Gate checking of carryon luggage?

[yoopermom]

DS15 and his 19 yo friend flew Friday from Milwaukee-Newark on Delta for a weekend tournament. They were convinced they could do it with only carry-ons, so I looked up the size measurement on the website and carefully packed DSs carryon exactly the right size (maybe an inch under, even). I was a little worried, though, because for $15 they could have "shared" a checked suitcase, but if they ended up having to check their carryons, it would cost me $20 each. As I'm sure you can hear coming, they did fine on the Milw-Detroit leg, but were forced to check both bags on the Detroit-Newark leg. I only have talked to him for a brief minute, but am wondering...
1)do they make you pay the $20 right then and there, or is it going to show up on my cc?
2)they layover in Minneapolis on the way back, what are the chances they're going to make it through both those flights (Newark-Min.-Milw.) without having to check one or both?

Next time I'll know to insist, just take one checked one boys!
Live and learn!
Terri

 

[kaytieeldr]

I don't think they can charge you after the fact. If indeed there was a charge for gate-checked luggage, your son and his friend should have been informed at the time. You didn't authorize any such charge and so shouldn't be responsible for it.

Assuming they had to gate-check the luggage due to a lack of space and not because the bags were too big (pretty good assumption, since you measured beforehand) they should not be charged anyway.

Part of the problem may be the plane configuration. Back during one of Braniff's (ill-fated) incarnations, I had to gate-check my luggage from Newark to Boston - because the overhead 'compartments' were really just a single long shelf on each side of the plane... and yes, it did get misdirected. Actually, non-directed would be a better description; my bag spent the night in Newark.

Probably they'll be fine in Newark, as long as they don't arrive at the last minute; but in Minneapolis they may need to gate check the luggage, if the overhead compartments are already full - like, if their connecting flight runs late.

 

[Brian Noble]

I think we'd need to know more to tell you what is going to happen. There are two reasons you might have to check a carryon bag. One: if the agent decides it exceeds the airline's policies for allowable size. Two: if the plane happens to have no storage at the time you board. In case #2, you generally aren't charged for checking the bag---it's not your fault that the plane doesn't have room. This can often happen on smaller planes, where probably fewer than half of the passengers could bring larger carryons before the overhead storage is full.

In case #1, I've heard everything from "walk back to the check-in counter and check it---and hurry" to having it just checked without payment collected. In any event, if a fee is going to be collected, it is generally collected on the spot, not after the fact.

As long as the bag is of an appropriate size, they *should* be okay. Remind them not to buy a bunch of stuff and stuff it into the bags, because that could put them over.

 

[dudspizza]

You don't mention the aircraft they were on OP. If they are on a CRJ or similar, all carryon bags have to be gate checked. The bins just are not large enough. This easily could happen on the MSP-MKE route.

The other thing that could have happened is there was not enough bin space. As previously stated, if they were not told there was a charge, then there should not be a charge forthcoming.

Keep in mind, a bag that measures fine at home, but then has some stuff "stuffed" into the outside pockets can quickly become over-sized as well...

Best of luck.

duds

 

[yoopermom]

Thanks, all of you. You know teens, he said, "Mommmm, we were boarding and there were tons of people waiting for the plane and the lady took our bags as we were getting on and wouldn't let us carry them on". I know that leg was chock full (I couldn't even get them seats together), so I assume it was probably a matter of there just not being room.

Actually, duds, the smaller plane was the one that they were allowed them as carryons, it was the bigger plane that they had to check them! And I threatened them both, to not put *anything* in them at the airport. (I just picture that Amazing Race episode where the guys wore all the clothes they had on in multiple layers!)

Except for hard earned sweat, the bags shouldn't be any bigger on the way home tomorrow.

Update: I just called Delta, and my cc was NOT charged for the checking in of the luggage, so that's good.
Terri

 

[seashoreCM]

Two bags (for two passengers) that are well within the allowable carry on size/weight is preferable to one bag that is marginal or for which yo are hoping won't be caught as oversized. The two carryon bags are usually preferable to one bag you purposely intend to pay the fee and check, the exception being they don't want to schlep them so much.

>>> ... "should" ... generally ...

Impromptu gate checking happens all the time.

The airline may not charge for checking of carryon baggage where the only reason for checking it was all the space in the cabin taken up by other passengers' baggage.

Remove valuables before handing over the baggage to be checked or gate checked.

 

[yoopermom]

Thanks to you all! I just picked him up, and they had a GREAT time (despite only having a 30 minute layover in Detroit, which was pretty tight). They were able to carryon their bags both legs of the flight home, so that worked out ok.

I know I can always count on the DIS for the answers!

Terri

 

[Missytara]

As you can imagine, people bring back so much stuff than they took with them. My two traveling companions ended up buying two large tote bags to bring back all their Xmas gifts.

About halfway through boarding, it looked like things might get tight in the overhead bins - Airtran offered if any volunteers wanted to check their bags just before boarding, they would do it at no charge. A few people did and it made all the difference....

 

[Darcy03231]

I flew home yesterday on Airtran and one leg of the flight was completely full. Airtran was gate checking carry-on luggage for free. That's probably what will happen with your son's flight.