Taking carry-ons to avoid luggage fees?

[SuzanneSLO]

AirTran's 55 inch max is much higher than the other airlines. Most have a 45 inch max (22 inch length), SW is 50 (24 inch length). I saw somewhere that there is a proposed bill to make the max carry-on no more than 50 total.

Not sure if it is similar on Airtran, but on American, there is both a total maximum (45") and maximum dimensions for each side (ie., a sizer). So even though our 10 x 14 X 17 bag is only 41" total, it exceeds the maximum of 9" for the width and may be subject to checking. -- Suzanne

 

[sparkyboy]

DH and I just flew SW to Phoenix and it was ridiculous the amount of luggage that was being pushed into the overhead bins when there is no luggage fee. Full flight and not enough overhead space to accommodate everyone's needs. Then when it is time to deplane, their bag is not conveniently close to their seat. One mother with newborn and toddler had stroller, diaper bag, car seats, back pack, purse as well as a duffel bag that was way over the 50 in. limit and was stressed when FA told her that duffel bag needed to be checked. I prefer to check my bag and have my personal item under my seat but do understand that for some families there is a need to use overhead bins.

 

[NancyIL]

My pet peeve is when people put all of their carry-ons in the overhead compartment so they'll have more room for their feet under their seat. Nice for them...inconsiderate of those who are looking for space for their carry-ons.

 

[Uncleromulus]

No matter what the rule, people will stretch it to the limit.
On our Airtran Flight just 2 weeks ago we were treated to the spectacle of several folks BEATING on their luggage with their fists trying to make it fit in the overhead bins.
Don't they have "size boxes" just outside the plane so these carry-on's can be "measured"? They should probably make everyone put their carryon IN that box BEFORE getting on the plane. If it doesn't fit--it dosen't get on to start with.

 

[bavaria]

There is a certain irony here. We often have readers asking if they will be 'caught' if they exceed the posted limits for carry on items. Then we have readers who report how often flights are delayed due to excessive carry on.

On my US domestic flights, pretty much every time the UA GA's end up checking bags at the gate. They don't even let passengers go down the jetway anymore with those mammoth bags, if they can catch them. Yet even so by the time zone 4 boards there is usually no space left, and many of those passengers also have to gate check. They are also insistent that the personal item is stowed under the seat in front of you, and that winter coats are not put into the bins until boarding is completed.

A few weeks ago I was waiting to board a LH flight from ORD and the LH staff were very dilegent about visually checking bags in the boarding line, pulling people out, measuring and weighing the bags, and refusing them boarding, including the 22 inch bags which are accepted on American flights, but not on LH flights. The DUS/FRA/MUC flights all leave from the same gates and this was quite the show, with people who hadn't read the rules trying to insist that they were fine, and the LH staff refusing to budge.

I know that many of you cannot stand me or my posting style, and I don't really let that bother me. The rules are the rules for a reason. Not following the rules impacts everyone through delayed flights, or by forcing others to gate check even when they do fall within the rules.

AirTran may have a larger than normal carry on policy, but there is no way that a 25 inch bag will fit wheels in into most overhead bins. 22 inch bags won't fit into a 767 bin wheels first either. Nor will they fit on a 747 UD. Remember too that you will need to lift that 25 inch bag over your head, and you will also need to lift it onto the belt at security. If you cannot lift a 25 inch suitcase over your head at home, don't expect to do it on board the flight.

For the time being, the vast majority of US carriers allow one 22 inch carry on plus one person item, and the 22 inch bag cannot be overfilled. I fully expect that to change very soon in the coming years to conform to worldwide standards. And for those of you flying overseas remember that the international rules apply, which means much smaller carry on, which is often weighed. And frying pans can weigh quite a bit!

 

[bavaria]

Don't they have "size boxes" just outside the plane so these carry-on's can be "measured"? They should probably make everyone put their carryon IN that box BEFORE getting on the plane. If it doesn't fit--it dosen't get on to start with.

They do, and they actively use them, outside America. (and in some cases like my LH example above inside America)

A few years ago I believe that it was CO which sued because their carry on limit was larger than UA, and when UA installed the sizers at security outside their gates CO passengers were denied taking their (larger) carry ons.

 

[Uncleromulus]

Last few times I can recall paying attention to the subject, I didn't see ANYONE try to fit their carryon in those boxes. Maybe because they assumed they would fit--
Or didn't care.
I guess my point is that it would seem to be much easier to handle this "issue" OUTSIDE the plane..

 

[bavaria]

It would.

AC has those across Canada; one size is for the personal item and hence smaller, the other side is for the carry on. They do make people stop and check if they suspect bags are larger, and that is often before they clear security.

A few weeks ago there was quite the drama at CDG as LH was weighing every carry on and denying those 22 inch rollaboards common in America (which exceed European limits)

I am all for using and enforcing those in America, but for several reasons they aren't used. Variable carry on size is probably the single biggest issue. At UA they typically start announcing several minutes before boarding that three pieces, or oversize/overfilled pieces will be denied boarding, and to approach the gate 'now' to have items tagged and gate checked. The proactive approach seems to help. I often see staff eyeing the passengers in the gate area and approaching them as well.

But the reality is that many staff also want to avoid confrontation; and I cannot blame them sometimes seeing how badly passengers can react.

 

[Navywifebreezy]

We have always flown with Carry ons every chance we could. The only time before you had to pay for shipped bags we shipped anything was when I moved from NC to CA.
We are a family of 5 and we rarely ever ship a bag. We went to Scotland for 2 weeks last year with a computer bag, camera bag, and 2 carry ons. Now granted we tried t MAC flight it and that didn't work out.
We went to Hawaii in July and shipped a bag going and coming only because of the snorkel gear, still cheaper to pay to ship than to rent and the thought of using someone elses snorkely ewww. We had 3 carry ons and a camera/computer bag. So not even 1 per person.
I say if you can get everyones stuff in them and not be going over the 3 allowed, then go for it.

And sometimes when you see "that" person with a bunch of bags they are carrying family members bags. DH and I carry the bags and just make the kids walk so that we can keep the line moving. I am sure there are times people think we are over our # too, but we are always far from it. We also don't have a problem putting stuff under the seat either.

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Well that frying pan wasn't the problem!!Sincerely, I measured 5 times and was under the 55" total combined allowance. My suitcase was the 22" one, and I made sure it wasn't overfilled. It just plain didn't fit. I wouldn't have even known this would be an issue as I saw the metal square "can your bag fit into this" prop in front of the boarding doors. When I saw that I said "oh no...." and promptly went to the stewardess. Now that I know all of this, I won't take that size again. Airtran does need to take this figure out of their website. Some of us just don't know any different! Bavaria, I love your posts !

There is a certain irony here. We often have readers asking if they will be 'caught' if they exceed the posted limits for carry on items. Then we have readers who report how often flights are delayed due to excessive carry on.

On my US domestic flights, pretty much every time the UA GA's end up checking bags at the gate. They don't even let passengers go down the jetway anymore with those mammoth bags, if they can catch them. Yet even so by the time zone 4 boards there is usually no space left, and many of those passengers also have to gate check. They are also insistent that the personal item is stowed under the seat in front of you, and that winter coats are not put into the bins until boarding is completed.

A few weeks ago I was waiting to board a LH flight from ORD and the LH staff were very dilegent about visually checking bags in the boarding line, pulling people out, measuring and weighing the bags, and refusing them boarding, including the 22 inch bags which are accepted on American flights, but not on LH flights. The DUS/FRA/MUC flights all leave from the same gates and this was quite the show, with people who hadn't read the rules trying to insist that they were fine, and the LH staff refusing to budge.

I know that many of you cannot stand me or my posting style, and I don't really let that bother me. The rules are the rules for a reason. Not following the rules impacts everyone through delayed flights, or by forcing others to gate check even when they do fall within the rules.

AirTran may have a larger than normal carry on policy, but there is no way that a 25 inch bag will fit wheels in into most overhead bins. 22 inch bags won't fit into a 767 bin wheels first either. Nor will they fit on a 747 UD. Remember too that you will need to lift that 25 inch bag over your head, and you will also need to lift it onto the belt at security. If you cannot lift a 25 inch suitcase over your head at home, don't expect to do it on board the flight.

For the time being, the vast majority of US carriers allow one 22 inch carry on plus one person item, and the 22 inch bag cannot be overfilled. I fully expect that to change very soon in the coming years to conform to worldwide standards. And for those of you flying overseas remember that the international rules apply, which means much smaller carry on, which is often weighed. And frying pans can weigh quite a bit!

 

[bavaria]

Don't worry; I was the really ashamed German traveller on a LH flight who took a 22 inch carry on in long haul F the other day. It was within their rules, but barely fit sideways in an A340 bin. I was feeling really really guilty, even though I did fall within their own rules (and the GA at ORD happily let me through with it)

22 inch bags just don't fit into many bins; many CRJ's, B767s, A340s, for instance. So even if they do meet the airline guideline, they have to be placed sideways or gate checked.

Flying internationally has given me a very valid excuse however to purchase several Longchamp le Pliage bags. In fact, I absolutely had to purchase another one last month to meet the airline requirements - I didn't have one in lavendar colour yet, so it was a very valid reason!

 

[SuzanneSLO]

....Don't they have "size boxes" just outside the plane so these carry-on's can be "measured"? They should probably make everyone put their carryon IN that box BEFORE getting on the plane. If it doesn't fit--it dosen't get on to start with.

One issue many travellers have with the size boxes is that they often have no relationship to the size of the overhead bin for the flight. I know that my 10 X 14 X 17 bag will NOT fit in AA's sizer, but fits just fine in the overhead on the 757 we usually fly. I now carry another convertible bag (without wheels) to move all the contents in case we are told to check it.-- Suzanne

 

[goofy4tink]

If I remember correctly, it was on my flight from BOS to MCO in August that we encountered the 'bin hog'!! It was truly incredible. This guy, who boarded our Jetblue flight, with a sizable carryon, could barely lift the bag up, to the overhead. Then, it just wouldn't fit in the compartment....so, he finessed it!! He shoved that bag every which way from Sunday, until it was crammed in there. Of course, there were other bags in there already, but he didn't seem to really care...as long as he got his bag in there as well.
The FA told us all that it was a full flight and any purses had to be taken out of the overhead bins, as well as those smaller personal items...only the larger items that wouldn't fit under the seats were going to be allowed in the bins. So, we had to all sit there and wait while about 20 people got up to remove their stuff so that others could have room for their bags, which wouldn't have fit under the seats.
Okay...so now we land in MCO. Remember the guy with the crammed in bag??? Well, he was seated a row before us...we were well in front of the wing...one of the last groups to board. So, this guy jumps up...cause he's wicked important and has to get off that plane first you know. He can't budge his bag!! It would actually have been humerous if it hadn't been for his holding up half the plane trying to get his bag out. He pulled, he pushed, he pulled some more. The guy in the row across from us couldn't get to his bags (in the same bin as the bag crammer's bag) because his bag had been shoved behind the crammed bag! It was nasty. It took three men to pull that bag out of the bin!! And about 10 mins total. Heaven forbid he check that bag.

It's about common sense and courtesy. I can pack for a 5 night stay, just about anywhere, in my carryon duffle. Do I want to? Not usually. I hate having to drag the darn thing to the ladies room with me if I'm flying solo. I hate having to take it to a restaurant if we decide to grab a bite to eat. It's a huge headache. Others will have different opinions, and that's fine. As long as one person's actions don't negatively impact someone else....there's that common courtesy.

 

[snarlingcoyote]

Warning. Rant mode on:

When boarding a plane, I carry my backpack with: laptop, laptop charger, portable mouse, cell phone charger, 1 t-shirt, 1-pair shorts, 1 pair socks, deodorant, various pens and pencils, one legal pad, one kindle and one paperback book or a magazine. I also carry a small leather cross-body Coach purse that, in a pinch, can fit inside my backpack.

When I get to my seat on the plane, the cross-body Coach, the Kindle, the book/magazine and my sweater get tossed into the seat, the backpack goes directly over my seat.

I do not take kindly to people moving my backpack. It does not take up a lot of room. No, I will not put it under my seat. I have runner's knee and osteoarthritis and I like the space under the seat to stretch my legs so that I am not in pain. This is why I pack such a small carry-on item. Yes, it is my carry on item and not my personal item. I pack light because I somehow escaped the neuroses of believing that my well washed business clothes and work-out garb are so valuable that they should be chained to my person at all times. I want enough clothes to make it through the night should I be delayed overnight, and that's not so much that it won't fit easily into my backpack.

And yes, if someone touches my backpack I will speak up and say "That is my carryon. Please leave it alone." If you have a camera case or a smaller backpack or a briefcase or a diaper bag and it will fit in front of my backpack or on top of my backpack, I am quite fine with that. But do NOT move MY bag several rows from me or try to squash MY bag because you are an inconsiderate boor who is an undiagnosed narcissistic yahoo with the manners of a stoat. I do reserve the right to be civil to people who ask me if I would mind moving my bag. ("If I slide your bag over, mine will fit. Is that okay?" Will get an unequivocal "yes, that's fine.")

Okay, rant over. If you see a purple backpack on a plane and the woman sitting in the window seat is a smallish hippy brunetted reading a Kindle, say hi and let me know you're on the DIS. Just don't try to shove an oversized bag sideways into my backpack.

ETA: (Okay, so if I'm in the exit row or in a bulkhead seat with cutouts, I do put my bag under the seat in front of me. I have plenty of leg room without that bit, and it does make things easier on others as well as myself. I won't lie about that. And I usually take bulkhead and sometimes will take the exit row.)

 

[dioxide45]

Those sizers are ridiculously small. Most 21" bags won't fit in to them, but they more than easily fit in to the overhead bin.

AirTran has a 55" limit, no specifics on how big or small any one side of the bag can be. You could have a 53x1x1" bag and it would be within their guidelines. Our 25" bag is 11x16x27", that is 54" total. The bag will easily fit in wheels first on the left side of their 717 and either side of their 737 aircraft. It will fit in sideways on the right side of the 717. If for some reason we are forced to gate check it, that is fine. If they change the requirement we would check them.

We have been on planes when people sitting several rows in front of us had to place their bags near our seats in the overhead. After everyone in front of us has stormed off oblivious that this person is waiting, I grab the persons bag and hand it to them and allow them to get off the plane ahead of us. Otherwise they would end up waiting for everyone to get off the plane before they could get their bag.

 

[bavaria]

Bavaria, I love your posts !

Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure you do.... You are just trying to ensure that future chocolate supply lines are kept open!

 

[BWV Dreamin]

Suuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuure you do.... You are just trying to ensure that future chocolate supply lines are kept open!

Yes, especially the ones with the toys!!!

 

[seashoreCM]

We have been on planes when people sitting several rows in front of us had to place their bags near our seats in the overhead. After everyone in front of us has stormed off oblivious that this person is waiting, I grab the persons bag and hand it to them and allow them to get off the plane ahead of us. Otherwise they would end up waiting for everyone to get off the plane before they could get their bag.

Contrasting points of view:

1. Somebody has to be last off of the plane.

2. Surely everyone back there can spare 1.5 seconds every now and then for me to swim upstream one seat at a time and duck into the next aisle. Everyone back there really doesn't suffer those 1.5 second delays because during each 1.5 second delay, open space has developed further in front and people make up for the lost time by filling that space again.

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

i know i am going to get blasted for this one but when somone cant bring there bags on the plane because every cheapskate in the world wants to strech the rules to avoid paying 15 dollars i mean a family of 4 bringing 8 bags on the plane with them is a bit much would you think so the last guy on the plane suffers my and my brothers family are 9 people so should we bring 18 bags on the plane and then use the we have kids we need to get on first rule to so we can get them all on the heck with everyone else right ( now here it comes start with the blasting)

Thank you!

I don't get it. We just budget fees into our travel expenses - like we do gratuitites for valet parking or mousekeepers (other flame-producing topics).

Our next trip we are flying out on AirTran and home on Southwest - cross country. We will pay for our one checked bag each out AND our earlybird on the return flight.

You know what - it's just not worth the frustration for us. Our travel runs smoothly, we carry on what we can easily manage - cross-country flights to DL we take along our snacks and lunch with no hassel.

Disney is not a cheep vacation. The % of overall cost for checked bags or earlybird is minor when comparied to the overall cost.

Vacation = no stress .... all fun! That's our policy!

 

[Mouseaholic!!!]

Warning. Rant mode on:

When boarding a plane, I carry my backpack with: laptop, laptop charger, portable mouse, cell phone charger, 1 t-shirt, 1-pair shorts, 1 pair socks, deodorant, various pens and pencils, one legal pad, one kindle and one paperback book or a magazine. I also carry a small leather cross-body Coach purse that, in a pinch, can fit inside my backpack.

When I get to my seat on the plane, the cross-body Coach, the Kindle, the book/magazine and my sweater get tossed into the seat, the backpack goes directly over my seat.

I do not take kindly to people moving my backpack. It does not take up a lot of room. No, I will not put it under my seat. I have runner's knee and osteoarthritis and I like the space under the seat to stretch my legs so that I am not in pain. This is why I pack such a small carry-on item. Yes, it is my carry on item and not my personal item. I pack light because I somehow escaped the neuroses of believing that my well washed business clothes and work-out garb are so valuable that they should be chained to my person at all times. I want enough clothes to make it through the night should I be delayed overnight, and that's not so much that it won't fit easily into my backpack.

And yes, if someone touches my backpack I will speak up and say "That is my carryon. Please leave it alone." If you have a camera case or a smaller backpack or a briefcase or a diaper bag and it will fit in front of my backpack or on top of my backpack, I am quite fine with that. But do NOT move MY bag several rows from me or try to squash MY bag because you are an inconsiderate boor who is an undiagnosed narcissistic yahoo with the manners of a stoat. I do reserve the right to be civil to people who ask me if I would mind moving my bag. ("If I slide your bag over, mine will fit. Is that okay?" Will get an unequivocal "yes, that's fine.")

Okay, rant over. If you see a purple backpack on a plane and the woman sitting in the window seat is a smallish hippy brunetted reading a Kindle, say hi and let me know you're on the DIS. Just don't try to shove an oversized bag sideways into my backpack.

ETA: (Okay, so if I'm in the exit row or in a bulkhead seat with cutouts, I do put my bag under the seat in front of me. I have plenty of leg room without that bit, and it does make things easier on others as well as myself. I won't lie about that. And I usually take bulkhead and sometimes will take the exit row.)

Ok, Im agreeing here too - about touching/moving my bag in the overhead compartment.

I am generally on the jet early (Frequent flier with Southwest and currently on crutches awaiting knee surgery on my last few flights).

I know how to put my bag in the overhead where it takes up minimum space. Don't move it 6 rows away so YOUR bag will fit in the overhead close to where you are sitting. You can put YOUR bag 6 rows away if you come on later.

....and yes, small squishy bags are welcome to share the same space with my bag if they "play well together".

Someone earlier said it....common sense and COURTESY.