Airlines - charging extra for EVERYTHING??

[CarolA]

I agree that the motive for charging for carryons is to offset the delay costs associated with having the plane sit around while someone tries to fit a steamer trunk in the overhead and then pitches a fit that reminds you of a three year old when it wont' fit. (I have seen grown men throw fits that strongly resemble a two year old temper tantrum)

 

[seashoreCM]

Charging extra for everything.

Isn't it called "magic your way"?

The airlines can improve operations as a whole by charging for carry on baggage. The overall atmosphere (decorum) is improved when the price is set high enough that we don't have more bags in the passenger cabin than there is bin space for. Secondarily the airlines can make more money.

But there is at least one rumor that the reason overhead bins (as opposed to coat racks) exist today was that the airlines wanted some of the passenger baggage in the cabin so as to leave more space down below for mail and freight unrelated to the passengers. So an uneasy balance (truce?) has existed to this day where as much passenger baggage as possible is allowed in the cabin and some gate checking with the attendant time consumption is tolerated.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[Wish I lived in Fl]

I don't give a hoot about the drinks, food, pillows, luggage requirements, FF programs, etc etc etc. I resent the hassles they present, but that's the small stuff. It's a start at cost cutting, but not enough. It's what they're a symptom of that worries me. My concern is about the CORE problems of the airlines and their enormous losses. I'm worried about routes and flights being dropped, equipment not being upgraded and repair/ground crews being cut. I'm worried about second rate or resentful pilots at the helm. I'm worried about the mindsets of harried flight attendants under the hammer of imminent job and/or pension loss. If it costs more to cure these problems and to keep the airlines humming along properly, they should CHARGE more for tickets.

DisFlan

I've read a lot about the Airlines outsourcing maintenance. And that outside Maintenace shops are much less frequently inspected than Airlines own maintenace. That scares me the most.

Any pilot working at a major was hired when the standards were highest and airlines could pick and choose. But stress and longer working hours(from their second job or starting a small business) can not possibly improve their performance.
Gossip is at least 4 pilots have committed suicide at one major airline.

 

[ducklite]

While I will be the first to agree that far too many passengers take forever and a day to get themselves settled, for the most part they are the infrequent travelers that are unaware of how their bag will fit in the overhead, can't manage their own luggage, etc.

It takes me under five seconds to get my bag into the overhead. I don't pack it full of rocks.

What I can't believe is that they haven't been using the sizers at the gate lately. Deal with it at the gate and it's won't slow boarding when people can't fit their bags in the bins.

What drives me crazy is watching a family get on with a ton of carryons, little kids, bags of Disney souvies and taking forever to get down the aisle with all of it, or the older woman who can't carry her own bag, let alone put it in the overhead.

As I said before, I'd be happy to pay a small extra fee to carryon my bag so I didn't have to waste my time waiting up to an hour for it to come out the other end. Many of my trips are only two days, start to finsh. The last thing I want to do is waste time waiting for my little bag. And there's no way I'm checking my laptop or camera gear.

BTW--I heard a rumour that US Airways is going to put bin dividers in so that if your rollon can't fit in with the top facing out, you'll have to gate check it. So many of the currently "legal" rollon's are going to quickly no longer be legal.

Anne

 

[westjones]

On my last Northwest flight (Jan 3 06), you were given a can of soda (no snack), The rule for carry-ons is (1) Travel Bag that can fit in the overhead bin or under the seat and (1) Purse or Laptop case.

Thanks! That is how it was the last time we flew in 2004.
DJ

 

[DebbieB]

While I will be the first to agree that far too many passengers take forever and a day to get themselves settled, for the most part they are the infrequent travelers that are unaware of how their bag will fit in the overhead, can't manage their own luggage, etc.

It takes me under five seconds to get my bag into the overhead. I don't pack it full of rocks.

What I can't believe is that they haven't been using the sizers at the gate lately. Deal with it at the gate and it's won't slow boarding when people can't fit their bags in the bins.

What drives me crazy is watching a family get on with a ton of carryons, little kids, bags of Disney souvies and taking forever to get down the aisle with all of it, or the older woman who can't carry her own bag, let alone put it in the overhead.

As I said before, I'd be happy to pay a small extra fee to carryon my bag so I didn't have to waste my time waiting up to an hour for it to come out the other end. Many of my trips are only two days, start to finsh. The last thing I want to do is waste time waiting for my little bag. And there's no way I'm checking my laptop or camera gear.

BTW--I heard a rumour that US Airways is going to put bin dividers in so that if your rollon can't fit in with the top facing out, you'll have to gate check it. So many of the currently "legal" rollon's are going to quickly no longer be legal.

Anne

That is my biggest gripe - people with huge rollaboards that will only fit sideways, they should be checked. Plus the people whose bags could fit wheels first but instead dump it in sideways.

 

[CarolA]

I've read a lot about the Airlines outsourcing maintenance. And that outside Maintenace shops are much less frequently inspected than Airlines own maintenace. That scares me the most.

.

Well quit being scared. Maintenance inspections are performed by the FAA and they inspect the same regardless of WHO is doing the work. (This "story" is normally put out by laid off maintenace workers)

My Grandfather worked for an airline all his life. His theory was the airline with the most recent labor and/or financial issues was actually the safest as the FAA was REALLY watching them.

 

[bicker]

What costs the carrier less? I carry-on my small roll-on and camera bag. The roll-on fits in the overhead top facing out, and camera bag goes under the seat. If I checked that roll-on, I'd still have two carry-on's, because I carry my laptop in my roll-on, and obviously wouldn't check that.

The number of carry-ons isn't as important as the total volume and mass of the carry-ons, so every bit they can get you to store in the cargo compartment, the more space available in the passenger compartment, and therefore the less conflict between passengers for the available space. Conflict often results in delays -- delays cost the airline money.

 

[ducklite]

The number of carry-ons isn't as important as the total volume and mass of the carry-ons, so every bit they can get you to store in the cargo compartment, the more space available in the passenger compartment, and therefore the less conflict between passengers for the available space. Conflict often results in delays -- delays cost the airline money.

And not being able to roll on my little bag will cost them my business. I might not be a million mile a year flier, but I am Chairman's Gold, most of it "Liesure travel", so I can easily take that business elsewhere, and would.

There's got to be some middle ground, and like I said there's no way I'm checking my camera gear and laptop. BTW--My bag is 19.5 inches from the bottom of the wheels to the top of the handle, so easily fits the short way into all overhead bins.

Anne

 

[seashoreCM]

I would like to see the ability to reserve overhead bin space even if there was a cost involved.

Being able to sit together is an often mentioned comment. I am not sure what is a reasonable price for this.

This is starting to look like the subject of Disney's charging for fast passes but perhaps charging less or giving freebees to guests at deluxe resorts.

 

[bicker]

And not being able to roll on my little bag will cost them my business.

Once all the airlines are doing it, no, it won't. Furthermore, they have to weight the chances of losing a few customers over the costs of allowing carry-on silliness to continue unchecked.

There's got to be some middle ground

There is: Make everyone pay for everything individually. Each carry-on, regardless of size, costs $X. If larger than a certain size it costs $Y. Each bag of checked luggage costs $Z, with added fees for oversize and heavy. That way, you can choose how much to pay simply by what you choose to bring with you.

 

[CarolA]

While Anne may not be culprit, IMHO the "million mile" elite level flyers are actually the WORST when it comes to carry on. They seem to know the airline doesn't want to hasssle them to they expand two carryons to two PLUS whatever they can strap on to the two. And then they are unable to put ONE of these under their feet. ALL of it must go in the overhead......I have often watched.

 

[bicker]

I'm sure Anne is NOT the culprit!

 

[rigsby25]

I agree totally about charging for carry ons. Or at least somehow you can only stow them above and below your own seat and no where else. People are all scrambling to put things in different compartments, and you can't get on the plane, and you can't get off the plane. Or maybe one carry on that fits under the seat period. How about this idea - they can sell a standard carry on bag. I think I'm on to something. They can make money on selling the bags, and no one will be able to over guess what they can bring on. Years ago when I was returning a dog to its owner who had moved, I bought a "kennel" from the airline. Ok - and how about not only charging for the carry ons, but they remained locked down until all the passengers without carry ons are off the plane. How about a beverage machine that dispenses plastic bottles of water and soda at the gate. And a snack machine. If the passengers want something on board the plane, buy it themselves. Less people to pay on the plane to dispense beverages?

 

[bicker]

Or at least somehow you can only stow them above and below your own seat and no where else.

That's not practicable. Some seats don't have overhead space. For some seats, the overhead space is occupied by on-board safety and entertainment equipment. And even when there is overhead space, there is no way to ensure that the available space is divided evenly among the three people sitting in a row.

Even just limiting what you're saying to the underseat storage doesn't work: Some seats have no underseat storage, and some seats have various obstructions that result in severely limited underseat storage. Beyond that, aisle seats have remarkably smaller underseat storage than middle seats (though that's not as big of a deal -- it's standard that way, and folks stuck in the middle seat deserve a little bit extra something anyway).

So, in the end, if fairness and equity are the goals, the only means to that end is to charge for everything, or have a specific volume allocated for each passenger, which they "get" regardless of that much space is available for their specific seat or in their specific row.

 

[salmoneous]

On international flights, they make it simple. You get *one* carry-on bag. It *will* fit within the very tight space requirements. There are no exceptions. Not sure if it is a better system, but it is a workable one.

 

[DebbieB]

While Anne may not be culprit, IMHO the "million mile" elite level flyers are actually the WORST when it comes to carry on. They seem to know the airline doesn't want to hasssle them to they expand two carryons to two PLUS whatever they can strap on to the two. And then they are unable to put ONE of these under their feet. ALL of it must go in the overhead......I have often watched.

I have seen people (mostly businessmen) put their rollaboard in the overhead plus their laptop bag or briefcase which could easily fit under the seat. They don't want to lose their legroom so they put the laptop/briefcase into the overhead. Lately though I have seen flight attendents tell them to put it under the seat if they see it. The personal item should not be too large to fit under the seat (assuming you have underseat storage, bulkhead row would be an exception).

Same thing with coats, being wintertime. I was on a couple flights in the past 2 weeks where the flight attendent took all the coats out of the overhead until the bags were in and then allowed them to be put on top of the bags.

 

[CarolA]

There is another problem. I have computer case that is on the large size. (It rolls etc.) On most planes it fits under the seat with NO problem. IF however, the airline has put in those cute little seat power ports or personal TVs it has to go overhead! Those "toys" take up a decent amount of space!

 

[DebbieB]

I have a rolling laptop bag and I consider it my carryon, not my personal item. I usually fly USAir and their max for a personal item is 36 inches (WxLxD). My laptop is 38, it will not fit under a window seat. My personal item is my purse.

 

[TDC Nala]

If they start charging over $200 to fly to Orlando from DC, then they're definitely losing much of my business...and so will WDW...and they get a lot of it. And not because I think it's an entitlement but because I no longer will be able to afford the multiple trips.

I don't like the idea of charging for carryons because I like bypassing the check-in line..but if it means I get to go, then fine.

But to pay a charge for waiting around in the checked baggage line...ugh. I'll be the one you see walking around WDW in the same clothes all the time.