Post all SW questions concerns, etc. here...

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

One thing that may be worthwhile and I've done this when I'm close to overweight.

Our use a luggage scale yourself and travel with it

Walk outside the doors and tip the skycap

That is if there is a skycap. Especially since the pandemic this isn't as common as it once was.

We also would never use a skycap to circumvent an airline's policy most especially if we're considering size of an item.

I've never personally seen or even heard reports of any of the major airlines measuring bags

I would segment this out to say checked luggage (which the PP is speaking to). Carry on and personal items are much more common to be subjects to measurements though the standard way is not a measuring tape but the sample luggage slot pertaining to the airline. Odd-shaped luggage may be more subject to scrutiny though.

 

[EACarlson]

Our use a luggage scale yourself and travel with it

That is if there is a skycap. Especially since the pandemic this isn't as common as it once was.

We also would never use a skycap to circumvent an airline's policy most especially if we're considering size of an item.


I would segment this out to say checked luggage (which the PP is speaking to). Carry on and personal items are much more common to be subjects to measurements though the standard way is not a measuring tape but the sample luggage slot pertaining to the airline. Odd-shaped luggage may be more subject to scrutiny though.

Sometimes I do, I don't trust that my scale is going to exactly match up with each particular scale at the airport. $5 is worth it to me to not have to worry about it.
PP specifically mentioned MCO. There are skycaps at MCO, sometimes SW employees are asking people to go out there to check their bags.
I stand by my statement. I've never seen a major airline measure a bag unless it was obviously oversized, and sometimes not even then. Had a guy carry a hiking backpack bigger than my checked bag onto my last flight out of ORD.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I don't know where SW has re-deployed all their planes to, but they have eliminated so many flights to/from MCO over the last decade...particularly from northeast airports.

I remember several years back that they started focusing more on BWI (looking at just the northeast region) especially with connections and SWA doesn't typically focus on too many close proximity airports so that could be part of it. Also they started Hawaii flights back in 2019 and those take out the planes for a long duration. They are about to start red eye flights now. Etc.

I think the way they used to fly around the U.S. has adjusted over the years just pondering here. When my husband was in Maryland in 2016 for example on temporary assignment his plane would often originate early in the day on the west coast, often CA, and then hop around making its way to the north east often going to TN or somewhere near there before going up to BWI and then he would take the non-stop late evening flight back to KC. That may not be as seamless these days with the shortage of planes, pilots, profit drainers (meaning routes or airlines not pulling enough profit) and more.

 

[MinnieMSue]

I've never personally seen or even heard reports of any of the major airlines measuring bags unless they were obviously way oversize. Please share your source and we can all take a look and judge for ourselves. One thing that may be worthwhile and I've done this when I'm close to overweight. Walk outside the doors and tip the skycap a couple bucks. Guarantee that bag isn't going to see the scale or a measuring tape.

Ok glad to hear it. I actually thought my source was on here but must have been someone on FB since I scrolled back and it wasn’t mentioned here. I also knew there would have been conversation about this too. I believe they had unzipped the bit of extra room in their suitcase and someone at MCO Southwest measured it as 63 or 64 inches and charged them. I was asking on here as I was curious to see if anyone has seen it happen. I had never heard of or seen Southwest doing this either. I have checked that particular bag before with them before. As to the skycaps I pretty much always use them at MCO when our car service drops us off. I have never done it to try to circumvent anything as I have never been overweight or oversize (tho I knew this bag was close when used before). At our home airport CMH we park in long term garage and just check at the Southwest desk. I don’t even know if the skycaps are back there or not since Covid.

 

[MinnieMSue]

This is a screenshot of the post I saw. She seemed to be telling the truth but of course it is FB
Edit to add: I wonder if they just do this for bags that look really big and not most other ones. I think I will just take a second smaller suitcase if needed instead of the 28 inch one.

 

[FreeTime]

Hmmmm…mine was 64 three weeks ago when I arrived. It will stink if I now need to pay to get it home.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Hmmmm…mine was 64 three weeks ago when I arrived. It will stink if I now need to pay to get it home.

The rule already is 62 inches. The only change IF this was going to be a regular occurrence is enforcement of an existing airline policy.

 

[FreeTime]

The rule already is 62 inches. The only change IF this was going to be a regular occurrence is enforcement of an existing airline policy.

Yes. I had measured it at 62 and opened it and the accepted it. They shouldn’t have. I’m good with them following their own rules. I just now need to be prepared for it.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

f over 62 inches charging the extra $150 when checking them.

Technically online the $150 fee is listed is for overweight luggage. An oversized luggage is $200 if it's not more than 80 inches.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yes. I had measured it at 62 and opened it and the accepted it. They shouldn’t have. I’m good with them following their own rules. I just now need to be prepared for it.

I think the wheels of many newer suitcases is what gets people because they stick out so far.

 

[Boopuff]

Just flew back from Las Vegas. The gate agent was very strict about only 2 items (neck pillows count as item so do blankets) The agent also kept track of the number order and saw 2 people turn back and find their correct spot. Another interesting thing - while on the plane the FA made several announcements that people were to put their bags above their seats. No putting bag up front and heading toward the back. She announced "man in the white shirt! take your bag with you!" first time I ever heard that being addressed.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

No putting bag up front and heading toward the back. She announced "man in the white shirt! take your bag with you!" first time I ever heard that being addressed.

And our flight from Oakland to KC on 10/20 was the direct opposite as in the FAs were telling people to use the overhead bin space of whatever they could find but that's not the first time I've heard it on a SWA flight (FWIW my personal opinion is you should be using the overhead bin space of where your seat is at but I digress). This time it was said when at least half the plane had boarded. What was said in the beginning of the boarding and throughout was for people to put smaller items under the seats including backpacks, jackets, purses, etc and only roller bags should be up top. It was fairly easy to figure out their reasoning which was to preserve as much overhead bin space as possible until some point in the boarding where overhead bin space was not as much at risk of running out therefore later passengers could use whatever bin space was left so boarding could continue smoothly enough and they could get pushed off the gate.

The FAs use their own discretion based on the each flight as they observe not only the passenger make up but also what luggage they have and presumably also having some sort of an idea how many checked bags there are, then there's taking into account how quickly the boarding is going the slower the boarding is going the more likely (IMO) they may be to mention to just use whatever overhead bin space you see assuming they've gotten far enough into the boarding.

 

[MinnieMSue]

We have seen some very strict flight attendants lately when boarding with the two item limit and no neck pillows. I haven’t seen anyone say anything about boarding in order yet. Only time I have seen them mention overhead items is when the back was filling up they started telling people to put items overhead if they saw space. Idk what they say at the beginning since we haven’t had that good of boarding positions recently. I only carry two small bags (well one very small bag and a cpap machine) and I put my cpap machine over my seat and have never been told not to yet. Both may fit under the seat in front of me but my feet wouldn’t have any room and I wouldn’t be able to get anything out of my bag. Plus I feel like I should be allowed to put one small thing up there when I see people with such big bags that they need help hefting them up. One lady dropped hers on my head when she put it over my seat. I do worry about my cpap getting crushed by such big bags but I need access to the stuff in my other bag. Anyway I digress. It seems like they make on the fly decisions about what rules they will implement when depending on the makeup of the flight

 

[tseitel]

We’re at Tampa now, waiting for our flight home. They are being strict. The 2 per person items includes stuffed animals, coats, baby bags, neck pillows, purses.

 

[focusondisney]

I’m really glad to hear it. So many times I’ve seen people coming on with their rolling carry on luggage, their purse & 1 or 2 big Disney shopping bags. Never understood how it was allowed.

 

[Sheryl2059]

Last trip on the way home there was my carry on, my small backpack, and a small disney bag. But, only the carry on went into the compartment the others under the seat. The majority of Disney purchases I had shipped from their big store on Main Street. Something I highly recommend to everyone when possible.

 

[MinnieMSue]

Last trip on the way home there was my carry on, my small backpack, and a small disney bag. But, only the carry on went into the compartment the others under the seat. The majority of Disney purchases I had shipped from their big store on Main Street. Something I highly recommend to everyone when possible.

In many cases now they will make you consolidate into 2 bags before boarding. They are starting to be more strict

 

[focusondisney]

Last trip on the way home there was my carry on, my small backpack, and a small disney bag. But, only the carry on went into the compartment the others under the seat. The majority of Disney purchases I had shipped from their big store on Main Street. Something I highly recommend to everyone when possible.

When was that trip? I wouldn’t count on being able to do that the next time. I’ve personally heard them announcing 2 items only, specifically saying luggage, shopping bags & purses are all different items. On our way home in September, as the flight before ours was boarding, I watched as 1 young woman lined up with her carryon, her purse & a shopping bag. She was not allowed to board & was made to move to the side to consolidate her items as others moved past her & continued to board.

 

[MinnieMSue]

When was that trip? I wouldn’t count on being able to do that the next time. I’ve personally heard them announcing 2 items only, specifically saying luggage, shopping bags & purses are all different items. On our way home in September, as the flight before ours was boarding, I watched as 1 young woman lined up with her carryon, her purse & a shopping bag. She was not allowed to board & was made to move to the side to consolidate her items as others moved past her & continued to board.

We saw the same on our last several flights. They don’t let you even wear things to get out of having it in bags. I was surprised we were able to wear our headphones since they made a lady put her neck pillow into a bag while they let other people pass her and board. I did hear her say headphones couldn’t be around your neck. Idk if they meant for takeoff or what. We were on the plane then and didn’t have them around our necks. I’m kind of worried my cpap is going to count as a bag at some point(although I have never brought more than one other thing as a carryon yet). No way in hell I would check my cpap tho because they would break it for sure.

 

[Sheryl2059]

When was that trip? I wouldn’t count on being able to do that the next time. I’ve personally heard them announcing 2 items only, specifically saying luggage, shopping bags & purses are all different items. On our way home in September, as the flight before ours was boarding, I watched as 1 young woman lined up with her carryon, her purse & a shopping bag. She was not allowed to board & was made to move to the side to consolidate her items as others moved past her & continued to board.

Last month. The limit was one carry on and one personal item. The carry on was a shoulder bag (in the compartment) and the personal item the small backpack (under the seat). The shopping bag didnt have much in it and also fit under the seat as well. So perhaps it was missed.

Then again, on the same trip some other guy had two items, the smaller of the two being bigger than my single shoulder bag, shoved up into the overhead bin. So I dont feel bad at all.