Carry On Bags

Russ, I totally agree with you. I travel with an ETBD backpack and nothing else. It's a shame that fellow passengers don't respect the rules or extend courtesy to others traveling on the same aircraft. Depending when I board, after ensuring that anything I might want during the flight is on my person, I put my bag in the first available spot in an overhead unless I'm one of the first aboard and I'll take it to my seat. It seems that too many travelers consider a steamer trunk carry-on baggage.

I agree with you. It's annoying to others when people abuse the system. I can understand medical supplies or a typical diaper bag. Anything excessive should be checked. I like the bin idea - if it fits, it ships as carryon.

I also love when they put everything overhead and nothing under their seats...taking all the space for themselves...

Remember that many airlines allow a free checked bag with a bigger weight limit than carry-on. Double check your airline restrictions before you get to the airport to know for sure. Often on many airlines people without an overhead bin bag usually get to board the plan behind first class. If you don't need your bigger bag on the plane and you got to the airport with lots of time... just check the extra bag and save yourself the agony. If you are worried that your bag will not make it to the destination then follow these suggestions which severely lessen your chance of your checked bag "going on walk-about". Show up to the airport the recommended amount of time before your flight but no less than 2 hours in advance (unless you have no other choice). Tuck, tie or loop all hanging straps into/onto the bag so nothing drags/catches on the baggage escalator. Make sure your bag is not so over stuffed that it will not close properly and secure your zippers with TSA approved locks or fasteners that can be easily removed by security if necessary. Use some sort of organization device (packing cubes) so if TSA does go through your bag, in a random search, it can be done quickly and easily. Don't pack items that are forbidden (see this TSA link). Use luggage tags with your name and home address. I also attach (a paper airline version) luggage tags marked with the address and telephone number of my first hotel in Europe. Don't forget to save your baggage claim tags you may need to show them to security before you can take your luggage from the baggage claim area at your arrival airport in Europe. If for some reason your bag does not show up, tell the airline immediately so they can assist you in finding out where your bag had gone. With a little bit of planning ahead we can all do our part to board the plane a little faster. Happy Travels!

Add to the grip list the passengers seated in the back who use overhead storage way in front. By the time the more forward rows load the overhead spaces are filled.

@Sara, all good suggestions, but the most important advice is, "Don't check bags".

Two times before I started carrying on, my checked bags were nearly lost, and those suggestions might have helped me get my bags back quicker, but none of those suggestions would have kept them from getting lost in the first place.

A third time it was just a delayed arrival and a short connection. The only reason my bag made the connection is that I was carrying it.

As for overhead bins being overfilled, the solution is for airlines to decrease the size (and ban rigid bags and wheels) of carryons and enforce the size.

Which brings us back to the OP's statement about enforcing carry-on size. I was at SFO this week and United had numerous sizer boxes very prominently displayed at check-in lines -- for both carry-on and personal item size. Sounds like they're trying to make it easier to enforce limits ... and to collect baggage fees.
note : my rollaboard just fit when not stuffed.

I was in San Francisco a few month ago, on United, and they repeatedly made the announcement that carryon bags would have to fit in the sizer box, but I didn't see anyone try theirs, and when we boarded, there were a lot of bags carried on that obviously wouldn't fit in the box.

Hopefully, we are just in a grace period, where they are warning passengers and will eventually start to actually enforce the rules.

I can't wait.

A year ago, on a commuter flight, they announced that ALL roller bags would have to be gate-checked. Yes!

I carry on what fits under the seat in front of me and check the rest. I am short and cannot reach the overhead anyway!!

People seem to be terrified to spend $25. to check their bag. Maybe they are afraid it gets lost. They bring the biggest bag they can find and try to stuff it in the overhead. Then they spend half the flight taking their bags down and searching through their bag. It is out of control and I do not know the answer. I would rather lose a checked bag then wrestle a big bag into the overhead.

Additionally, something should be done about passengers that do not fit into one airline seat. I was on a five hour flight once with a person that spilled into my seat. I will never do it again. People that are too big for a seat need to either fly in first class, for sure get an aisle or buy two seats.

If a person is that "big" they need to buy two seats...or stop overeating, join and gym and get to a decent "healthy" weight.

And don't give me the low thyroid, or slow metabolism excuse. Some people are just to big for their own good.

We liked the enforcement at the Rome airport security. All of the items going through security had to fit inside the bins that go through the scanner. Obviously, a larger suitcase wouldn't fit into those bins.

I have heard the suggestion many times from fellow travelers that airline should check bags for free and charge for all carry ons. As good as a suggestion that might be, there are many travelers who need to take medicines and medical devices onto the plane and they would certainly fight any such plan. In the meantime, just have the airlines enforce the carry-on sizes with those wire hoops that you see at the boarding gates.

The worst example of carry-on arrogance I have seen was on a short flight in Morocco a couple of years ago. A man boarded the plane with his expensive looking carry-on, took the window seat and put his bag on the seat beside him. Of course, soon came the passenger for that seat. Mr. Entitled waved him off, telling him to find another seat. The flight attendant settled the matter by insisting that the bag must go in the hold, much to the annoyance of Mr. Entitled. It pleased us all to see him get his comeuppance.

Perversely, the hated fee for checking luggage may help the carry-on situation. Not with the passengers, who will want to avoid the checking fee. But the airlinescan generate more revenue by cracking down on the rules.
Air Canada this week has garnered plenty of publicity by measuring and weighing cabin bags at its Toronto hub. Its rival, WestJet, is charging for checked luggage in some cases too, although claiming a gentler approach to carry-ons.
That's competition, and the search for profits, at work, even though the folks in the back seats don't like it.

Hmm...we flew with British Airways last month, and our 20" carry on size bag we were asked to put in the sizer (it fit, but luckily it was not overstuffed or it may not have - it's within their guidelines, but it looks like a 'fat' bag with the pockets on front)...first time that has happened (and we flew with BA a few weeks before)...now I'm remembering why - because in London, it was self check in/print your boarding pass at a machine, but in Venice, you had to go to the desk to get your boarding pass...so of course they were eyeballing the bag, whereas with self check (at Gatwick), there is no one there to do that...

Great topic. I'm also annoyed by the "me first / all about me" attitude some people have about carryon luggage. I put my 22" suitcase in the overhead bin (I'm short, and am grateful for the kindness of taller men!) and my backpack under the seat in front of me.

Rose's suggestions are helpful but don't cover all the bases. My checked bag did get lost on a 2-week trip to Europe because my flight to Philadelphia was late and I had to run for the plane. I made it, barely, but my luggage didn't, and that set in motion an unfortunate chain of events. I try to avoid checking bags at all costs. However, I don't mind gate-checking because the plane is right there and I know my bag will get on it.

I, too, am tired of the circus on the plane with everyone trying to cram their bags in the overhead and then rummaging in them 10 times during the flight. I always check a mid-size suitcase and carry on a large shoulder tote that fits under the seat, and there it stays for the entire trip because I put the things I know I'll want during the flight--book & knitting--in a drawstring bag that slips in the seat pocket.

I am also always annoyed when people have carry-ons that exceed the size limit, and also when people bring on a "personal items" that is actually another suitcase and then proceed to put both large items in the overhead. I take only carry-on because I find it easier, but my one and only bag is within the limits required by the airlines I will be traveling. I always wish that bags were really measured, and more so that each passenger was only allowed to put one bag in the overhead bin.

http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/10/04/busted-another-airline-cracks-down-on-your-carry-o.aspx

"Airlines have sought out all sorts of different strategies to reduce boarding time, but carry-on bags, especially oversized ones, remain a problem. When passengers take the time to put a bag in the overhead bin, it adds to the time spent at the gate. With an entire planeload of passengers stowing luggage, this can really add up.

"Oversized bags are an even bigger problem, because they clog the bins, forcing passengers to spend more time looking for space. Larger bags have a tougher time fitting through the aisles, slowing down overall movement.

"Although it may not strike you as the main reason to check carry*-on bag size more closely, passenger safety is an important consideration when it comes to carry-on bags. Statistics for carry-on bag injuries are difficult to obtain, but a widely cited estimate pegs the number at roughly 4,500 injuries per year, or about 12 per day. Many of these injuries are probably small in nature, but all of them are still best avoided.

On some European routes/flights BA charge a lower fare for travelling with carry-on only so not surprised to hear of people trying to take the kitchen sink on board! Wonder how long it will last.

My Red Oxx carryon works fine for 3+ weeks inEurope if I am not in the cold weather season. It fits easily in bins and is easy to carry.