SEVERELY impact their bookings .

My wife calls this item - her purse .
She would not fly on an airline that charged her to carry it on board .

I am sure there is a significant (50%+) of the flying public who would feel the same way .

Personally - one small personal item for free - makes sense for everyone flying .

 

[mbh]

A large part of the problem is oversize bags, there is practically no enforcement of the sizer limits. On my last flight, some idiot was carrying on a large toaster oven.

 

[amycurl]

That man is my new hero.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Blues]

Our son had called us after arriving at the LA airport this past week. He was mad because his coworker had checked his backpack and he had already been waiting around 20 minutes for him to retrieve it. Said he hated wasting the time and couldn't understand why the coworker preferred to check it when he could have carried it on.

I agree with your son -- for domestic flights. I'll fly with just carryon whenever I can.

However, I was mad at myself last year for not checking our bags (backpacks) when my brother and I went on a trek on the Camino de Santiago in Spain. I booked us, US to Gatwick (London), Gatwick to Bayonne France. Got stuck in a 90 minute immigration line in Gatwick, even though we were traveling through, just due to the backpacks. If we had checked bags, we could have gone in the (empty) thru lane. Thankfully, we had a long layover (I know about international traveling); but I began to get worried after the first hour.