Check Luggage or carry on?

[barbnbrian]

Flying SWA in July. Would it be better to check our bags to avoid hassles or should we carry them on so that we can grab our bags as we get off the plane and be ready for our car pickup right away. We're only going for four days and won't be packing much. What we will have is being packed in smaller bags that would fit in the overhead compartment. What's easier?

 

[DebbieB]

You are only allowed 1 piece of carryon luggage per person plus 1 "personal item" (purse, briefcase, laptop, some allow small backpacks). If you can fit everything into the allowed number, then go for it. But remember it's subject to search both at security and at the gate, so be prepared for everything to be pulled out.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Check the bags. By the time you get to the baggage pickup area the bags will be there, then take the elevator down to the car rental floor for your car. It is a long walk from the main terminal to the baggage pickup, you will enjoy not having to schlep the bags.

 

[Ralph&Pam]

I agree with Gail. We check our bags and generally find the security checks go much more smoothly. The wait for bags in the luggage claim area is usually not too bad, although YMMV.

Ralph

 

[barbnbrian]

Thanks everyone. I think I'll check the bags. I've been to MCO before and you're right. By the time I make it over to the baggage area, my bags will be there and I won't have to schlepp them all the way from the plane to the car pick up area!

 

[ducklite]

If your plane is full, you'll have a decent chance of being forced to gate check the bag anyhow if they run out of room in the overheads. Just check it. Carry on a small tote with basic toiletries, camera, jewelry, a bathing suit.

Anne

 

[drogerstn]

I prefer to carry on my bags if possible. There is a risk that the bag will be lost by the airline or at least not make your flight. Also, the bags will not necessarily be waiting on you when you get to the baggage area at MCO. I have had one bag not make the flight to MCO. We have always had to wait for the bags to make it to the baggage claim area and the area is crowded. (Haven’t flown SWA though.) Its nice to bypass and get a head start on the people waiting for their bags.

 

[ncligs]

When we go for 7 days or less, we always carry on. We use Emarald Isle, and we are usually in our car and out of Orlando airport before the luggage is even on the carousel , About 4 yrs ago we had a direct flight , Pittsburgh to Orlando, 8:00 am in the morning, and our luggage was lost for 8 hrs . So after that experience we said never again.So for the last 3 years we "always" carry on. It is worth the little inconveniece of the "security checks".

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

To each his/her own, but, I have only had one bag "lost" and that was on a return flight. I don't walk slowly and my wait for bags at the pick up area is never more than 10 mins. from the time I hit the area to when my bags actually make the smart cart. They do move them rapidly from the plane to the pick up area. I am speaking of Delta and Southwest only.
Delta was the one that "lost" my bag. It took a long journey and they would not even give me FF miles for it. LOL.
I have no desire to carry my bags on and off a plane or to cause inconvienance for anyone else by hogging bin space with my bags. My rule is: If it cannot fit under my seat, it gets checked. I have no desire to hold up others at the scanners because I want to carry on everything. But, that is just MHO and my way of doing things. I try very hard to be considerate to others. Sometimes I do wonder why.

 

[barbnbrian]

Gail, I'm with you. I've always curbside checked my bags in the past and knock on wood, never had a problem. We don't race off the plane to the baggage claim area, just a normal pace for a family with two younger kids, and by the time I get to baggage claim, my bags are there.

 

[ncligs]

Quote by Gail Hayden....".I have no desire to carry my bags on and off a plane or to cause inconvienance for anyone else by hogging bin space with my bags"
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You are right to each his own, The reason they have the overhead bins is for people that travel light, with a small carry on.We only carry on 1 small bag each, we travel very light. I would rather be safe than "sorry" (lost luggage).On the way back from Florida, we check our bags, but on the way down we would rather not take that chance of lost luggage
Also, putting 1 bag on the security check points scanners is not being inconsiderate to anyone You have to walk through anyway, so laying a bag down does not hold anyone up.
And if you are pulled aside, that doesn't hold anybody up but yourself

 

[CarolA]

In Gail's defense, I will say this. I cannot tell you how many times I have seen Senior Citizens, petite women, or others who CANNOT lift that luggage up into the overhead looking around for help. Lots of time they have a rough time finding it and I can't blame people. Business travelers like me have been banged in the head one too many times by the 100 lb trunks these people have to offer again. So if you cannot lift your luggage WELL over your head, check it!

My other pet peeve is the luggage was proably designed to be a carryon WITHOUT all the exterior pockets fully stuffed! If you have cramed every expandable and exterior space to the exploding point check it. You might get lucky and have one of the planes with the new larger overhead bins, but you might not and it is RUDE to block the aisle while you unpack your suitcase so it will fit in the overhead (I see it everytime I fly!)

 

[mkunichi]

I've recently been checking more things, both for the "Gail" reason (I aspire to be Adam from "Blast from the Past) and because I want to maximize the amount of time and effort the security people have to check the other passengers. I'd much rather have them scrutinizing someone else's bag rather than mine, since I know that I'm harmless.

 

[BobH]

Another thing to note is that the maximum dimensions of a carry on are usually 9" x 14" x 22"
or something that adds up to these dimensions. There are many planes such as the MD-80 that wouldn't hold all the carryon luggage if everyone brought a bag this size. It's permissible but could lead to a crazy situation. There simply isn't enough room on some style planes.
Another pet peeve I have is the people who board early out of order and think they are smart by leaving their luggage in a compartment up front even though they are sitting at the back of the plane. I saw one poor woman (with a seat at the front) have to wait for the whole plane to empty because she was forced to store her bag at the rear of the plane. My compliments to people like Gail who make up for some of the other people we all have to travel with.

 

[drogerstn]

This thread has gone from a very specific inquiry about an opportunity to carry on a small, lightweight bag as the only bag required for a short stay to a discussion about people bringing bags the size and weight of a refrigerator on board the aircraft.

Here is another take on carrying bags on:
I don't want to check my bags and inconvenience others by hogging the cargo space on the aircraft and I will reduce the stress on the baggage handling system at the departure airport; this will increase the chance of everyone’s bags making the flight. My bag will not hold up others at the baggage claim area by tying up the baggage handling resources of the airline at the arrival airport. I can get through the rental car line or bus ride, etc. before the people who check their bags so I won’t be holding them up there either. I try very hard to be considerate of others…

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Nick and Cindy,
Yes actually bags on the conveyor belt can and does hold others up, if they have to stop the belt to look closely into the scanner for the bag. Especially those adorable (NOT) bags on wheels they have for kids and the kids DON'T or won't give the bag up for the scanner, which causes much screaming and politically correct threats from the parents to put the bag on the scanner.
Which of course goes unheard by the little darlings. That, among other things, causes a back log of people and bags.
Granted, many people can walk through the scanner, but, it causes a pile up as that one bag gets scanned, stopped, checked, etc. Perhaps you have been lucky and not had this happen to you, and even more lucky that you were not the one that caused the pile up. Much to my chagrin, we did hold up a line with our laptop case. We took the laptop out way ahead of time, put the bag and the laptop on the scanner and they had a LONG look see. The problem, an itsy bitsy tripod(6") for the digital camera (which fits very neatly in this carrying case). We were there for ten minutes while they took the tripod out of the case, took Dee's shoes and scanned the whole mess again. I was very embarrased and upset at causing a delay. Moral of this story, I will NEVER again carry that stupid tripod. BTW, the entire carrying case holds the laptop, the batteries, charger, cords, camera and fits very neatly under the seat and weighs a bloody ton.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

drogerstn,
Cute post. I just know you are not serious with your assertions.

 

[ivanova]

When deciding to check or carry on ... CAREFULLY assess what you are packing ... if there is ANYTHING you are packing that will not pass security, then check the bag.

We had a simple first aid kit with small scissors (for cutting bandages) that cause the whole bag to be unpacked and search. Not worth it.

So if you have anything that won't clear security for carry on, or will clear but cause the bag to still be hand checked, then seriously consider checking the luggage and save yourselves a lot of headaches.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Susan,
You are so correct. Had I had any idea that a tripod would have caused so much commotion, it would have been left at home ( I never use it). It will now be left at home.

 

[ivanova]

For our last trip, we had the following items that could've been a hassle at security, so they went in the checked luggage:

cane (metal/aluminum) - I have a bum knee
first aid kit scissors (forgot to check on way home; caused problems)
needlepoint (including needles)
emergency sewing kit (including needles)
scrapbooking materials (including BIG scissors)
swiss-army pocket knives
tripod for camcorder & cameras

A friend we travelled with had to carry-on asthma medication and breathing machine for her daughter ... and that alone can be a nightmare at security.