Why do passengers on commercial airlines have so much difficulty these days getting lugage into overhead compartment
Why do passengers on commercial airlines have so much difficulty these days getting lugage into overhead compartment
Many people pack too much and their luggage is rather bulky, making it hard for them to maneuver it regardless of weight.
It ain't that f tough wrote:
Why do passengers on commercial airlines have so much difficulty ...
Dunno. You should fly private jets like the rest of us. Or if you're a politico, get the military to trot you around.
$25 bag fees
It ain't that f tough wrote:
Why do passengers on commercial airlines have so much difficulty these days getting lugage into overhead compartment
LUGGAGE (as such) is not supposed to be in the overhead compartments.
That is for carry-on bags.
The problem is people using bigger and bigger bags for carry-on and the airlines don't do anything about it.
Actually the airlines are doing something about the small overhead bins.
http://thepointsguy.com/2016/04/delta-new-60-larger-overhead-bins/
As a frequent flyer, you can thank the advent of the luggage fees. More and more people are flying carry-on only. Flying Southwest airlines where they don't have a baggage fee is nice because of the lack of baggage in overhead compartments.
I always do carry-on only. In makes the arrival/departure much faster and I don't have to worry about loosing my luggage. And I pack light.
It ain't that f tough wrote:
Why do passengers on commercial airlines have so much difficulty these days getting lugage into overhead compartment
They simply have so little functional fitness that they cannot lift 25 pounds over their heads.
God bless America.
MCL6136 wrote:
It ain't that f tough wrote:Why do passengers on commercial airlines have so much difficulty these days getting lugage into overhead compartment
They simply have so little functional fitness that they cannot lift 25 pounds over their heads.
God bless America.
Yep. So many old farts on airplanes.
A big part of the problem is that nearly all "carry-on" bags now have wheels, making them very bulky to fit into overhead bins. Wheels make sense for elderly people, but gosh, are most people really so feeble that they can't carry their own carry-ons? I have a soft sided, wheel-less carryon bag that has a shoulder strap, and when I need to move through an airport quickly I can just sling it over my shoulder and run. And when I do get to the plane, I can fit my bag into lots of small or oddly-shaped spaces where those wheeled monsters can't.
John Lawson wrote:
As a frequent flyer, you can thank the advent of the luggage fees. More and more people are flying carry-on only. Flying Southwest airlines where they don't have a baggage fee is nice because of the lack of baggage in overhead compartments.
I always do carry-on only. In makes the arrival/departure much faster and I don't have to worry about loosing my luggage. And I pack light.
This.
One of the most confusing things about the airline industry (and any service industry, for that matter) is that they have not found a way to effectively monetize the competitiveness and ego of individuals. Instead of charging for bags, there are several people who would pay boatloads of money to (1) be the first person on and off the plane, and (2) get their luggage quicker (with guaranteed arrival). These perks are sometimes awarded based on status, but I would be willing to bet that there are 10-20 infrequent fliers on each flight who would gladly pay an extra $100 to get priority treatment at the gate.
Southwest has come close with early bird check-in, but I think there is much more room (beyond simple first class seats) to both enhance and monetize the travel experience.
Psycho-logist wrote:
[quote]John Lawson wrote:
These perks are sometimes awarded based on status, but I would be willing to bet that there are 10-20 infrequent fliers on each flight who would gladly pay an extra $100 to get priority treatment at the gate.
You know this exists, right?
It ain't that f tough wrote:
Why do passengers on commercial airlines have so much difficulty these days getting lugage into overhead compartment
If you're a skinny fat distance runner I imagine it's a little hard to lift a bag over your head. People need to get in the gym and lift. You don't want to be a scrawny distance runner.
Psycho-logist wrote:
One of the most confusing things about the airline industry (and any service industry, for that matter) is that they have not found a way to effectively monetize the competitiveness and ego of individuals. Instead of charging for bags, there are several people who would pay boatloads of money to (1) be the first person on and off the plane, and (2) get their luggage quicker (with guaranteed arrival).
Most airlines already have this: it's called first or business class.
If airlines really want to address the issue they would charge people for bags placed in the overhead and make checked luggage free. I realize that this would present challenges for fee collection, but there are options. Frequent travelers could have a transponder on their rollerbag that charges the fee to account when they go through the checkpoint - it could be wiaved for elites, etc. Others that wanted to bring a bag on board would need to stand in line to pay the fee - this would be a big disincentive.
I realize this will probably never happen but it would make boarding/de-boarding much more efficient.
I agree with many of the above conclusions :
Bag Fees have caused more passengers to carry-on more product.
These people over-pack and pack inefficiently
They are lazy and use bags with wheels, the wheels take up more space than the items inside.
The baggage is hard-sided which is less efficient to pack. Making less room on the plane for bags.
People who have luggage with wheels categorically cannot carry their luggage and therefore cannot lift it into the overhead bins.
I carry a soft bag than carries easily on my shoulder and can be placed in an overhead bin, even on a shuttle, between 5-10 sec usually.
Part of the problem too is that many times if you bring a carry-on with you and there's no room, you get to leave at the gate and check it for free and avoid the check a bag fee. So what's the incentive to check anything these days? You might as well attempt to carry on everything they'll let you take past security.
Eduardo Ibáñez wrote:
So what's the incentive to check anything these days? You might as well attempt to carry on everything they'll let you take past security.
I fly about 8 times a year, so not nearly enough to get any kind of status, but more than most people who maybe just go on vacation once or twice.
I've given up on carrying on over the past couple of years. After a stretch where I kept getting screwed out of the overhead space, and once almost got into a fist fight with an old guy who put his bag right in the middle of the bin and completely lost it when I slid it to the side to make room for mine, I decided to start checking my bags. I haven't looked back.
Advantages for me: A) I no longer worry about packing all of my stuff into a tiny case, and now I can be more flexible, e.g. bringing two different pairs of shoes. B) Carrying around a bunch of crap at the airport is annoying. C) No worries about overhead space means I board the plane last rather than waiting around so I can rush on.
My work pays for the fee, so it's not a problem, and I don't really mind the extra 10 or 15 minutes at baggage claim, although last week the wait stretched to 25 minutes which was a bit much.
Bro - Mama wrote:
It ain't that f tough wrote:Why do passengers on commercial airlines have so much difficulty these days getting lugage into overhead compartment
LUGGAGE (as such) is not supposed to be in the overhead compartments.
That is for carry-on bags.
The problem is people using bigger and bigger bags for carry-on and the airlines don't do anything about it.
Well since the overhead bin is designed to accommodate a piece of luggage big enough for a long weekend (or longer depending) then the folks are using it accordingly. Also the bin is a fixed size so you cannot use a bigger and bigger bag.
Yes people overstuff their bags. Then you have folks not strong enough to lift them over their heads (add in petite women who might not be able to lift a bag that high).
When I travel now it is usually for trips of a longer duration (a week or longer) so I pack more. I use a credit card that has a free bag (some fly southwest) voucher. Of course it is a PITA when the bag gets lost.
John Lawson wrote:
As a frequent flyer, you can thank the advent of the luggage fees. More and more people are flying carry-on only. Flying Southwest airlines where they don't have a baggage fee is nice because of the lack of baggage in overhead compartments.
I always do carry-on only. In makes the arrival/departure much faster and I don't have to worry about loosing my luggage. And I pack light.
You are paying a bag fee, it is just rolled into the price of the ticket and not added on as a nuisance charge. Southwest saves money in other areas to make up for it. (It is a huge advantage to fly just one kind of plane).
John Lawson wrote: Flying Southwest airlines where they don't have a baggage fee is nice because of the lack of baggage in overhead compartments.
I bet you think that the free breakfasts in hotels are really free.