I've been reading a few threads on one of the airline forums and many people become angry when you bring on luggage that needs to be stored in the overhead bins. I am trying to pack everything in small 21" roller and feel I will be successful but now I'm concerned there will not be room and they will check my piece anyway.
Has anyone encountered problems with their carry ons? I am on a connecting flight and the first flight is very short so I'm sure many people will just have carry on luggage.
We go to Europe fairly often and always take one 21" carry-on suitcase, plus a bag of some type, each and have never had a problem. No one has ever seemed to even notice.
That's where I am concerned.... my first flight is through Chicago so I will be on a smaller plane. Then I connect there to my flight overseas.
If it's on a commuter, they will gate check it and you will pick it up when you land outside the plane.
If you are staying with acceptable carry on sizes you will be OK. The anger is directed at those who carry on two large bags, hanging bags, oversized rolling bags that go sideways and take up extra room, etc. We have never had problems with carry on but ours is just slightly under the acceptable size and fit easily in the overhead.
On the first flight, just bring it with you. If the gate personnel think that it is too big for the equipment they will gate check it. It will be waiting for you as you de-plane.
21s are fine, that's what we use also.
However we had a little surprise once, Florence to Zurich. The plane was full and they cut off carry-ons. It was a scramble at the counter to find and unpack cameras and all the personal stuff we thought we were going to carry-on.
I had an experience like Francis' once. Lesson learned: put zippable tote bag on top or in outer pocket, & put anything you would need to remove from the suitcase & carry on in a place where you can get to it quickly.
We have had the problem several times with the overhead bins all around us being full and having no where to put our carry-ons. On my last flight to Amsterdam in December, the bins all around us were stuffed with winter coats, among other things. I was in the very frustrating position of being sent to the front of the plane by a rude flight attendant to surrender my bag and have it checked. Before I gave up my bag, I quickly stuffed my purse with my essentials and a change of clothes in case my bag disappeared for 8 days (like the last time it was taken away in a similar manner).Luckily a very helpful flight attendant in first class actually took the time to look around and found me an empty bin for my bag . We now try to stash our bags as fast as possible when we get onto the plane and look way down the aisles to our seats to try and see as quickly as possible if we will have a problem. This has gotten worse in the last few years since people can't check as much as they used to.
As has been said. If you have one carry on size bag and stick it in the bin quickly (important - WHEELS FIRST not sideways) then leave it alone for the rest of the flight, you will have no problem. Any extra items or things you need for the flight should be kept at your seat.
The complaints come from:
People sticking their bag in sideways - thus taking up space for two carry-ons.
People carrying multiple items and putting them all in the overhead bins - taking up all the room and leaving none for fellow passengers.
Getting in and out of your bag during the flight - especially if your bag is directly over the head of another passenger.
Not being able to lift your own bag. Personally I don't mind helping someone else put their bag away or get it down but it seems to be high on the pet peeve list of flight attendants (and written into British Airways carry on rules).
Actually a lot of airline bins are designed for the wheels to go in last, not first. (They'll have a little sticker on the inside telling you if that's the case.) But the important point is not to put them sideways if there's room to put them in the otherway. We've never had a problem.
I fly frequently and the problem I now see more often is, with passengers bringing more items onto the plane to avoid having to pay for checked luggage, some of those passengers are putting their things in the first overhead bins they come to upon entering the plane. Therefore, those passengers sitting closer to the front of the plane have no overhead bin space available when they enter. I have posted here before about being in first class (very, very seldom), being the second first class passenger to enter, after the families with children and the folks needing special assistance, and finding no overhead bin space empty in first class. I mentioned my situation to a flight attendant standing there smiling and was told:
"that happens some times". That was on an Hawaiian Airlines flight. I have recommended to the airlines via e-mails that they assign the overhead bins to the rows below them, to no avail. I guess it is now better to select a seat in the rear of the plane if one has a choice where you are sure to find an empty bin.
Charlie, that sounds like a good suggestion, choosing a seat at the rear of the plane. I find it frustrating that there is no real enforcement (here in America) of how much people bring on and stuff into bins, often far from their own seats. I expected more help or sympathy from the flight crew about all of the winter coats and shopping bags that were filling the bins. It's really become a first come, first served situation. We try so hard to travel light, but always have to stress over getting what we consider our fair share of overhead space.
On planes with a central row of five seats, there simply is not enough overhead space for everybody's carry-on luggage. You will have the best luck if you have an early boarding number so you can get there first. I don't hesitate to re-arrange other people's stuff in order to get mine in. Sometimes the first people toss a lot of things there that should be under the seat or that can be placed on top of luggage.
And sometimes, with everyone doing everything right, there are still too many legal bags to put in the bins and you have to be the one to get your bag checked. This has happened to us several times, both domestically and international - and even when they've physically cleared out all coats, etc.
So yes, you MAY have a problem with your carryon. But as long as you have followed all the guidelines for your airline (and realize that though Air Italia, for example, is part of Delta's Sky Team, they have DIFFERENT carryon reqs), then you've done all you can do. We have had our bags checked voluntarily and involuntarily. We have ONLY had our bags lost when we did the voluntary check in! My daughter last week had to check her extremely small carryon while in line to board the plane and was happy that it was pretty well the first bag off at baggage claim!
