Our Dreams May Come True

If this article comes to be, those will be tears of joy you see streaking down my face.

Airlines Weighing Fee for Oversized Carry-Ons

Comments

[Larry]

I think I'll like it too. Unless they institute some new rules.

[KF]

From my reading of the article, it sounds like Alaska Airlines is already implementing this - and charging $5 more for the checking at the gate versus checking a bag at ticketing.

I'm betting the other major airlines will copy/institute this by the end of summer since this gives them a way to really enforce the 1+1 guidelines and cite FAA and airline regulations.

If this really catches on, I will be quite happy as well.

[Snowbot]

I've never understood why the airlines don't make customers use the luggage sizers.

[Reynolds]

The punchline in the article is this one line from it which reads, "Airlines created the overhead bin problems in 2008 when they started aggressively imposing charges on checked bags."

[Steve]

As long as they don't follow the Spirit model of charging for ALL carryon bags, I'd be good with it. Just the ones that are oversize or people carrying more than 1+1.

Even so, I suspect many of the carriers would still exempt their upper level frequent flyers from something like this. But even if they do, it seems like it would still help with bin space by eliminating the other bin hogs.

[Andy]

In March on Delta LAS->MEM during boarding everyone had to size their carry on. Took forever, lots of gate checks. In that one instance I hated it, but if it happened every day I would love it, people would learn what they can and can't take on board.

[Ralph]

This random checking happens often in certain airports and airlines. Take Luftansa for example.....


I travel a lot. I also get upgraded a lot. In first US domestic, i do not see people putting in rollers sideways. Usually those seated there want to get on quickly since overhead space is actaully limited in that area.

In economy, i see it happen about as often as i also see non wheeled bags larger than 45 lin inch. Either way, it irrates me. I certainly see people carry too large non wheeled bags or non standard shapes walking throught the airport.

So certainly i welcome enforcing the rule, but i dont think at all that large rollers are the only problem. My 20 inch roller isnt much larger at all than my tristar. But i admit the tristar is more versital in a pinch because it can fit under the seat in front of me.

[IflyfromABE]

This is really good stuff and I hope it happens very soon. IMHO the biggest problem would be that a lot of the non-rev passengers are the biggest abusers of this, bringing in 2-3 bags and often including wheelies that have to be placed horizontally up there. I've seen the weirdest things being accepted on board from scateboards to Guitars, which both are not fitting up there.

About making people sizing their bags before they board. Not sure if anyone here remembers the pre 9/11 days when X-ray machines were at the gates and at least a couple of airlines (Delta and United) had a template that people had to pass their carry on to get on the belt, otherwise it was check time. Now with a TSA situation up front, it is not happening...