Still Traveling

By J.T.

January 30, 2006 2:23 PM | Link to this

Amanda - As someone who was, for several years, a consultant traveling approximately 50 weeks out of the year, I can honestly say that I despised people with more than one carry on.

How many times have I been forced to assist someone in shoving a too large carry on into an overhead bin? How often have I tried to get my carry on in the bin over my head in the front of the coach section, only to find that people occupying the rear of the plane have filled up the bins in the front of the plane so they don’t have to haul their carry on all the way down the aisle?

I had traveling comrads, who like you, took two carry ons. They insisted that it kept them from having to check baggage. CHECK THE BAGGAGE! Ah, but they still had to wait for me to collect mine, because I don’t believe in imposing on others…

Do you like it when someone leans all over you on a plane? How about when someone drops their seat back onto your knees? Well, to me, bringing two pieces of carry on is excessive. There’s plenty of space in the cargo hold of the plane. Let the airlines work with it and let passengers ALL more comfortably utilize the interior of the plane.

Here’s to one piece of carry on!

By Deltaisdead

January 30, 2006 3:29 PM | Link to this

I support the legislation. AND it should be ENFORCED.

The airlines frequently cave into overloaded travellers that think the airplane is their private moving van.

People who carry on more than one bag should be horsewhipped and shot on sight by Air Marshals.

Dont even get me started about car seats and baby products. Families with children should be banned from air travel.

By Privateschoolguy

January 30, 2006 3:33 PM | Link to this

Carry on baggage is out of control. The last time I flew I had a coach seat in the front but there was no place for my single bag in the overhead bin except 12 rows back. I ended up being the last one off the plane. I find it claustrophobic when the plane comes to a stop and everyone gets up pulls their bags out of the bins and stands in the aisle. If some emergency happened and they had to get everyone off the plane qucik it would be chaotic. Loading the plane is also a slow task since so may people are trying to cram their bags into the limited space. I don’t know what could be done since everyone hates checking bags.

By Amanda Miller

January 30, 2006 3:56 PM | Link to this

Hi All

I’m surprised it’s three to one against being able to take two bags aboard. I like to think I can read the general traveling public fairly well, but apparenly not.

What I’m talking about here are not big honking bags, but a small rolling travel bag, and the little cosmetic-like bag that sits atop it (in which I also stuff my purse). I only put one carryon in the overhead bin. I agree that you shouldn’t be able to bring two big duffle-type bags aboard and stuff both overhead — it’s unfair to other travelers.

And Privateschoolguy, you do have a point about what happens if the plane is stopped, everyone is getting their bags down and an emergency happens where quick evacuation is essential. What would happen is, everyone is toast.

Maybe I should try to go with only one roll-on bag.

By Deltaisdead

January 30, 2006 4:27 PM | Link to this

Amanda you DID read the public right. They will try to get away with murder on the flights nowdays.

This includes abuse of the carry on policies.

The last 3 flights i took I had to check my ONE carry on bag due to no space available in the overhead bins.

This was due to “Greyhound of the sky” nomads packing their life possessions onto the plane.

By william

January 30, 2006 5:09 PM | Link to this

It depends entirely on the purpose of the travel. I routinely can get by with my carry on brief case and roller for business travel. I travel on business frequently and unless I have to carry tools or large objects, I can get by with one carry on and no checked luggage.

On my recent 2 week family Christmas Vacation to Alaska, I was forced to distribute gifts, clothes, etc. across the maximum baggage allowance to avoid the weight surcharge. If I didn’t have to worry about the extra weight charge, I perhaps would not have been forced to take advantage of the carry on space.

I always book seats in the rear of the airplane for the express purpose of having room for my carry on. I book early and choose my seating. On every flight, I see someone who struggled onto the plane at the last minute standing in wonderment at the lack of carry on space. Book early, choose seats in the rear, show up on time and you will have room for your carry on.

If the airlines would give me the option of checking the second carry on rather than charging me for extra baggage, I would gladly check it. Those families taking trips of longer duration will always require more space than the casual or business traveler.

By dan

January 30, 2006 6:57 PM | Link to this

It is a great idea. I am sick and tired of luggage hogs who need more room than they are paying for and those whose bags are to heavy for them to handle. I refuse to help them(even though I consider myself a gentleman)The rude abusers have nade even the nicest people unwilling to help them!

By Amanda Miller

January 31, 2006 11:05 AM | Link to this

Dan

I’ve also witnessed some rude abusers and I agree with you completely on that. I don’t understand why people think two bags for carryon means two huge bags, and they take up a whole compartment meant to be shared with at least two other passengers. My role model — and maybe I’ll try this on my next trip — is a friend who has traveled the world and only takes one small bag that fits under a seat and her purse. She takes wash and wear clothes, and very few of them, and does laundry in her hotel room when they get soiled. She’s gone on three-week trips this way and swears by it.

Amanda

By Gary

February 1, 2006 10:25 AM | Link to this

Yes this legislation is a good idea. However, it would’nt be necessary if the airlines actually enforced their carry on bag size limitations! I’ve seen more idiots try and stuff HUGE bags into the overhead compartments than I can remember. Actually shoving and squeezing them in and filling up an entire overhead bin with one bag! A bag that is definitely over the carry on size limitation. That is what they really need to stop, if they did there would be room for the regulation sized carry on baggage that’s allowed. They really need to have a person there with a tape measure who’s job it is to ask people can I see your carry on bag and measure the dimensions. Then if the bag is too big tell the person we’re sorry but that bag will have to be checked, or left behind if the person disputes the checking of the bag. It literally is a story of give them an inch and they take a mile. Or in this case give them an inch and they take the entire overhead compartment!

By Debbie

February 1, 2006 11:08 AM | Link to this

On a trip to New York in December the flight attendants actually had to check my one and only carryon bag because the abusers had completely filled all of the overheads before the last few of us boarded. I always travel light and I resent having to wait for baggage claim when I have obeyed the rules.

By Bill

February 1, 2006 11:54 AM | Link to this

My wife & I spent 2 weeks in Italy last spring with 1 carry on each. You can get laundry done anywhere.

By Kristen

February 1, 2006 12:53 PM | Link to this

If the max carry-on limit was enforced I don’t think this would be a problem. A small roll/carry on and a purse or backpack per person should be FINE. I think flight attendants or someone, should pay better attention to the abusers and make them check THEIR luggage to leave room for end of line boarders. I know the attendants have many other things to be doing besides watching the abusers but what choice do we have? If they aren’t watching now, what’s to stop someone from carrying on more than one after the bill passes? Nothing, I’d say. There needs to be someone at the front of the line BEFORE you start walking the ramp to the plane, making absolute sure your items will fit and that you are not abusing the rule. Seems pretty simple to me. If they DO pass this bill, they need to make one thing clear: The baggage carousel needs to spit out luggage faster! The baggage handlers need to get it together and get out luggage to us quicker. There is NO SENSE in waiting an hour for luggage. None at all! If that whole system went quicker I bet fewer people would abuse the carry on rule and would be more pleasant towards checking their items. I know a lot of times people carryon because they are scared their luggage will get sent to the wrong plane, they may not see it ever again, damage, etcetc etc. If these things were cleared up, I think everything would be fine.

By stewart harnell

February 1, 2006 1:07 PM | Link to this

terrible idea — most everyone who travels for business needs 2 carry ons. I think Senator Stephens should stay in his igloo and keep quiet.

By patrick

February 1, 2006 1:56 PM | Link to this

ONE carry-on bag would make life easier for ALL travelers.

By John Duktig

February 1, 2006 2:18 PM | Link to this

This legislation is well intentioned, but would be unnecessary if the airlines would enforce their own policies across the board. I have no problem with the “one carry-on and one purse / briefcase / laptop” rule, except the loose interpretation of purse or briefcase some people use.

Sad that we now have to enforce common courtesy.

Like Bill, my wife & I spent 10 days in London with only our carry-on baggage. No need to take it all with you.

By Delta Business Traveler

February 1, 2006 2:49 PM | Link to this

Two carry-on pieces would work fine if people would use the space underneath the seat in front of them. I have been on many flights where inconsiderate travelers put TWO bags in the overhead and nothing under the seat in front of them. Meanwhile travelers with one bag (but too large to fit under the seat) are forced to check their bag because the other person’s smaller bag which should be under the seat is taking up the SHARED overhead space.

I think Senator Stevens has lost touch with reality.

By lozen

February 1, 2006 2:54 PM | Link to this

The last time I checked a bag on a return trip from Italy it was lost for two days. A man trying to get help at the same time had checked some expensive computer equipment and it was smashed - looked as if it had fallen off the delivery thing and been run over. It wouldn’t work.

By filster

February 1, 2006 3:59 PM | Link to this

AS a fellow Delta Business traveler, I regularly pack an overnight back for a one or two day stay AND take my laptop. The overnight bag goes in the bin and the laptop at my feet. Stevens’ bill is a perfect example of a law already on the books not being enforced. If the gate agents would actually make people place their bags in those metal bag size checkers, and make anyone whose carry ons do not fit check their baggage even in the face of ugly tantrums, it wouldn’t be nearly as much of a problem as it is now.

By Amanda Miller

February 1, 2006 4:06 PM | Link to this

I think most of us are on the same page here — people are abusing the carryon rules now and nobody’s stopping them. Kristin has a good point: What’s to stop someone from carrying on more than one bag if Sen. Stevens’ rule passes, when nobody is enforcing the two-bag rule now? So those of us who obey the rules and don’t hog the space are going to be penalized because of those who do.

By SCbusinesstraveler

February 1, 2006 4:10 PM | Link to this

Wow, I am a two carry-on frequent flyer and I had no idea I was being rude. So, what am I supposed to do? I have my roll-on suitcase that fits easily in the overhead, my shoulder bag with the laptop in it, and my purse. (I can’t fit my purse in either of the other bags because it would overtuff them) And sorry, I use to work baggage service for a major airline, and I am not checking any bags unless I absolutely have to.

By Stephen

February 1, 2006 6:01 PM | Link to this

This has turned into a nifty little forum for people to vent about how rude other flyers can be at times. But what I don’t think many have considered is how much of a disaster air travel would become if this were to become reality. First, you’d have to allow yourself more time to spend at the airport. Check-in lines would be much longer because everyone would have to wait to get their bag tagged and then wait in line again for the xray machine. And if you think baggage claim takes a long time now, just imagine how long it would take if everyone had to check their bags. A lot more lost baggage? I would think so. And, extra baggage handlers cost money; a cost the airlines would gladly pass on to their customers in the form of higher ticket prices.

By Jmarsh

February 1, 2006 6:53 PM | Link to this

I carry on only a laptop, and check my other small bag for weekly trips. In Atlanta, I’ve only had to wait for my checked luggage when riding “at the front of the bus.” The sheer amount of CRAP that other people carry on never ceases to amaze me.

By PedroC

February 1, 2006 8:37 PM | Link to this

I’m also a frequent biz traveler.

The law is not needed- the airlines simply need to enforce the 1 carry-on, one purse/laptop/backpack rule.

As to what is included in the purse/laptop/backpack catergory, I would say that it must fit under the seat in front of you. Otherwise it must be checked.

By Amanda Miller

February 2, 2006 11:36 AM | Link to this

Hi SCbusinesstraveler

I’m curious about one thing you didn’t say in your note: do you put the computer bag under your seat along with your purse, or does it go overhead? If you’re placing it under your seat, then I don’t have a problem with three bags, as long as only one is taking up overhead space that’s meant to be shared. (And personally, I wouldn’t put a computer in an overhead compartment — too easy for it to get “lost.”

By Amanda Miller

February 3, 2006 12:33 PM | Link to this

Throwing a little fuel on the fire of this debate, I just read some stats on lost baggage in 2005, courtesy, of course of the AJC.

Get this: “AirTran won bragging rights for the second-lowest rate of lost luggage last year, with 3.45 reports per 1,000 passengers, up from 2.82 a year earlier. Atlantic Southeast was last in that category, with 17.41 reports per 1,000, continuing a chronically poor showing.”

So, if we’re limited to only one carryon bag, some of us are going to be wearing the same clothes for a day or more. 17 lost bags per 1,000 passengers! That’s unbelievably bad.

By Scott

February 7, 2006 2:31 PM | Link to this

Here are some of the consequences of increasing the amount of checked bagggage on a flight:

1) Longer check-in lines requiring an even earlier arrival at the airport before your flight. 2) Increased departure delays while the baggage handlers struggle to deal with the heavier loads and wait for more late connecting baggage to arrive at your aircraft (and don’t think bankrupt airlines can afford to just hire more baggage handlers out of the blue to deal with the extra work.) 3) On hot days at airports with short and/or high elevation runways that reduce aircraft takeoff performance, some bags are likely to be offloaded to reduce the weight and ensure a safe takeoff. Those passengers will now have to deal with “misconnected” luggage, possibly waiting two or three days for delivery. 4) On arrival, a longer wait at baggage claim for your bags to arrive, and larger crowds shoving past each other trying to get to the baggage carousels. 5)Both as a matter of percentages and as a consequence of the overall chaos, a greater chance that one or more of your bags will be “lost” for varying periods of time.

Undoubtedly, when Sen. Stephens drives to Washington National Airport, parks in his reserved Senatorial parking space, goes through whatever kind of VIP security screening the airport offers public figures, and parks his three carry-on bags around his first-class seat, he will snicker watching the coach-class peasants struggling past him, their single carry-on bags bulging with enough clothes to get them through a likely two-day wait for their lost checked bags to arrive.

By Amanda Miller

February 7, 2006 2:53 PM | Link to this

Scott

You make some good points about limiting carryons to one bag. I think it could make it more difficult for people who currently check luggage to retrieve it, and tenfold more difficult for people who currently carry on two small bags.

Amanda