GATE CHECKING

[derb]

I LIKE TO GATE CHECK, ESP IF THERE ARE TRANSFERS INVOLVED.
OF COURSE IT DOES NOT MATTER ON SOUTHWEST AND I KNOW
AA ENCOURAGES IT EVEN ON UNFULL FLIGHTS. BUT I AM TO
FLY JET BLUE AND DELTA SOON. HOW DO THEY FELL ABOUT GATE
CHECKING. THANKS IN ADVANCE A FOR YOUR REPLY. PLS
EXCUSE ALL CAPS, COMP IS STUCK.

 

[Cornell]

I avoid giving up control of my bags if I can avoid it. Sometimes gate checking involves the bag being returned to you at the jetway - I'm sort of ok about that. What I don't like is gate checking where I have to go to baggage claim. Heading to a bag claim can easily add 30-45 mins onto the end of my travels.

I am someone who puts a ton of thought into packing so I can have a carryon only -- I want my bag w/me at all times.

 

[Talent312]

I dunno about them, but it seems to me that you could get a new keyboard.

 

[Wyominguy]

I don't ever gate check if I have a connection. Otherwise I end up waiting and could miss the next connection. It is no big deal if I am on the last leg home and have a checked bag to wait for anyway.

Neil

 

[Firepath]

I flew Delta this past week. On our way out (2 leg trip) they checked our bag at the gate at our departure city. On the way back (3 leg trip) the first flight was not full and they didn't check it (I asked and they said no, but I saw them take some others who asked later), but when we got to our first stop, they checked our bag. We just had to keep it with us until boarding and drop it off at the end of the jet way just before we entered the plane.

 

[SandyPGravel]

I gate checked a bag in the Bahamas. Bag went to New Orleans, I went to Madison, WI. Apparently my bag wanted a longer vacation.

I don't mind if I get my bag back on the Jetway, I don't like it when it goes to baggage claim. I've had 1 gate check bag get destroyed, not sure if it had to do with smaller bag being pummeled by bigger bags or just dumb luck. The bag the airline gave me to replace it was damaged on my last flight also when gate checked through to baggage claim. DH thinks he fixed it, we'll see in two weeks!

 

[moonstone]

I don't ever gate check if I have a connection. Otherwise I end up waiting and could miss the next connection. It is no big deal if I am on the last leg home and have a checked bag to wait for anyway.

Neil

We have taken several flights (as recently as Dec.31/19 on AA) where we gate checked our carry-on roller bags voluntarily and they were tagged all the way through to our destination (1 stop over/plane change). We were nervous on our last flight as we only had 45 mins in MIA but all 4 of our bags (2 checked, 2 gate checked) made the connection. I never pack anything valuable in our carry-on roller bags and lock them with the same TSA locks as our checked bags. So far (touch wood) we've never had a problem on 3 or 4 different airlines. I have our printed itinerary and emergency contact numbers typed out on a page that I then laminate and pin to the inside of all our bags in case the outside ID tag becomes illegible.

Several years ago my sister was on a flight from YYZ to SFO with a stop in DEN. She had a small roller bag carry-on in addition to a checked bag. The carry-on was fine on the first leg but at DEN a "man in a navy jacket" took her roller bag off her as she was stepping from the jet-way onto the plane and said it wouldn't fit in the overhead bins of the small regional plane and needed to be gate checked. He didn't give her any type of tag nor did she think to ask for one. That was the last she ever saw of the bag! She said there were no bags in the jet-way at SFO and it never appeared at baggage claim. She filed a missing bag report but that didn't help her needing to rush to buy a new dress, purse, shoes and jewelry for our cousins wedding 2 days later, as well as replacing all her prescription meds. She had all her 'valuable stuff' in the carry-on and her casual clothes & shoes in her checked bag. The wedding cards (1 addressed ready to be mailed) from the rest of the family in Canada to the bride & groom, as well as family heirloom jewelry were never found. Of course none of her bags had any ID on or in them despite me telling her she needed to have it.


~Diane

 

[Luanne]

All I know about Jet Blue and gate checking is that they encourage it. You can gate check for free.

 

[Luanne]

We have taken several flights (as recently as Dec.31/19 on AA) where we gate checked our carry-on roller bags voluntarily and they were tagged all the way through to our destination (1 stop over/plane change). We were nervous on our last flight as we only had 45 mins in MIA but all 4 of our bags (2 checked, 2 gate checked) made the connection. I never pack anything valuable in our carry-on roller bags and lock them with the same TSA locks as our checked bags. So far (touch wood) we've never had a problem on 3 or 4 different airlines. I have our printed itinerary and emergency contact numbers typed out on a page that I then laminate and pin to the inside of all our bags in case the outside ID tag becomes illegible.

Several years ago my sister was on a flight from YYZ to SFO with a stop in DEN. She had a small roller bag carry-on in addition to a checked bag. The carry-on was fine on the first leg but at DEN a "man in a navy jacket" took her roller bag off her as she was stepping from the jet-way onto the plane and said it wouldn't fit in the overhead bins of the small regional plane and needed to be gate checked. He didn't give her any type of tag nor did she think to ask for one. That was the last she ever saw of the bag! She said there were no bags in the jet-way at SFO and it never appeared at baggage claim. She filed a missing bag report but that didn't help her needing to rush to buy a new dress, purse, shoes and jewelry for our cousins wedding 2 days later, as well as replacing all her prescription meds. She had all her 'valuable stuff' in the carry-on and her casual clothes & shoes in her checked bag. The wedding cards (1 addressed ready to be mailed) from the rest of the family in Canada to the bride & groom, as well as family heirloom jewelry were never found. Of course none of her bags had any ID on or in them despite me telling her she needed to have it.


~Diane

Sorry, but the only thing that stuck out for me on this one was WHY did she have her prescription meds in a checked bag??????

 

[controller1]

I gate checked a bag in the Bahamas. Bag went to New Orleans, I went to Madison, WI. Apparently my bag wanted a longer vacation.

There was a huge baggage parade on Bourbon Street. I bet your bag just wanted to be part of something larger than a 3-piece set!

 

[moonstone]

Sorry, but the only thing that stuck out for me on this one was WHY did she have her prescription meds in a checked bag??????

She didn't, she had them in her carry-on bag (but not her personal bag/purse) which the guy took from her. She believed she would be able to keep her carry-on roller bag with her for both flights. She is not as travel savvy or experienced as I am and refused to let me help her book or research the flight (thus a non-direct flight). Thank goodness our uncle (father of the bride) is a Dr in California & with my BiL's help (still at home) he was able to write a prescription for 10 days worth of all her meds.

~Diane

 

[moonstone]

All I know about Jet Blue and gate checking is that they encourage it. You can gate check for free.

And American Airlines, United, Air Canada, WestJet to name a few more. We always go up to the gate agents and say if space is needed they can gate check our carry-ons if they'd like. We've never had any of them mention a cost, they always thank us. At YYZ in Dec. the agent actually invited us to board right away, in the 2nd group, even though our seats were near the back and we should have been in group 5, since we had nothing to stow in the overhead bins after gate checking our carry-ons. We walked on and sat down!

~Diane

 

[Talent312]

Once, when about to board a small jet, they said I needed to check my carry on.
I said, "I've been on this plane before and I know for a fact it will fit under the seat."
... and it did.

Some peep avoid baggage fees by bringing humongous bags to the gate.
They know gate checking is free. IMHO, they should be charged the standard fee.

 

[Luanne]

She didn't, she had them in her carry-on bag (but not her personal bag/purse) which the guy took from her. She believed she would be able to keep her carry-on roller bag with her for both flights. She is not as travel savvy or experienced as I am and refused to let me help her book or research the flight (thus a non-direct flight). Thank goodness our uncle (father of the bride) is a Dr in California & with my BiL's help (still at home) he was able to write a prescription for 10 days worth of all her meds.

~Diane

I don't travel with a carry on and I guess I could see where she would think that her carry on wouldn't be separated from her. I travel with a back pack and there is where my meds, jewelry, wallet, etc. go.

 

[Luanne]

And American Airlines, United, Air Canada, WestJet to name a few more. We always go up to the gate agents and say if space is needed they can gate check our carry-ons if they'd like. We've never had any of them mention a cost, they always thank us. At YYZ in Dec. the agent actually invited us to board right away, in the 2nd group, even though our seats were near the back and we should have been in group 5, since we had nothing to stow in the overhead bins after gate checking our carry-ons. We walked on and sat down!

~Diane

Yes, but the original question was about Jet Blue and Delta.

 

[Cornell]

Once, when about to board a small jet, they said I needed to check my carry on.
I said, "I've been on this plane before and I know for a fact it will fit under the seat."
... and it did.

Some peep avoid baggage fees by bringing humongous bags to the gate.
They know gate checking is free. IMHO, they should be charged the standard fee.

LIkewise, I've been on flights where the airline crew has told people in groups 4, 5 that they HAVE to gate check their bags when there is still empty space in the overheads. I can only speculate it's b/c the crew wants to hustle the boarding process along. It really annoys me.

I'll also add that the metal measuring device that they have at the gate to "test" if your bag will fit is smaller than the overhead compartments. I've seen the crew use that as a way to get people to check their bag when in fact the bag WILL fit in the overhead compartment.

 

[Luanne]

LIkewise, I've been on flights where the airline crew has told people in groups 4, 5 that they HAVE to gate check their bags when there is still empty space in the overheads. I can only speculate it's b/c the crew wants to hustle the boarding process along. It really annoys me.

I'll also add that the metal measuring device that they have at the gate to "test" if your bag will fit is smaller than the overhead compartments. I've seen the crew use that as a way to get people to check their bag when in fact the bag WILL fit in the overhead compartment.

Quite a few years ago a friend and I were going to Palm Springs. We took a flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and then another to the small Palm Springs airport. The plan was so small that not everyone's luggage made it on board. We had to go back to the airport the next day to pick ours up.

 

[Cornell]

Wow - I have

Quite a few years ago a friend and I were going to Palm Springs. We took a flight from San Francisco to Los Angeles, and then another to the small Palm Springs airport. The plan was so small that not everyone's luggage made it on board. We had to go back to the airport the next day to pick ours up.

Wow! I have never heard of such a thing.

I vacationed a few years back where my travel companion's bag did not show up at our destination the entire trip. It was a massive downer on the trip and ever since then, I will NOT check a bag.

 

[Luanne]

Wow - I have

Wow! I have never heard of such a thing.

I vacationed a few years back where my travel companion's bag did not show up at our destination the entire trip. It was a massive downer on the trip and ever since then, I will NOT check a bag.

I had a lost bag for about three days a year ago on a trip to Canada. I ended up replacing just about everything (which I was completely reimbursed for) but we spent more time shopping in Quebec City than we had planned. I say I'd love to travel with carry on only, but I don't think I could do it. And I know dh couldn't.

 

[goaliedave]

There was a huge baggage parade on Bourbon Street. I bet your bag just wanted to be part of something larger than a 3-piece set!

Very true. I met women there with lots of baggage.

Sent from my SM-A505G using Tapatalk

 

[Wyominguy]

Sorry, but the only thing that stuck out for me on this one was WHY did she have her prescription meds in a checked bag??????

Those small commuter flights are well-known for bullying people into gate checking. If I am flying one of those I make sure I have a bag that can be crammed into the overhead bin. It was really fun during the many years I carried my trumpet case on. I wore it as a backpack so they hardly saw it before I was already on the plane and putting it in the storage compartment.

Neil

 

[isisdave]

Just to complicate things, you're supposed to carry your lithium batteries in your carryon, and not in checked baggage. From the FAA website:

Spare (uninstalled) lithium ion and lithium metal batteries must be carried in carry-on baggage only. When a carry-on bag is checked at the gate or at planeside, all spare lithium batteries must be removed from the bag and kept with the passenger in the aircraft cabin. The battery terminals must be protected from short circuit.​

Yeah, right.

 

[PigsDad]

Just to complicate things, you're supposed to carry your lithium batteries in your carryon, and not in checked baggage. From the FAA website:
....
Yeah, right.

Watch a few episodes of Smithsonian Channel's "Air Disasters" and you might change your attituded on that. Fires on an aircraft has caused several fatal crashes, and lithium batteries has been the known causes of some of them. If they are in your carry-on and they combust, there is a very good chance the fire can be extinguished. If they are in the cargo hold, not so much.

Kurt

 

[tombanjo]

If airlines are always begging you to gate check your bags as they know they will be out of room, why do they charge so much to check your bag in the first place ? You need to lug it through the TSA check point, crowd the seating area with them, then have the gate agent spend time begging and tagging bags.

My carry on is a backpack which can fit on regional planes easily or under my seat if absolutely needed. I generally need to check a bag in any case, and if I am on a short (day or two) trip, everything fits in backpack. I understand the convenience of traveling where you get off the plane and leave the airport with out waiting at baggage claim, but showing up with the expansion area of your bag maxed out and three other bags, you should be checking them before you walk through security instead of make everyone wait while you try and do the impossible before dragging them though 27 rows of people trying to board to check your bag.

 

[Jan M.]

I used to be diligent in making sure our personal item, our under the seat bag roller bags, each had two tops, a pair of pants or shorts depending on where we were going, a, two pair of underwear and socks and in mine a bra. Depending on where we were going I included a swimsuit and sandals. Also our toiletries, vitamins, any medicines and for me makeup and jewelry. That way if our checked bag ever got lost we would be fine thanks to the units having the washer and dryer without having to immediately run right out and shop. My husband would frequently remind me that because he needed no makeup and very few toiletries that he could fit in another t-shirt and a pair of lightweight coach's shorts or pants and be done with it for the entire vacation. So could I if I absolutely had to but unlike him I wouldn't be exceedingly happy to do just that. I've gotten lazy about taking the clothes, underwear and swimsuits. I guess the difference is that now we are retired so I wouldn't begrudge having to waste precious vacation time to go shopping if our bag got lost or delayed. Although after the last time I was shopping and came home empty handed because I didn't see anything I liked enough to buy I should give some serious thought to going back to the way I used to pack.

Knock on wood we've never had a bag lost or even delayed. Do they make you wait a few days to see if your bag turns up before they determine that it is in fact lost and compensate you?