Carry-Ons- She Gets Her Own, Right?!

[iheartmickey1111]

Even though my DD will just barely be 2 when we fly, she can have her own carry-on bag even if we carry it for her right?

We bought her a seat just like any other passenger, so she should right?

Trying to figure out how much of our luggage we'll actually be able to have as "carry-ons" and I really need that extra bag lol.

 

[MistressMerryweather]

Yes, she does. All paid seats get the same amount of baggage, regardless of age.

 

[iheartmickey1111]

Yes, she does. All paid seats get the same amount of baggage, regardless of age.

Great! That's what I figured, but I thought I would ask since it would be horrible to show up with another bag you have to end up checking! Thanks!!

 

[jana616]

Not sure what airline you're on, but I thought I would give a word of warning that in 2009 on Airtran, they would not allow us to bring a carry-on for my 2 year old son (who had a paid ticket like anyone else) unless he could carry/pull it himself. I was livid. Apparently there was some airline exec on board and they needed to make sure ALL rules were followed. We put it in his hand and then helped him. I am sure this is the exception to the rule!

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Not sure what airline you're on, but I thought I would give a word of warning that in 2009 on Airtran, they would not allow us to bring a carry-on for my 2 year old son (who had a paid ticket like anyone else) unless he could carry/pull it himself. I was livid. Apparently there was some airline exec on board and they needed to make sure ALL rules were followed. We put it in his hand and then helped him. I am sure this is the exception to the rule!

That is absolutely ridiculous! I would have been livid myself.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Not sure what airline you're on, but I thought I would give a word of warning that in 2009 on Airtran, they would not allow us to bring a carry-on for my 2 year old son (who had a paid ticket like anyone else) unless he could carry/pull it himself. I was livid. Apparently there was some airline exec on board and they needed to make sure ALL rules were followed. We put it in his hand and then helped him. I am sure this is the exception to the rule!

That stinks - I'd have just assigned him whichever bag in our family rolled easiest, whether it was his or not.

 

[iheartmickey1111]

Not sure what airline you're on, but I thought I would give a word of warning that in 2009 on Airtran, they would not allow us to bring a carry-on for my 2 year old son (who had a paid ticket like anyone else) unless he could carry/pull it himself. I was livid. Apparently there was some airline exec on board and they needed to make sure ALL rules were followed. We put it in his hand and then helped him. I am sure this is the exception to the rule!

Oh my goodness, how stupid is that?! I would have been mad too! Even on all the airlines I've ever flown, I got to carry an extra bag as an addition to my normal carryons allowed as her "diaper bag"!

 

[tjmw2727]

Many trips with young children and never ever has anyone asked my kids to carry their own bags.

No worries OP as long as your following the airlines rules for carry on items per ticketed passenger.

FWIW If I can help my MIL with her bag I expect to also be able to assist a toddler/preschooler with theirs.

I think the pp had an overanxious gate agent

 

[OrangeCountyCommuter]

Not sure what airline you're on, but I thought I would give a word of warning that in 2009 on Airtran, they would not allow us to bring a carry-on for my 2 year old son (who had a paid ticket like anyone else) unless he could carry/pull it himself. I was livid. Apparently there was some airline exec on board and they needed to make sure ALL rules were followed. We put it in his hand and then helped him. I am sure this is the exception to the rule!

AirTran has some of the worst customer service out there. I am 90% sure there is NO such rule. Next time ask them to SHOW you the written rule LOL! That should give them something to do.

Then ask WHERE the jerk executive is sitting and complain to him/her about the LOUSY service LOL! If they wouldn't tell me I would have talked LOUDLY to my spouse about this all over the gate area and ALL the way down the plane to my seat. Then I would have LOUDLY told the FAs about the idiot rules the GA made up (bet they never heard of them either... )

(Of course they are now run by an airline with some sense so maybe that jerk executive lost his/her job!)

 

[seashoreCM]

AirTran has some of the worst customer service out there. )

OT: One trip report had Airtran overmeasuring bags and charging oversize fees. One way they did this was lean the bag against the wall and measure around the bottom, including air space between the bag and the wall down there.

 

[jsilvers]

in 2009 on Airtran, they would not allow us to bring a carry-on for my 2 year old son (who had a paid ticket like anyone else) unless he could carry/pull it himself. I was livid. Apparently there was some airline exec on board and they needed to make sure ALL rules were followed.

Somewhat to my surprise, this rule actually exists in AirTran's contract of carriage, and wasn't just made up on the spot by the gate agent:

Each Passenger is restricted to one item of carry-on Baggage ... plus one smaller personal-type item ... provided that such items are capable of being carried onboard the aircraft by one Passenger without additional assistance, unless the Passenger requires assistance due to a disability, and are capable of being stowed under a seat or in an overhead compartment.​

http://www.airtran.com/common/pdf/AirTran_Contract_of_Carriage.pdf#page=6

 

[Case1096]

I hope that when he carried it down the jetway you went extra slow to make sure the plane was late! I'm sure the exec would appreciate being late for that reason!

 

[Greysword]

This sounds like a good time for the old iphone video recorder/you tube upload with commentary about how the agents are requiring the kids to pull their own luggage despite paying for a seat. Bet it gets play.

 

[pilferk]

Even though my DD will just barely be 2 when we fly, she can have her own carry-on bag even if we carry it for her right?

We bought her a seat just like any other passenger, so she should right?

Trying to figure out how much of our luggage we'll actually be able to have as "carry-ons" and I really need that extra bag lol.

If you bought a seat for her (rather than her being a lap rider), she gets her own carry on and one personal item.

We did the same thing with our "just" 2 year old a few years ago. She brought a carry on, and HER "personal item" was her diaper bag.

 

[goofy4tink]

Somewhat to my surprise, this rule actually exists in AirTran's contract of carriage, and wasn't just made up on the spot by the gate agent:

Each Passenger is restricted to one item of carry-on Baggage ... plus one smaller personal-type item ... provided that such items are capable of being carried onboard the aircraft by one Passenger without additional assistance, unless the Passenger requires assistance due to a disability, and are capable of being stowed under a seat or in an overhead compartment.​

http://www.airtran.com/common/pdf/AirTran_Contract_of_Carriage.pdf#page=6

Good to know. And still, there will be those who say they never saw anything. You HAVE to read the contract of carriage for every airline. They are going to have different rules.
So...Airtran has it stated in their CoC...the passenger has to be able to carry their own carryon bag. That technically leaves out youngsters that aren't capable of lugging their bags. So.....before leaving home, practice with your child...have him/her practice pulling their own bag around the house.

 

[dzorn]

Somewhat to my surprise, this rule actually exists in AirTran's contract of carriage, and wasn't just made up on the spot by the gate agent:

Each Passenger is restricted to one item of carry-on Baggage ... plus one smaller personal-type item ... provided that such items are capable of being carried onboard the aircraft by one Passenger without additional assistance, unless the Passenger requires assistance due to a disability, and are capable of being stowed under a seat or in an overhead compartment.​

http://www.airtran.com/common/pdf/AirTran_Contract_of_Carriage.pdf#page=6

Yet they cannot prove the child does not have a disability.

Denise in MI

 

[Jestocost]

Somewhat to my surprise, this rule actually exists in AirTran's contract of carriage, and wasn't just made up on the spot by the gate agent:

Each Passenger is restricted to one item of carry-on Baggage ... plus one smaller personal-type item ... provided that such items are capable of being carried onboard the aircraft by one Passenger without additional assistance, unless the Passenger requires assistance due to a disability, and are capable of being stowed under a seat or in an overhead compartment.​

http://www.airtran.com/common/pdf/AirTran_Contract_of_Carriage.pdf#page=6

FWIW, Southwest (which now owns AirTran) has identical language in their Contract of Carriage.

American and Delta do not have such provisions. United has a specific provision noting that children with tickets are allowed the same carry-on baggage allowance as adult passengers with no mention of a requirement that the child carry the bag on board themselves.

Importantly, however, all of the contracts do give the airline the right to reject any piece of carry-on baggage for any reason at their sole and absolute discretion. So if they really wanted to, a gate agent could just decide that no one was allowed to take carry-on bags onto the plane and they technically would be within their rights under the Contract of Carriage.

 

[NotUrsula]

AFAICT, that wording still doesn't appear to require each passenger to carry on their own bag.

It says, "capable of being carried onboard the aircraft by one Passenger without additional assistance", but it does not say, "capable of being carried onboard the aircraft by that Passenger without additional assistance."

I think what they may be trying to prevent is folks claiming that they need to have an unticketed companion aid in boarding to manage the carryon bag or bags. Passenger is capitalized, so I'm presuming that it refers to a ticketed Passenger.

I think that even if your ticketed child is an infant in arms, you still have a pretty good case that the ticket purchase entitles you to the baggage allowance that comes with it, provided that the adults in the party can handle the bags AND the child without help. (There IS a warm body in the seat; it's not like the baby is a cello.)

Now then, that said, as someone who has been flying with young kids for a LONG time and a lot of airmiles, be wary of trying to juggle several carryons when you have a child who must be taken by the hand or pushed in a stroller though the airport. Most of the time it is very much not worth the aggravation of trying to schlep those bags AND the child through the airport. It is a lot less stressful to bite the bullet and pay for one larger checked bag so as to lighten your load in transit.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

AFAICT, that wording still doesn't appear to require each passenger to carry on their own bag.

It says, "capable of being carried onboard the aircraft by one Passenger without additional assistance", but it does not say, "capable of being carried onboard the aircraft by that Passenger without additional assistance."......

I believe that this is saying that you can't carry on something so large and heavy that you need two people carrying it. It doesn't come close to saying every passenger has to carry his or her own bag. Not only would that be ridiculous, in all of my years flying, I have never seen any airline employee check to see that passengers were carrying their own bags as they boarded the plane.

 

[iheartmickey1111]

Thanks for the input everyone! I will go ahead and pack her a carry-on and not worry about it. Flight attendants tend to fall in love with her and give her stacks of extra cookies, etc. so I think we should be fine I am sure we would drag it if I asked her to anyway, she loves carrying my purse around as it is lol.