Considering banning all Carry-on luggage

[Lewisc]

Gail--you asked why advance seat assignments might be eliminated. No one element of security is infaliable. Having overlapping levels helps instill confidence. On the long haul I'm not sure how complete an aircraft inspection can be betwen flights. I think (with the schedule changes) airlines probably are looking forward to an excuse not to assign seats in advance. It also makes it harder for hijackers to make sure they are getting the seats they want.
Curbside check-in is another area open to debate. Since bags are checked with your name they have the ability to pull your luggage if you don't board the plane. It should be doable to add enough security so people can't deposit luggage directly on the belt or cart using counterfeit tags. The idea is to make it harder for people to do bad things.

 

[mikek]

First- all major sporting events have instituted a similar (if not the same rule). Only what you have in your hands, diaper or medical bags, and small pocketbooks are allowed. I was at the Yankee game last night and they enforced it pretty tightly- many people were upset with backpacks as they were not allowed in with them. But Isaw many women carry in pocket books, and loads of people with bags of chips, etc. And our friends were not bothered about their diaper bag.

Second- in my own opinion its somewhat excessive and only really makes people feel better rather than getting to the real problems- But since their intention is that i may get off the plane or out of the stadium alive with my children i dont really get that bent about it. It's not the airlines trying to save money or flighht attendants trying to make their lives easier, it is the government trying to save lives.

AS several have posted- they are 'looking at' many things. I'm sure they will pick a couple that i will not appreciate or think appropriate or even necessary, but if the sum total of the efforts are a safer place to raise my family than so be it.

(For the record- I have a 10 month old and a 2 and a half year old so i'd have to figure out how to keep them happy too- especially on the 5 hour flights to visit their grandparents in AZ)

 

[JandD Mom]

Dear Gail,

I did look on the FAA web site for the info about the plane being checked before it leaves. I can't find it. That site is a tangled web indeed. Could you please post the link if you have it.

Thanks!

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

here you go:

http://www.faa.gov/apa/testimony/2001/921tejg.htm
http://www.faa.gov/
http://www.dot.gov/
Hope this helps, these are GREAT sites.
Take care.

 

[GAIL HAYDEN]

Lewis,
I completely understand and agree with what you are saying. If the seating goes as planned everyone then can complain about "cattle call" boarding. LOL.

 

[dcedwards]

Isn't it ironic that when SWA instituted its "no assigned seat policy" that they took a lot of heat for that. They did it in an attempt to save money and in the end may have assisted them in safety areas.

We, primarily fly SWA. I'm used to the "cattle call" boarding procedure. When I didn't have a young one we would arrive "way ahead" of time to be sure we got in the first 30. Then we realized if we were in the first 60, if the flight originated at our stop, it would be fine. I guess I've gotten used to it. Now that I have a young one, under 5, they allow me to pre-board so the number I get doesn't make that much difference ... but we still get there early ... I always feel badly if I get to preboard and my number is higher than 60. On the other hand, now that I think about it, I should probably wait and get a higher number so others could get the lower number ... a new thought.

Gail - I appreciate your comments. Thanks. I, too, have seen many instances where parents react much differently to their children's actions than I would. I am hoping that as time goes on parenting will become a popular activity instead of a lost art. Wouldn't that be nice.

As far as carry ons, the fact that Pan Am has now made this come true, I think makes it even more important for those who might object to make your voices heard. I agree that defining a diaper is somewhat hard to do. I have several LARGE diaper bags that I don't usually carry because they are so big. Now comes the question, what constitutes a diaper bag vs. a regular carry on bag? I, too, have seen some rather obnoxiously large purses. And so the debate goes on. I am glad to hear that they at least the FAA or Pan Am scaled the original proposal back from nothing and will allow diaper bags and purses. I can fit tons of things in my large diaper bag...enough to keep him preoccupied ... it just won't be quite as organized as two bags ... oh well.

I just want to make sure that we aren't giving up some of our "freedoms" of travel just to "feel" secure. I want what is done to have a DIRECT impact on security. And until I started this thread I hadn't really thought about the seat assignment thing. That is interesting. I just love this forum. Really gets the creative thinking juices going. And with staying home with a 3 year old it keeps my thinker sharp.

 

[skeezixspud]

If you are going to a sporting event, you know that you will be there 4 hours at the most, and that you can leave at any time if an emergency arises. Not so when flying. Often in winter, several thousand travellers end up sleeping at 'Camp O'Hare' for 2 days because the airport is closed due to weather, and most ground transport does not run, either. (I guess in that case cross-country skis would be a sensible carry-on!) What happens if your flight sits on the runway for 6 hours, or another passenger throws up on you mid-flight? You can't reclaim a checked bag to get a change of clothes at 35,000 feet.

The reality is that when air traffic is at full capacity in this country, the smart passenger travelling in winter carries enough supplies to last for at least 24 hours, and the smart parent carries sufficient diversion to entertain a young child for at least 16 hours, so as to avoid annoying other passengers.

European carriers have restricted carry-ons to around 12 lbs for some time now, and they tell the truth about why. It saves fuel and minimizes the risk of injury if a bag falls out of an overhead bin.

 

[DebbieB]

I just read an article on CNN where President Bush is talking about new airline security. Nothing was mentioned about carry-ons.

http://www.cnn.com/2001/US/09/27/rec.bush.airports/index.html

 

[Planogirl]

dcedwards, I also always did my best to keep my son from bothering others. No loud noise, no kicking of the seat in front of him, no playing with the tray table and so forth. Sometimes it doesn't work however. I can count all of the true melt-downs he had on one hand. Unfortunately one was on an airplane and it happened after a VERY lengthy delay by the airline. I apologized to all nearby and did my best to quiet him. I was embarassed but couldn't do much about it.

Now, if I can take a reasonable sized purse which can hold a few small books, a Gameboy if it's still allowed, my camera, wallet and a few other small items, I'll do just fine. However, men should also be able to carry some kind of small bag, it's only fair.

 

[mikek]

skeezixspud-

Sorry if i was unclear- but i was NOT comparing a sporting event to traveling.

My point was that the policy (at least at sporting venues) is not draconian (sp?) and they were allowing diaper bags and pocket books and any loose items into the stadium. I was atttemping to quell the fury by sharing my experience.

that aside-
We're in a time where there's actually a legitimate debate about giving pilots GUNS and people are sweating the size of their carry ons? I'm reminded of the the term NIMBY. "do whateveryou need to do- just dont inconvenience me."

Here in the NY area today we have THREE or FOUR HOUR traffic jams to get into the city as 2 of the four tunnels are closed for security / emergency vehicle access. In an attempt to mitagate this huge problem a ban on single occupancy vehicles entering the city near ground zero has been implemented during the morning rush hour. People actually have the ____ to complain. For crying out load- they are still pulling out bodies and hoping for the miracle of a live survivor and people are whining that they'll need to take a bus or train to work.

 

[ducklite]

Originally posted by mikek
skeezixspud-

people are whining that they'll need to take a bus or train to work.

I was a "commuter" for years. It's beyond me why anyone in their right mind would drive in unless they absolutely had to. I did twice in the last three years I worked in Manahattan...

Once as I had an appointment in Northern NJ that I was leaving work early to get to, and there was no way I could have taken the train home then driven to Northern NJ and gotten there on time, I would have had to take the entire day off--btw--I gave a friend a lift in that morning to save her paying the train fare. The other was because I went in for a couple hours before I left to drive to CT for my grandmothers wake and funeral.

I'm sure some people need their car for their job, but I know a lot of people who just think they are too good to ride mass transit with the rest of us...

Anne

 

[dcedwards]

Planogirl --

I know what you mean. The same thing happened to us. We had been sitting on the tarmack for over 3 hours...and it just happened. I was so embarrased but like you said there are times when you just can't do anything about it. Most of the passengers were very understanding but there was one that simply turned her nose up and said "hmmm". I apologized again. You would hope some would be a bit more understanding but that is how it goes. In that instance you just want to say to your kid --- see that seat over there you can kick it all you want -- of course I didn't but the thought did cross my mind. Personally I can't wait until he will sit and play a gameboy. He isn't quite ready for that but my day is coming soon -- I hope.

I also agree that men should be allowed to carry something on too. It will be interesting to see where all this goes. I just know that the stuff I put in my carry on is essential, at least to me. Of course, that is how everyone looks at it, right?