Air-Tran & Baggage question

[Nubbsy]

I have heard that they are very picky on size/weight restrictions but I am needing to know just how they measure the bags. Do they pull out the handles of the ones that push down too?? We have a bag that I feel may be close but unless I know exactly how they measure I am stuck and I do not want to get to the airport only to be told we have an excess bag fee. Thanks for any help!!

 

[kevgraub]

I have heard that they are very picky on size/weight restrictions but I am needing to know just how they measure the bags. Do they pull out the handles of the ones that push down too?? We have a bag that I feel may be close but unless I know exactly how they measure I am stuck and I do not want to get to the airport only to be told we have an excess bag fee. Thanks for any help!!

I have never seen an airline that would count a handle that extends as part of the measurements. I think you are safe on that one, but it might not hurt to call or e-mail Airtran just in case.

Have you weighed the bag fully packed yet? My experience has been that our large suitcase, that is just a bit smaller than the maximum allowed, gets very heavy when fully packed, right up towards the limit on weight. If your suitcase is right on the line when it comes to size, make sure you watch the weight.

 

[Nubbsy]

Thanks. We actually weighed it on our bathroom scale and we have about 5-7 pounds to spare so I think we will be okay but I just don't want to be shocked when we are at the airport. I am going to call & see what they say. Thanks for the reply!!

 

[kevgraub]

Thanks. We actually weighed it on our bathroom scale and we have about 5-7 pounds to spare so I think we will be okay but I just don't want to be shocked when we are at the airport. I am going to call & see what they say. Thanks for the reply!!

Depending on how soon you leave, I'd consider trying to send an e-mail. That way when you go up to check in, you can show them the e-mail in the event they try to give you a hard time.

I haven't looked at Airtran for this lately, but I know many companies have gone to instant chats that you can use to talk to customer service as well, and then print out a transcript of the chat when you are done.

I really don't think this is a problem, but in the event you get told one thing by customer service and something else by the ticket window, it would be nice to be able to hand them an e-mail showing what their company told you earlier.

 

[maj42169]

Well, when we flew with Airtran, they did not pull out the handle to check the size, and for the weight...they put it on a scale and measured the weight to the hundredth of a pound. This was at the PIT airport.

 

[Lewisc]

I'm not sure I understand the question. They're not going to fully extend the handle and then measure. Almost 100% of bags will be oversized if you do that.

Measurements include the wheels, protruding pockets and the part of the handle that protrudes when the handle is in the down position. The luggage company measurements aren't always inclusive and the measurements usually say approximately. Use a tape measure if you think your bag is close. a bag that's just legal sizewise is easy to be packed overweight. Many people need new luggage.

An email isn't going to help if the Airtan employee gives you the choice of paying or leaving your oversized baggage behind. Airtran has a limit of 61", industry standard is 62". I'm cynical enough to think the difference is an intentional technique to generate revenue.

 

[PSUGuy]

In the run-up to our March trip we were watching AT threads here because that was our carrier and I was concerned about this issue. There was a thread late last year or early this year in which more than one AT traveler claimed that the AT agent ran a tape measure OVER THE WHEELS!, which put the bag over the limit. Take it for what it's worth, we had 2 or more 'large' suitcases with wheels and they didn't do this to us.

 

[Buzz's Buddy]

We just flew AirTran last week and they did measure our bag with a measuring tape. I was a bit surprised because we had flown AirTran before (although not since they started charging for the luggage) and they had never checked anything other than weight.

Luckily, we were right at the limit of 61 inches. However, the suitcases have the ability to expand, which we did not do, but she indicated that if the bags had been unzipped to allow them to expand, they would have exceeded the maximum size and we would have had to pay more for oversized bags.

Keep that in mind for your return home, because it you're like most people, you'll have souvenirs to bring home which might mean you'll need extra space.

 

[Nubbsy]

I have an e-mail into them now and am waiting to hear back. I like the idea of having something in hand and hopefully I won't need it.

 

[Anal Annie]

We used Air Tran last summer for the first time (they were still allowing 1 free checked bag pp then). Anyway, we were going to WDW for 3 n and then doing back-to-backs on the Wonder so we had 10 days worth of stuff. I had switched DH and myself to large duffles because they're lighter weight to start with but I used a 28" or 29" suitcase for my son because it also had a garment carrier in the lid - which I needed for our dress clothes for the cruise. ANYWAY, I had weighed each bag at home on our bathroom scale and THOUGHT I had a couple of pounds to spare on this one...but when the skycap at BWI weighed them this particular one was like 50 Lbs 3 ounces or something JUST BARELY over an even 50 Lbs. He told me I had to either take something out or he was charging me $25!! I had my sons PJ's & such packed in the outside zipper compartments so I reached in & took out a pair of his PJ's and stuffed them into a carry-on. But so yeah. They're pretty darned picky!! (I also seriously wonder how accurate THEIR scales are too......it would not surprise me to find out that they weigh a couple of pounds heavy.)

I thought about buying a luggage scale but rather than spend $25-30 for one I will allow more like 5 Lbs now whenever I weigh them. We are actually going to try packing a lot lighter now (more carry-ons) with all these luggage fees now. I just ordered some packing cubes to try to be a more efficient packer. I think they're going to be really helpful.

 

[fac]

Airtran has a limit of 61", industry standard is 62". I'm cynical enough to think the difference is an intentional technique to generate revenue.

that's exactly how I felt.

When we flew southwest in 2007, one of our bags was damaged, southwest replaced a new bag for us. We used the bag on Airtran last year, during an outbound trip from PHL, the agent first suspected the bag was overweight, after weighting it twice and could show that the bag was overweight ( I also told her at the time I can pull out stuff from the bag), she began to complain the bag was too bag and proceed to measure it. It was about an inch over and we have to pay the $50 fee.

In the return trip, the agent allowed us to use a suitcase straps to tie down the bag and accepted it as below the limit.

With 4 people flying, we normally checked 2 bags, and the additional cost of $60 for the round trip.

On the other hand, I am not complaining airlines charging for checked bags, just don't feel that we complain the economy is not good, airlines are losing money and then expecting the same ticket price year after year.

 

[fac]

We are actually going to try packing a lot lighter now (more carry-ons) with all these luggage fees now. .

As much as I can, I try to book places that has laundry facility

 

[dioxide45]

We just flew AirTran last week and they did measure our bag with a measuring tape. I was a bit surprised because we had flown AirTran before (although not since they started charging for the luggage) and they had never checked anything other than weight.

Luckily, we were right at the limit of 61 inches. However, the suitcases have the ability to expand, which we did not do, but she indicated that if the bags had been unzipped to allow them to expand, they would have exceeded the maximum size and we would have had to pay more for oversized bags.

Keep that in mind for your return home, because it you're like most people, you'll have souvenirs to bring home which might mean you'll need extra space.

Those zippers that are used for expanding can be zipped back up once you have the suitcase full. We often unzip them to allow us to close the main zipper but then rezip the expanding zipper to squeeze the size of the bag back down.

 

[Anal Annie]

See, I think it's reasonable to think that if someone is flying somewhere for a trip they NEED some sort of luggage - so I think that at least 1 free checked bag should be included with the price and should be expected and not unreasonble. We used to pack an empty bag or two to bring home our souvies or to use as a hamper so I miss being able to check 2 pp but am coming to grips with that idea as being fair enough. Charging to check ANY bag is just a "let's stick it to 'em" technique - but they're all doing it and they're all getting by with it so I think the practice is here to stay. We used to always fly with just 1 carry-on for our family bcuz we hate dealing with the space in the overhead luggage bins...but NOW everyone is fighting over that precious space...it would not surprise me to see at some point in the future to see them reduce the allowed size of carry-ons as more and more people try to fly in JUST carry-ons. That's why I just purchased the packing cubes for our family and signed up for an Owners Locker.

fac - we are DVC members so when we go to FL we have access to laundry facilities but I personally have no interest in doing laundry on my vacation. I don't like doing it at home so I certainly don't want to see a washing machine on my vacation! I just have zero interest in that idea!!