S/O carry on etiquette

[wvjules]

Yeah no size doesn't matter and doesn't matter to the FAA. They just care about number of items and you're limited to a personal item regardless of what that is and a carry on. I've seen people take their small purses out of say a shopping bag (which is their personal item) and then be told by the FA to put it back in the bag or the passenger takes the bag put it under their seat but then doesn't want something else by their feet so they put their purse up in the overhead bin which I find to be cheeky.

While I won't say with confidence I imagine some of this is related to removing too many items that would be an obstacle should an emergency occur. Straps especially can be problematic.

Yea I know. I'm a frequent flyer. My purse fits in my backpack with my laptop and after boarding (sometimes one the jetway) I remove it so I have the stuff I need handy. Backpack goes under the seat, purse with the essentials goes in seat pocket. But thanks for the lecture.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Which is what they were doing on this particular flight. Probably because the gate agents spotted the bags which were clearly bigger than any others.

I have never seen any larger than the regular carry-on get through the scanner is what I was referring to.

You seem to be conflicting with what you said before. We're just pointing out it's not TSA. Airlines have different sizes they allow. TSA, as others stated, they are just looking at bags through the scanners.

SWA for example allows for 24” (L) + 16” (W) + 10” (H)

Delta is 22" x 14" x 9"

TSA while looking at your luggage isn't trying to figure out who has 2 more inches length wise or width wise. Bags go in scanner and so long as it does that that's the end of their role in terms of size.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Yea I know. I'm a frequent flyer. My purse fits in my backpack with my laptop and after boarding (sometimes one the jetway) I remove it so I have the stuff I need handy. Backpack goes under the seat, purse with the essentials goes in seat pocket. But thanks for the lecture.

I don't need to lecture you, you already know the rules, so no need to rationalize this with me. You're fully aware what you're allowed. Somehow I can fly with my purse in my personal item 100% of the time (and I get it ready to go with my ID and other items for when I reach my final destination and can then remove my purse) and still manage to have all that I need with me so let's not make this into "but.." situation and many other women (and others who have purses or like items do this as well) no one is special here. I'm just saying I have seen FAs tell people to reconsolidate.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Here's a thought - why not close and LOCK the overhead bins until everyone who doesn't have stuff up there gets off the plane? Something tells me that the priorities of just what needs to be brought on the plane would change significantly if they did that.

I'm not sure why you're so hostile to people with carry on luggage. I mean I get some gripes because nothing is worse than it being nearly 2am and it taking a while to get off the plane but I simply can't muster up enough angst over people having carry on luggage in such a way to even ponder severe measures.

 

[china mom]

I kind of look at like "first come first served." If you are in the last set of passengers to board, you know there may be no overhead space left. I don't think people should be forced to place things under the seat if they chose not to. Of course it's kind to do it, and I always do because I frequently get stuff from my bag. But, some people have leg/knee issues and need to stretch legs. Plus if you are in a middle seat you are already squished in so the leg space may be a necessity. It's really no big deal for the attendant to take bags when there is no room, they wheel out a cart and you get it right as you exit the flight. I have had to do this many times.

This is not the case for all airlines. For example, on southwest, if a bag gets gate checked, it will arrive on the baggage carousel, not the jetway. Exceptions for strollers and mobility devices.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

It's really no big deal for the attendant to take bags when there is no room, they wheel out a cart and you get it right as you exit the flight. I have had to do this many times.

Some gate checks don't end up being gate checks, they get sent onto the the baggage carousel. I see this more when it's done before boarding as they have more time. It's pretty common for me to hear an announcement at the gate for SWA that if anyone is willing to gate check their carry on, and the rest of that spiel.

 

[georgina]

If it can fit under the seat, it should go under the seat.

So if I carry on a backpack and a purse, I have to cram both under the seat in front of me because technically they could fit? Nope, not happening

 

[Dug720]

It's really no big deal for the attendant to take bags when there is no room, they wheel out a cart and you get it right as you exit the flight.

Most of the time now gate checked bags are delivered to baggage claim. At least on the flights I've been on.

 

[georgina]

This is not the case for all airlines. For example, on southwest, if a bag gets gate checked, it will arrive on the baggage carousel, not the jetway. Exceptions for strollers and mobility devices.

Yeah, and on another airline they did that to me on a flight with a connection and they lost the bag for a few days. Claiming they would check it to the final destination didn’t work.

 

[wvjules]

I don't need to lecture you, you already know the rules, so no need to rationalize this with me. You're fully aware what you're allowed. Somehow I can fly with my purse in my personal item 100% of the time (and I get it ready to go with my ID and other items for when I reach my final destination and can then remove my purse) and still manage to have all that I need with me so let's not make this into "but.." situation and many other women (and others who have purses or like items do this as well) no one is special here. I'm just saying I have seen FAs tell people to reconsolidate.

I'm not rationalizing anything. I do what I do. If I'm told to reconsolidate I do that. Can't think of an instance of that happening TO ME though. Of course, I don't do this all the time either. Depends on what all I have with me and which purse/clutch I use.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

So if I carry on a backpack and a purse, I have to cram both under the seat in front of me because technically they could fit? Nope, not happening

The OP is talking about a carry on in this thread. In this case I would assume your backpack is your carry on and your purse is your personal item. If you were just carrying a backpack I'm assuming (and I could be incorrect) the PP is meaning because it technically fits under the seat (most backpacks do) they are saying that should fit under the seat instead of placing it above in the overhead bin (them giving their opinion off of the OP's question).

 

[Dug720]

You seem to be conflicting with what you said before. We're just pointing out it's not TSA. Airlines have different sizes they allow. TSA, as others stated, they are just looking at bags through the scanners.

SWA for example allows for 24” (L) + 16” (W) + 10” (H)

Delta is 22" x 14" x 9"

TSA while looking at your luggage isn't trying to figure out who has 2 more inches length wise or width wise. Bags go in scanner and so long as it does that that's the end of their role in terms of size.

Again, I never SAID TSA should have tagged them. Just these bags were larger than ANY I have seen as carry-on and I do not know how they fit through the TSA scanners. That is what I meant by "not sure how they got through TSA." You put the "TSA should have turned them away" spin on it.

 

[china mom]

Yeah, and on another airline they did that to me on a flight with a connection and they lost the bag for a few days. Claiming they would check it to the final destination didn’t work.

Ouch. Considering my carry on would be where all the stuff I need with me would be (medications, power cords etc) that hurts.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

I'm not rationalizing anything. I do what I do. If I'm told to reconsolidate I do that. Can't think of an instance of that happening though. Of course, I don't do this all the time either. Depends on what all I have with me and which purse/clutch I use.

I see all sorts of things happen depending on the flight or the FA.

Last year when we were going to Vegas super early one FA was adamant that a bag needed to be gate checked because it wouldn't fit but another FA was like "I got this" It was almost 5 am boarding so I'm guessing one FA was crankier than the other.

Some people have never had their IDs checked at the gate while I have been on flights that have. I actually remember a particular conversation with a poster several years back who thought I was crazy until others chimed in to say they too have had that happen (although it's actually been a few years since this has occurred but I do make sure to have my ID easily accessible just in case).

I'm not questioning whether you would adhere to the FA, that's on you. Just the truth that I have seen some passengers skirt that personal item and carry on limit and then be called out by the FA about it with the most notice given at take off and landing (as one would naturally expect) outside of when you're getting your boarding pass scanned and they tell you over and over and over "FAA regulations..."

Despite the fact that I carry a purse wherever I go when I'm flying I choose to have more space in what I carry and pack my purse in with my personal item knowing that I'm limited to that and a carry on. My mother-in-law though often just has her purse as her personal item and she can get away with that majority of the time because her husband only does a carry on so another bag that has random stuff in it can be considered his personal item lol.

 

[wvjules]

Ouch. Considering my carry on would be where all the stuff I need with me would be (medications, power cords etc) that hurts.

You do not give up control of those items under any circumstances.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Ouch. Considering my carry on would be where all the stuff I need with me would be (medications, power cords etc) that hurts.

Those should be in your personal item in case your carry on is ever gate checked

 

[dioxide45]

This is why Southwest is great. We flew about a week ago and were nearly the last people on the plane (flying out of MCO and nearly missed our flight due to parking and security, mostly parking or lack thereof). There were plenty of overhead bins that were still completely empty with not a single bag in them.

 

[Moliphino]

I have been on a plane where the staff went along the overhead bins and removed any bags which could be under the seat in front and gave them back to their owners so suitcases could be put in the over head.

And what if the bag's owner already had another bag under the seat in front of them?

 

[hrhdhd]

Yea I know. I'm a frequent flyer. My purse fits in my backpack with my laptop and after boarding (sometimes one the jetway) I remove it so I have the stuff I need handy. Backpack goes under the seat, purse with the essentials goes in seat pocket. But thanks for the lecture.

I appreciate your strategy, but the seat pocket is a pocket of . Tons of articles out there about how they are never cleaned and/or sanitized, so they contain every cootie that previous passengers have shoved in there, from used tissues to diapers.

 

[Lumpy1106]

I'm not sure why you're so hostile to people with carry on luggage. I mean I get some gripes because nothing is worse than it being nearly 2am and it taking a while to get off the plane but I simply can't muster up enough angst over people having carry on luggage in such a way to even ponder severe measures.

I'll admit it came as a result of being eye-shamed when bringing my (very well behaved) kids on planes since they were infants. We ALWAYS bought them their own seat and ALWAYS had them strapped in a car seat for the duration but that did not stop the eye-shamers. When you are carrying a car seat through an airport, and for us, 2 car seats for a time, you cannot also carry a roller bag. A backpack, yes, but that's it. We also always sat in the back of the plane so we were out of the way. With that perspective, I can tell you with full confidence, it is not parents with kids, but the roller luggage army that hold up plane loading and unloading and it's not even close.

I'll save my rant for "lap kid" parents for another thread - or not. Suffice to say, I can't see how that's safe, and if that's allowed, why should I be paying for a seat for my kid in a car seat if there's an empty seat on the plane? No dog in this fight anymore - my kids are all grown - just seems wrong.