Rumblings about the newest air travel fee

[Mouseaholic!!!]

This is a WHAT'S NEXT story....

The same rumblings preceeded the checked baggage fees so I read this article in our local paper with a bit of trepidation.

Airlines (facing a 20% reduction in passengers over the upcoming Labor Day Weekend because more of us are driving).....

There is now talk about charging for carry-on bags.

Reason? The introduction of fees for checked bags as strated a flood of people trying to carry on everything they can to avoid checking bags. It is now taking longer to load gets (that costs $$$ and delays schedules), many airlines are now charging for bags which are gate checked and airline liability with overloaded bins if something falls out and hurts a passenger.

Ok, truthfully in my opinion......it's a new revenue source.

I fly Southwest most of the time so it isn't an immediate worry for me....but honestly, I wouldn't put it past airlines. US Airways just increased the fees for checked bags.

 

[Missytara]

I think it is to force the thousands of people who are going to insist on carrying all of their luggage onto the plane so they don't have to check it and pay for it. You either check it or carry it on; above and beyond your two small personal items, you are going to be forced to check it....

Can you imagine getting on a 747 and everyone insisting on carrying all their luggage onto the plane (just because it is within the size limit and within their two bag limit) and there is no luggage in the luggage hold anymore????

 

[scard192]

The airlines need to enforce the carry on rules. Can't tell you how many times I see people carry more than they are supposed to have and put it all in the over head bins. And no FA/GA says anything to them. My favorite - winter coats in the overhead that leave no room for luggage.

Remember b4 911 when everyone could bring 2 carry on pieces of luggage; how did the planes ever get ready to go?

 

[DebbieB]

I read an article yesterday that a bill was introduced in congress regarding a standard size limit of carry-on bags and that TSA would enforce it at the checkpoints. So no dragging oversize bags to the gate and then trying to gate check it for free. I hope it goes through.

 

[SamSam]

I read an article yesterday that a bill was introduced in congress regarding a standard size limit of carry-on bags and that TSA would enforce it at the checkpoints. So no dragging oversize bags to the gate and then trying to gate check it for free. I hope it goes through.

I'm with you. Too many passengers abuse the carrryon size, making it difficult for others to find space for their carryon.

 

[Missytara]

Ditto - that's right; I didn't even think about how long it would take to board a plane with everyone fighting over getting those huge bags in the overheads. Can you imagine the chaos that would ensue.

Yeah, bring it on - if you bring baggage on the plane that should have been checked, then you should get charged for it and it should be in the baggage hold.

I tell you, with the airfare wars this year; even with the $15.00 per way checked bags with Airtran this year, my airfare is $60.00 cheaper than it was last time....... and it is still $50.00 cheaper than going on Southwest and being inconvenienced by not using the RAC if I had choosen Southwest.

I am sticking with Airtran.

 

[bavaria]

I have predicted this for years here. Those of us in the rest of the world outside the US manage just fine with our small carry on luggage, which usually has a size as well as weight restriction (and which is often closely monitored) A 22 inch rollaboard exceeds those limits, by the way.

I have also been told for years that such a scheme wouldn't work in the US as people 'need' their stuff. I don't know what makes American flyers so different from German, or Canadian or other people, but we manage with those rules just fine, and manage to stay clean and neat and entertained during our travels. Your parents managed that too, in earlier years.

On a side note, UA HAS been enforcing their carry on limits quite strictly since checked bag fees were introduced. Unfortunately, there will always be people who believe that the rules do not apply to them, and who will blame the airline or their staff for enforcing those rules.

 

[Missytara]

bavaria - good one!

And how about all the extra stuff that people seem to have to bring on their vacation to entertain their kids and themselves; including being able to check on e-mails, get in touch with work. Laptops, cell phones, i-pods, portable DVD players.

Remember when our parents actually interacted with us; we brought a few books and read to each other. And when fathers used to walk out of work on a Friday afternoon, take a week (or two weeks off) and not be able to get in touch with anybody until they returned to work the following Monday???? We took real vacations.

I am going really OT, but I just had to rant about reading the 1000th posting about where to get WiFi so someone can keep in touch with e-mails.

 

[safetymom]

Personally I think they should charge for carry ons when you see all the "stuff" that people attempt to jam in the overhead.

 

[bavaria]

bavaria - good one!

And how about all the extra stuff that people seem to have to bring on their vacation to entertain their kids and themselves; including being able to check on e-mails, get in touch with work. Laptops, cell phones, i-pods, portable DVD players.

Remember airline flight bags? If one was lucky, one would receive one as a 'thank you' from the travel agent. Bumbershoot posted photos of retro ones awhile back, and I ended up purchasing one - albeit a Longchamp one, but the same size and style. I can put all my 'stuff' inside, and even my new netbook. It is very liberating to only have a small bag, and far less to worry about. My entertainment consists of one paperback, a lot of music/movies on my iPod, and my imagination. Usually the music and the imagination suffice, even on long flights.

In the 'old days' it was a flight bag, a 'pocketbook' (which was a small hand held purse, not the giant sacks of today), a book, a laprobe, and that was all that was permitted.

I may be an odd person out here, but I have posted before why I cannot bear to take a rollaboard on the plane.

 

[Missytara]

Safetymom - ditto and it is just going to get worse!

 

[DVCBELLE]

What constitutes a carry-on? A diaper bag, my purse, a briefcase?

I think that this could be a huge problem and it would be in the airlines interests to just raise fares over starting carry-on fees.

I have always felt that once business travelers start to be inconvencied by rules and fees then you will see action taken to have better regulatons.

 

[dudspizza]

bavaria - good one!

And how about all the extra stuff that people seem to have to bring on their vacation to entertain their kids and themselves; including being able to check on e-mails, get in touch with work. Laptops, cell phones, i-pods, portable DVD players.

Remember when our parents actually interacted with us; we brought a few books and read to each other. And when fathers used to walk out of work on a Friday afternoon, take a week (or two weeks off) and not be able to get in touch with anybody until they returned to work the following Monday???? We took real vacations.

I am going really OT, but I just had to rant about reading the 1000th posting about where to get WiFi so someone can keep in touch with e-mails.

I am going off topic here too......

But it is amazing how much things have changed. Technology is great, heck, it is allowing us to talk about topics we love here on the Internet.

BUT

Some people are WAY over the top. I followed a car out of my neighborhood the other day. The car ended up going about 2-3 miles from our neighborhood and pulled into the grocery store. A very short trip, yet I could see that the driver had put on a MOVIE on the DVD entertainment system so their child would be entertained! Talk about setting a kid up that will have no clue how to entertain themselves when they are in a situation where technology is not available! Those same people need everything under the sun to keep their child entertained when they fly!

Way off topic, it is just something that drives me nuts. Try talking to your kids, people!

And bavaria, there are people in this world who don't believe the rules apply to them?

Duds

 

[Lewisc]

What constitutes a carry-on? A diaper bag, my purse, a briefcase?

I think that this could be a huge problem and it would be in the airlines interests to just raise fares over starting carry-on fees.

I have always felt that once business travelers start to be inconvencied by rules and fees then you will see action taken to have better regulatons.

Many of the airlines exempt elite fliers and sometimes passengers who book a Y (fully refundable) class ticket from checked baggage fees. I suspect they'd do the same with respect to any charges for carry on bags. That effectively exempts profitable business travelers.

I'll speculate the airline would let you take anything that fits under the seat in front of you without charge. The charge will be for larger bags that go in the overhead bins.

 

[Brian Noble]

I will be a little surprised if a fee is assessed for carryons, as it would complicate boarding to make sure it was collected properly. I think it would complicate boarding less to enforce (stricter) size limitations.

To be honest, I have not seen an undue amount of "overhead abuse" on the NW and DL flights I've taken in the last year or so. I've not been flying quite as much as I used to, but even so, it doesn't seem any worse than it did before they started charging for first checked bags.

 

[Tara]

This is a WHAT'S NEXT story....

The same rumblings preceeded the checked baggage fees so I read this article in our local paper with a bit of trepidation.

Airlines (facing a 20% reduction in passengers over the upcoming Labor Day Weekend because more of us are driving).....

There is now talk about charging for carry-on bags.

Reason? The introduction of fees for checked bags as strated a flood of people trying to carry on everything they can to avoid checking bags. It is now taking longer to load gets (that costs $$$ and delays schedules), many airlines are now charging for bags which are gate checked and airline liability with overloaded bins if something falls out and hurts a passenger.

Ok, truthfully in my opinion......it's a new revenue source.

I fly Southwest most of the time so it isn't an immediate worry for me....but honestly, I wouldn't put it past airlines. US Airways just increased the fees for checked bags.

Of course it's a revenue source, and one they have a fiduciary responsibility to consider. (just like Southwest is surely considering when and if they will change their bag check fee policy again) And I "wouldn't put it past airlines" either since the "it" is trying to survive financially in a market where they've cut costs to the bone but have to choose between a fare structure that will help ensure profitability (or break-even-ability) but will not "fly" with customers who demand rock bottom fares that are not sustainable.

It's a no-win situation for the airlines IMO - they all want to survive (everyone wants their job, right?), and we as a flying public want to see them survive (fewer layoffs, no one wants *their* airport to be the one with diminished service), but we don't seem to want to do the things needed for them to survive. (I count myself in this as I often want to find the best price, though I do try to stick with a couple of carriers rather than always going with the rock bottom price.)

 

[RedSox68]

I read an article yesterday that a bill was introduced in congress regarding a standard size limit of carry-on bags and that TSA would enforce it at the checkpoints. So no dragging oversize bags to the gate and then trying to gate check it for free. I hope it goes through.

Geez, I hope they don't change the size of the standard carry on bag. I just bought new carry on luggage for everyone -- and it is the within limits carry on (not the small suitcase, but the standard carry-on as proposed on their websites).

I am in total agreement about the abuse of the carry-on problem. However, what did the airlines expect when they started charging? I always felt that the first bag should be free, and charge for the 2nd and 3rd. But people will find a way around fees. So people like my family, who strictly stick with the one carry-on and one personal item are penalized because sometimes when we board, there is NO room left in the overhead bins. And I certainly wish they would have a standing rule that the overhead bins over the seats you paid for should be strictly for those seats! Drives me crazy when someone comes from the front of the plane -- or across the aisle -- and puts stuff up there and then we can't fit our items when we board! It's a domino affect that starts with one person being allowed to carry on too much and taking up more than their fare share of bin space!

Okay, I'm done and off my soap box

 

[bumbershoot]

Ugh. What an awful idea.

If they'd just enforce the current rules, there wouldn't be a problem. And I haven't noticed it taking longer to board at all...if anything, it's faster.

Shouldn't they *already* have insurance to cover if things fall out of the bins????

Remember b4 911 when everyone could bring 2 carry on pieces of luggage; how did the planes ever get ready to go?

Wondering the same thing. In '95 I flew from JFK to Shannon on Aer Lingus, had FIVE bags with me. For a week. Yes, my traveling companion made fun of me the WHOLE trip. But still. 5 bags. How on earth did the plane take off?

And how about all the extra stuff that people seem to have to bring on their vacation to entertain their kids and themselves; including being able to check on e-mails, get in touch with work. Laptops, cell phones, i-pods, portable DVD players.

Remember when our parents actually interacted with us; we brought a few books and read to each other. And when fathers used to walk out of work on a Friday afternoon, take a week (or two weeks off) and not be able to get in touch with anybody until they returned to work the following Monday???? We took real vacations.

Actually, no, I don't really remember those days. Vacation with my dad was quite different from vacation with yours...he was always being called back into work (Greyhound driver when they were union).

And talking got really boring. I drove my dad and brother nuts on a long drive to Montana, b/c I listened to Michael Jackson's Off the Wall tape over and over and over, thanks to the newfangled auto-reverse tape deck in stepmom's car.

No reading in the car as that'll bring on car sickness and headaches...

Now I'm not the biggest fan of the TVs in the seatbacks, but it's more fun than bending my head down to read a book all flight.

Remember airline flight bags? If one was lucky, one would receive one as a 'thank you' from the travel agent. Bumbershoot posted photos of retro ones awhile back...

In the 'old days' it was a flight bag, a 'pocketbook' (which was a small hand held purse, not the giant sacks of today), a book, a laprobe, and that was all that was permitted.

I may be an odd person out here, but I have posted before why I cannot bear to take a rollaboard on the plane.

I did? Can you post my link? I don't remember!

But now I'm thinking about the bag Aer Lingus sent me with my travel package (we did a flight/B&B/car package), and maybe I'll use that on my next flight, for fun!

I continue to refuse rollaboards as well. Soft-sided luggage that I can carry is all we use.

What constitutes a carry-on? A diaper bag, my purse, a briefcase?

They do have those guidelines on airline websites.

My own rule of thumb, if a particular airline doesn't specify as exactly as, say, American Airlines, is that I use a proper-sized official carry-on, and then my personal item must be a good bit smaller than that. But...all the luggage we have (save the big suitcase that was my mom's that I can't get rid of yet, and just sits in my closet) is official carryon size anyway, so it's no big deal.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

bavaria - good one!

And how about all the extra stuff that people seem to have to bring on their vacation to entertain their kids and themselves; including being able to check on e-mails, get in touch with work. Laptops, cell phones, i-pods, portable DVD players.

Remember when our parents actually interacted with us; we brought a few books and read to each other. And when fathers used to walk out of work on a Friday afternoon, take a week (or two weeks off) and not be able to get in touch with anybody until they returned to work the following Monday???? We took real vacations.

I am going really OT, but I just had to rant about reading the 1000th posting about where to get WiFi so someone can keep in touch with e-mails.

fwiw, we never bring our laptop on vacation and don't get on a computer at all unless it's to check in for our return flight. We are both 'unreachable' to our jobs.
I also have not-so-fond memories of my parents yelling at us and trying to reach back to the backseat to swat our butts for being total PITAs, getting bored on long drives.
Do you really leave your cell phone home when you go on vacation? If not, then why ridicule those that bring them?
Dh likes his ipod on the plane and watching a movies helps pass the time. Yes, we could live without them but it's nice to have and who is it really bothering? I guess everyone around me who prefers to do nothing. .

To the PP who noticed a neighbor put a movie on for a short drive, my neighbor's minivan automatically turns on when the car is started. I guess it could be shut off but she always just let it play.
Mine is aftermarket installed by dh and has to be restarted everytime the engine is shut off. That suits me just fine. We only use it to drive to the shore or our 6 hr Williamsburg trip.

 

[shopgirl72]

The airlines need to enforce the carry on rules. Can't tell you how many times I see people carry more than they are supposed to have and put it all in the over head bins. And no FA/GA says anything to them. My favorite - winter coats in the overhead that leave no room for luggage.

Remember b4 911 when everyone could bring 2 carry on pieces of luggage; how did the planes ever get ready to go?

Where do you put your winter coat if you are flying???