I especially love it when someone can't fit everything above them, so they try to put a laptop, purse, etc. UNDER their seat and in my foot space...then get all indignant when they're told (usually by Flight Attendant) that it has to be in THEIR foot space..
How do they even get it under there? There's a bar under there....weird.
I am a diabetic and fly pretty often. In my carry on I keep all my supplies (I wear a pump so it is my infusion sets,insulin,extra food etc.) My carryon is well within the size allowed. It is the only bag I had-no purse, no computer etc. Twice in the past few months I have been made to gate check it as they said there were "too many carry ons" boarded ahead of me. I was VERY clear with the gate people that these were my medical supplies. That meant I had to unpack and carry on my wallet,food,insulin, glucometer,etc. Thank heavens I had a large ziplock! This was not a rolling type case, it was a softsided Vera Bradley that would of easily slid under the seat ahead of me. The flight attendants on both flights asked my why I was carrying a large ziplock of supplies and I explained. Both told me that the gate people were wrong but what could I do? I sure did not want to hold up boarding wheile they called a supervisor! I fly out of the same airport all the time and last year watched them UNLOAD all the gate checked items onto the tarmac and leave without them because of weight/fuel issues. People were just dumbfounded and shocked as we pulled away and all the strollers etc. were just left there!!!!! Good luck.............
Yeah, I'd be waiting for a supervisor. That's not OK. Especially if your'e putting it under your seat.
How about those considerate folks in row 25 that stow their bags above row 8 and then go to their seat.?
That's nothing new at all.
AirTran allows you one personnel item, ie., purse, backpack, laptop and one carry-one.
As far as I know, they all have that allowance (assuming a "normal" airline, not a puddle-jumper type).
My carry on is always too big for the overhead, so I gate check it each time. It's free and you get your bag on the jetway, no waiting around the baggage claim area.
Are you sure it's truly carry-on sized? FYI I've heard announcements that they WOULD charge for something checked at the gate (was on Virgin America at the time). You have been lucky but I wouldn't count on that.
Once we don't have to cart a carseat and stroller around (carseat isn't for the flight anymore, but if we will be in a car or shuttlevan) to gatecheck, we'll go back to carry-on only. We totally COULD do carry-on only, even with the items to be gate-checked, but it's just too difficult and full of hassles. Especially since not all airports allow luggage carts through security (seatac does, san diego doesn't, for instance).
All of our luggage was bought from the Rick Steves travel store, and all of his luggage works with even international carryon sizes. His tours REQUIRE that the participants ONLY use carryons, and participants have to be able to carry their luggage. His bigger bags (still carryon size) have backpack straps that tuck and lock in, so you have two handles to choose from, plus the straps if you are walking a ways. SO convenient. And those are all we use. Generally we do check them for now, but again, once those gate checked items aren't needed (or once we get a carseat to keep at my brother's place), we'll do it again.
And honestly, we bring two items on board anyway (it would remain two things once we're bringing the bigger bags on)...generally the Rick Steves Avanti travel bag and a purse or backpack with camera, or a computer bag...really depends on who is carrying what.
We've never had a problem fitting things in, even while we watch other struggling. And watching people struggling with the weight or size of their bags just kinda cracks us up (though we're not normally ones who enjoy the problems of others), b/c they obviously didn't think about what all they were packing. For instance, the co-workers who got to run across a Chicago airport with me and two other co-workers, carrying her bag that was stuffed with ALL of her CDs....that thing was HEAVY, but none of us (not even the guy with us) helped her...we TOLD her she didn't need to bring them all (nor did she need to bring each case!)...
