want to limit the carry-ons for airplanes??

[ejr]

I really hate carry on bags. I hate to lug carry on bags around in an airport. But I can't trust the freaking airlines to get my luggage to me every time I fly. So in my carry on is a change of clothes, my meds, my purse and my netbook.

Off subject a bit .... but how are you liking that netbook?
I've been thinking of adding to my ever growing collection of computers
and getting a netbook for travel.

I'm tired of lugging around my laptop when I travel for personal reasons
(business travel I need my full blown laptop).

It's great for travel!!!! It only weighs about 2.8lbs. I love it for travel!!! I bought a USB CD/DVD burner as this is my primary computer now. The only thing is that the keyboard is about 80% smaller than your standard keyboard so it does take a little getting used to it. When I'm at home I use my wireless keyboard and mouse.

I recently bought a 17" laptop, but also bought a netbook (Dell had a good deal)--the laptop went with me on a weeklong trip but the netbook will be the computer of choice for a 1-3 day trip.

[aeroparrot]

After my lost luggage incident I did Hawaii for 10 days with a carry on!
I was pushing it though..... but it was like a person quest at that point
to accomplish that!!

After Air Tahiti lost my luggage- they gave me nothing but an Air Tahiti t shirt, a pair of "underwear" that was the equivilant of a shower cap with leg holes, a toothbrush, and a "thing" of deodorant that had to be scooped out with your finger to put on that was the consistancy of candle wax. Getting a visual??? lol

In Hawaii because I had acquired some things along the way, rather than buying another suitcase there and having to pay to check it, I went to the post office and mailed home all of my dirty clothes!!!

I told my dad to do this and use the suitcases for bringing back souvenirs from Hawaii, he thought I was 52 cards short of a full deck.

[nycfeat]

Contact lens solutions are exempt from the 3 oz rule. But I usually manage to bypass the hassle at security by taking a 4 oz bottle.

[ScarletB]

This is why Spirit airline started to charge for carry-on -because of the delay in everyone shoving it up in the bins & holding up the plane -you are not charged if you bag fits under the seat in front of you. It actually costs you more to carry-on than check a bag

I see them getting their head handed to them on this.. for medical reasons
I must carry on at least one bag.. the ADA will come into play at some point...

Anything carried for medical purposes should be exempt , kind of a no-brainer,until of course someone figures out a way to do something bad with a cpap or other machine.

[SchoolGirlHeart]

Most airlines cater to business travelers because business travelers pay the big bucks for seats.

I am an unabashed carry-on flyer. My wheeled carry-on fits just fine in the overhead without a struggle. When I get somewhere for work I have to have appropriate business clothes and I can't just hope the airline doesn't lose my luggage. Just because people can't obey the rules and use appropriate sized carry-ons that doesn't mean they should be eliminated. I won't even consider flying on an airline that charges for a carry-on.

[tigzoe]

Most airlines cater to business travelers because business travelers pay the big bucks for seats.

I am an unabashed carry-on flyer. My wheeled carry-on fits just fine in the overhead without a struggle. When I get somewhere for work I have to have appropriate business clothes and I can't just hope the airline doesn't lose my luggage. Just because people can't obey the rules and use appropriate sized carry-ons that doesn't mean they should be eliminated. I won't even consider flying on an airline that charges for a carry-on.

Since I am not a business traveler, I am curious why they pay more.

[ejr]

Most airlines cater to business travelers because business travelers pay the big bucks for seats.

I am an unabashed carry-on flyer. My wheeled carry-on fits just fine in the overhead without a struggle. When I get somewhere for work I have to have appropriate business clothes and I can't just hope the airline doesn't lose my luggage. Just because people can't obey the rules and use appropriate sized carry-ons that doesn't mean they should be eliminated. I won't even consider flying on an airline that charges for a carry-on.

Since I am not a business traveler, I am curious why they pay more.

lots of trips where you have to fly when you have to fly, and you can't shop around for the best times/fares/

Jen--I understand that, but if all the airlines changed their philosophy and allowed you to check for free but charged for carry-on, passengers would adjust to it. But it wouldn't work unless all the major airlines did this.

[ScarletB]

Appropriate carryons are one thing and entirely fine but there is no enforcement as to shape, size and these days it seems even NUMBER of carryons - a huge hulking backpack and an overstuffed duffle (which I see most of the time) PLUS the allowed laptop and/or briefcase/ purse - it's getting abused by people who want to save the $ of checking an extra bag, if you can barely get down the aisle to your seat because you have so much junk you should be checking something.

[TommyBahama]

it's the people who take more then 1 carry on and the ovesized ones....it delays departure and even worse getting off , they stuff this huge bag in and struggle to get iy out....i agree with Jen...i fly airlines who don't charge......Southwest!!!!!.....i just put a few things into a small gym bag....just in case......i've had my luggage lost twice..once it went to Vegas.....the other was going to Alpine to see Buffett....i had carry on suitcase....it was one of those planes you board on te tarmac and they tag your bags....all good until i landed and bag wasn't on plane....they took some off because of weight...and what was worse my Buffett ticket was in there.....didn't have clothes so i had to shop....but the good news was ....i did get it early the next morning.

[AlbatrossFlyer]

airlines want you to carry on since it cuts their costs. you're the baggage handler so they don't need as many employees to do it. since it takes longer to board the flight they simply increase the published flight times to avoid the appearance of delays. (published flight times have increased 50% in the last 20 years and the planes aren't flying slower)

enforcing the carry on policy is a union issue. the gate agent union vs. the flight attendant union. neither one wants to be the bad guy so neither one will agree to enforce it.

TSA won't enforce the size policy because the allowable size of carry on luggage varies by airline and vintage of airplane. btw continental has the largest overhead bids. TSA may or may not enforce the 1 bag / 1 personal item limit, if they do, its only because they're looking at the efficiency of getting people thru security not limiting what goes on a plane.

with the advent of checked baggage fees the savvy traveler will now attempt to carry on everything regardless of size, if the flight is full and bin space runs out or it's too big fit and somebody actually makes you gate check it, its free, no checked luggage fee!

[bravedave]

File under "I Hate Carry-Ons"
Jet Blue Attendant Quits - Steven Slater Dramatic Chute Exit

Slater got hit in the head by a piece of luggage or an overhead compartment after a lady started grabbing her bags before the plane stopped. The passenger then cursed at Slater. Well, that pushed Slater over the edge.
Slater then did probably what most of us would want to do, but would never try to do. Slater activated the emergency exit, grabbed a beer, and then slid down the emergency slide and walked to his nearby jeep.

[surfpirate]

File under "I Hate Carry-Ons"
Jet Blue Attendant Quits - Steven Slater Dramatic Chute Exit

Slater got hit in the head by a piece of luggage or an overhead compartment after a lady started grabbing her bags before the plane stopped. The passenger then cursed at Slater. Well, that pushed Slater over the edge.
Slater then did probably what most of us would want to do, but would never try to do. Slater activated the emergency exit, grabbed a beer, and then slid down the emergency slide and walked to his nearby jeep.

Was watching the Colbert Report last night. According to Colbert and also NBC News New York ...... "Slater was later arrested at his home in Belle Harbor by Port Authority officials. Police sources said that when authorities found Slater he seemed to be in the midst having sexual relations."

Now THAT makes him a folk hero as well.

[LIPH]

From what I've read in the NY papers the last 2 days, a woman got up to get her bag out of the overhead compartment before the plane was at a full stop at the gate. The flight attendant told her to get back in her seat. She didn't. I thought not following the instructions of the flight crew was a federal offense. Instead of getting his panties in a bunch, why didn't he just have the passenger arrested?

[Glorfindel7]

From what I've read in the NY papers the last 2 days, a woman got up to get her bag out of the overhead compartment before the plane was at a full stop at the gate. The flight attendant told her to get back in her seat. She didn't. I thought not following the instructions of the flight crew was a federal offense. Instead of getting his panties in a bunch, why didn't he just have the passenger arrested?

Probably because he knew it wouldn't do any good?

[tigzoe]

File under "I Hate Carry-Ons"
Jet Blue Attendant Quits - Steven Slater Dramatic Chute Exit

Slater got hit in the head by a piece of luggage or an overhead compartment after a lady started grabbing her bags before the plane stopped. The passenger then cursed at Slater. Well, that pushed Slater over the edge.
Slater then did probably what most of us would want to do, but would never try to do. Slater activated the emergency exit, grabbed a beer, and then slid down the emergency slide and walked to his nearby jeep.

Was watching the Colbert Report last night. According to Colbert and also NBC News New York ...... "Slater was later arrested at his home in Belle Harbor by Port Authority officials. Police sources said that when authorities found Slater he seemed to be in the midst having sexual relations."

Now THAT makes him a folk hero as well.

Nothing like a little sex after a bad day at work.

[The Lost Manatee]

I would love to see the airlines require that your carry on has to be in the overhead, above your seat or under the seat in front of you. There is nothing worse than having a seat near the front, which means you're last to board and all of the overheads are full, except that one all the way in the back.

Most vacation travelers overpack and are surprisingly unprepared for dealing with air travel today. Given that many of the vacation travelers are business travelers going on vacation, I would have thought that they would be on the ball and know what can and cannot be taken on and insure that their family conformed but that doesn't seem to happen very often.

I've had bags delayed, lost and never seen again but the current "I have to carry EVERYTHING on board with me" craze has got to stop. Carry a change of clothes, your meds, your laptop, phone, mp3 player, camera and the like on board but don't bring a weeks worth of outfits with you. You slow down the entire process of boarding and exiting the aircraft. And if you put your bag in the back and you're seated upfront, wait for everyone else to get off the plane before you retrieve your bag.

I know it sounds crazy but I do like Spirit's plan of charging more for a carry on bag that goes into the overhead than a checked bag. I do believe that the airlines should be held responsible for your checked bags since they are now charging a fee for your bag. If your bag isn't on the bag claim within so many minutes, you should get a refund on your fee, if it is delayed or damaged, you should get cash on the spot. I like a lot of the regulations that the EU has when it comes to airlines and passenger rights. And the funny thing is that there are more low cost carriers in the EU than there are in the USA so it doesn't appear to hurt the airlines to have to take better care of the passengers.

[bravedave]

Require passengers to fit their carry-on into the overhead storage area IMMEDIATLY OVER THEIR SEAT. "You have fifteen seconds starting now. . . "

[SchoolGirlHeart]

Require passengers to fit their carry-on into the overhead storage area IMMEDIATLY OVER THEIR SEAT. "You have fifteen seconds starting now. . . "

Trouble is, there's not enough room immediately above a row of seats for 2-3 bags, so they're counting on someone not bringing a full carry-on.

Interestingly, I once flew Japan Air and noticed that in general the Japanese passengers didn't have carry-on baggage besides a small backpack. Almost no one except the Americans had a roll-aboard. There was no airline prohibition and I wish I'd asked one of the passengers why they didn't carry bags on. Is it that Japan Air does a better job of not losing luggage? I don't know....

[Brown Eyed Girl]

Require passengers to fit their carry-on into the overhead storage area IMMEDIATLY OVER THEIR SEAT. "You have fifteen seconds starting now. . . "

Trouble is, there's not enough room immediately above a row of seats for 2-3 bags, so they're counting on someone not bringing a full carry-on.

Interestingly, I once flew Japan Air and noticed that in general the Japanese passengers didn't have carry-on baggage besides a small backpack. Almost no one except the Americans had a roll-aboard. There was no airline prohibition and I wish I'd asked one of the passengers why they didn't carry bags on. Is it that Japan Air does a better job of not losing luggage? I don't know....

Judging by what I've seen at curb check, the ticket counter and baggage claim...a roll-aboard would never in a million years meet their needs. To paraphrase some guy named Jimmy, "they've got too much stuff!"

[flyboy55]

Most airlines cater to business travelers because business travelers pay the big bucks for seats.

I am an unabashed carry-on flyer. My wheeled carry-on fits just fine in the overhead without a struggle. When I get somewhere for work I have to have appropriate business clothes and I can't just hope the airline doesn't lose my luggage. Just because people can't obey the rules and use appropriate sized carry-ons that doesn't mean they should be eliminated. I won't even consider flying on an airline that charges for a carry-on.

Since I am not a business traveler, I am curious why they pay more.

Business travelers require more flexibility in their travel plans, like changing flights and last minute ticket purchases and, in many cases, business class or first class seating. For this privilege they pay a lot more for tickets. This means a large portion (sometimes most) of the revenue from an average flight with a business/first class cabin comes from those seats and ticket types.

If you want to pay a couple of thousand dollars for your ticket, then you, too, can fly across the country in first class, change your mind at the last minute and take a different flight or fly on a different day, all with the airline's blessing. Business travelers are an airline's bread and butter, that's why airlines strive to treat them well, or used to. Now it seems like they abuse everyone equally.