Carry on luggage warning

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Originally posted by NotUrsula
Gail, I suppose they could send you back, but in something close to 100 domestic flights where I have arrived at the gate w/ carseat in hand, I've never had that happen. (BTW, all these were post-9/11.)

Gate-checking a carseat is pretty routine. There is every justification for insisting on having it on the same plane you are on; since the child cannot leave the airport via private vehicle without it. Also, gate-checking a carseat is the safest thing to do, because having it end up under the weight of most of the other luggage in the hold could conceivably crack the shell, rendering it unsafe. When I point this out, always very politely, I'm always allowed to gate-check.

ITA, just covering all the possibilities.

 

[seashoreCM]

Originally posted by CarolA
The airline has a contract to get you and your stuff to the destination. They do not gurantee that your stuff will fit in the cabin with you.

If you intended to carry on some baggage and the airline refused to let you and you offered to take a later flight and the airline refused that also without extra fare and the baggage was ultimately not delivered intact and complete in reasonable fashion , then the airline failed to use its best efforts to get you and your stuff to the destination.

If you have to gate check baggage and later discover that other passengers hogged overhead bin space with obviously oversized baggage, that is a further sign of negligence on the part of the airline. This might subject the airline to more liability for lost baggage than the law states.

Regrettably a car seat must either be FAA approved for use on board a plane, or meet carry on size requirements, in order to be carried on.

 

[CarolA]

Seashore,
What you are describing above is a whole different set of circumstances.

In most cases they will take your luggage and put it under the plane and you will receive it at the end of your journey. In this case the standard liablitlies apply (i.e., electronics are not covered and there is a per bag limit on lost items)

The airline has used it's best efforts to get you there. It got you there! Luggage is only subject to the terms and conditions in the carriage agreement. The airline is not liable for lost/stolen baggage until it has been determined that they cannot find it. That actually gives them SEVERAL days to deliver luggage to you under the contract.