Cabin Crew Luggage
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Cabin Crew Luggage
Can anyone tell me why each member of cabin crew requires a full size carry on trolley for a 3 hour each way, short haul return flight, with no overnight stop and, starting from and returning to the Airline hub? That’s what I had today - two full size carry on trolleys resplendent in airline colours taking up two slots in the over head bins for the two cabin crew working up front of the A319 I was on (plus matching satchel sized handbag in airline colours for the female member of staff). I have no idea if it was the same situation for the two crew in the rear. Meanwhile, I sat with my bag under the seat in front of me because the bins were full. What exactly do they need to keep them going through a 7 hour working day?
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Firstly, you don't know they aren't night stopping somewhere down route. Just because they may flight your flight and then the one after it, or the one before it, which may return to base, doesn't mean they won't then take another flight and overnight in another city where the aircraft has a night stop.
A crew may go, for example ZRH-LHR-ZRH-FCO-ZRH-LHR and stop in London for the night. They will then go LHR-ZRH-DME-ZRH-CDG-ZRH the next day and spend the night back at home.
Also, if the crew get stuck down route somewhere due to a technical fault or a long delay puts them out of hours then they need to have things with them to ensure they are able to stay in a hotel unexpectedly.
Also, pretty sure they need a change of uniform in case of any spills or tears and that is something which won't fit in to a handbag.
I will agree though, there is no need for their baggage to take up so much room in the cabin when most aircraft have separate hold locations for crew baggage. In my experience when cabin space is running out the first thing to go in the hold is crew bags.
A crew may go, for example ZRH-LHR-ZRH-FCO-ZRH-LHR and stop in London for the night. They will then go LHR-ZRH-DME-ZRH-CDG-ZRH the next day and spend the night back at home.
Also, if the crew get stuck down route somewhere due to a technical fault or a long delay puts them out of hours then they need to have things with them to ensure they are able to stay in a hotel unexpectedly.
Also, pretty sure they need a change of uniform in case of any spills or tears and that is something which won't fit in to a handbag.
I will agree though, there is no need for their baggage to take up so much room in the cabin when most aircraft have separate hold locations for crew baggage. In my experience when cabin space is running out the first thing to go in the hold is crew bags.
Last edited by edi_local; 8th Jan 2013 at 19:13.
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I have seen CC at normal check in desks on the odd occasion when they don't go through their dedicated processing areas, but their baggage has always had special tags on them so the loaders know to pack them differently.
As I have said few years ago cabin crew bags in the overheads lockers show how little we can trust the baggage handling system to deliver the bags accurately and fast.
I am glad I invest on a cabin trolley that fits on most overhead compartment and I don't have to wait a similar time to a short domestic leg to get my bag.
I am glad I invest on a cabin trolley that fits on most overhead compartment and I don't have to wait a similar time to a short domestic leg to get my bag.
I'm crew and I'm back in my own bed more or less every night. However, in my case I have a change of civvies, a change of shirt and toiletries. The toiletries see me through some long days and some Unscheduled nightstops. Also in my crew bag is my 'plonky kit' which contains things such as oven gloves, calculator, ice tongs, sewing kit. All of which has to be carried as a minimum.
As a senior I also have a folder of paperwork, something which some juniors also carry. Put all that into a bag and you soon have a near full crew bag.
At my previous airline I didn't have any problems checking in my crew bag. When it comes to crew, with crew bags onboard, they need what's on those bags for the flight. That is why generally long haul crew have their case plus their trolley bag.
As a senior I also have a folder of paperwork, something which some juniors also carry. Put all that into a bag and you soon have a near full crew bag.
At my previous airline I didn't have any problems checking in my crew bag. When it comes to crew, with crew bags onboard, they need what's on those bags for the flight. That is why generally long haul crew have their case plus their trolley bag.
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Thanks for the replies all. As far as (scheduled) overnight stops are concerned I’m pretty sure this airline has none. It’s a small fleet of 10 x A3xx with one hub, flying short haul routes and AFAIK all aircraft are back to base every night. I take the point about a change of uniform and provisions for unscheduled stopovers. I don’t think putting them in the hold would help since they seemed to access them during the flight. Anyway, it’s something that has cropped up before (for me) and struck me as a bit of an anomaly. Sometimes they put them in the biz class coat lockers. It’s just a bit frustrating when you’re sitting there with your legs trussed up around the bag under the seat in front of you and you see cabin crew go to get a scarf out of their carry on in the overhead bins. 
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I think I know why the OP made this post - you get on a plane and find that once you get to your seat there is no room in the overhead locker because of crew bags. I agree, it's not acceptable. Crew bags should be stored in dedicated crew baggage area. My suggestion would be to complain to the operator. It's up to them to provide their crew with sufficient space to store their (required) bags - space which doesn't impinge on passenger bag storage.
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Easy83 - Yes, cabin crew have to have their bags. And they'll probably be pretty big ones (the bags that is) as well if the CAs carry the stuff they are required to do. Blocking off O/H lockers is merely a sticking plaster which pisses off passengers. What it is needed is proper cabin design, not hopeless optimism on the part of operators. They must provide proper storage for cabin crew.
By the same token you could argue that airlines need to reduce the size of cabin baggage.
If we design, say a wardrobe, for crew luggage (which already exists on some types) how long is it before passengers want that space too?
If we design, say a wardrobe, for crew luggage (which already exists on some types) how long is it before passengers want that space too?
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I would echo your calls for a reduction in permitted carry on baggage size. It's getting pretty ridiculous now if I'm being honest. It doesn't make my job any easier and I don't even face passengers that much considering I work for a handling agent. If everyone turns up with, say, a trolley bag which fits exactly in to the bag sizer at the check in desk (which does come very close to happening during school holiday season I can assure you), well there is no way all of that will fit on to the aircraft. So you take bags at the gate or try to get people to combine hand luggage, which causes arguments as technically the pax are entitled to have one bag each at AxBxC and they aren't too pleased in being told otherwise. People are reluctant to give it over, I've seen people become very aggressive about it!
However, if you let them all on with the exact regulated size bags then the crew will just take it all off again as there is simply not enough room for it all, crew bags in the overhead bins or not!
Ideally all that should be permitted in the cabin is a handbag and/or a laptop. That way everyone has enough space and there are no delays at either end while someone in row 3 fumbles around trying to fit their trolley bag into the bin, holding up everyone else! However, no airline will take the steps to limit pax to just that and sadly, very few airports have a good enough baggage system which will ensure short waits for bags and 100% success at transporting them on the same flight as passengers!
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Returning to the OP's initial post, I see that he said "sat with my bag under the seat in front of me because the bins were full." I'm not trying to be horrible but, that's what that space is for. As for what passenger's carry with them when they board, that is to subject to 1. Airline Policy, 2. Check-in administration, which should reflect the airline's policy, 3. Cabin Crew actions on boarding and lastly 4. Support from the company which should back the cabin crew when they make decisions whenever there is an excess of cabin baggage. For me the easiest method is to place excess cabin baggage in the hold. I will state politely that the bags will be going in the hold but also there will be no discussions about it. At the same time, I am also acutely aware as to who pays my wages.
As for the question:
Answer: As soon as it is installed. And it is up to the crew to offer/deny the space.
Finally, it is up to us as crew to let our respective companies know how well their baggage policies are working and what they have to do improve them. We also have to take action when the check-in and gate staff allow excess baggage through. I'll make a call immediately we have excess baggage and make sure any delay is down to the handling agent. But at the same time, I'll always back them when they stick to our ground handling manual. Unfortunately, far too many employees and agents attempt to place sticking plasters on a broken system - one which in many cases, is in dire need of radical redesign.
As for the question:
If we design, say a wardrobe, for crew luggage (which already exists on some types) how long is it before passengers want that space too?
Finally, it is up to us as crew to let our respective companies know how well their baggage policies are working and what they have to do improve them. We also have to take action when the check-in and gate staff allow excess baggage through. I'll make a call immediately we have excess baggage and make sure any delay is down to the handling agent. But at the same time, I'll always back them when they stick to our ground handling manual. Unfortunately, far too many employees and agents attempt to place sticking plasters on a broken system - one which in many cases, is in dire need of radical redesign.
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Returning to the OP's initial post, I see that he said "sat with my bag under the seat in front of me because the bins were full." I'm not trying to be horrible but, that's what that space is for.
If everyone turns up with, say, a trolley bag which fits exactly in to the bag sizer at the check in desk (which does come very close to happening during school holiday season I can assure you), well there is no way all of that will fit on to the aircraft.
Last edited by t1grm; 9th Jan 2013 at 08:29.
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Always annoys me that locker above row 1 DEF (bulkhead, nothing allowed on the floor) on BA short haul is always full of crew carry ons. Row 1 ABC (or row 2 if there's no row 1) is usually full of cabin safety gear. I'll politely assume it's because there's no practical alternative; it's not just because the crew in the front want easy access to their gear.
As a Gold card holder I frequently get allocated a seat in this row. My options are either board as soon as possible to use the next row's lockers or change seat and be prepared to use the space under the seat in front of me if need be. I know this. But the crew are making extra work for themselves dealing with p*ssed off premium pax who wait in the lounge until called and thus board last finding the only place for their bags to be halfway down the aircraft or the hold.
Why don't the crew put their bags above row 2 or 3 or 4?
(It isn't new - I remember flight deck crew pilot bags always filled the front row lockers of Manx ATP's)
As a Gold card holder I frequently get allocated a seat in this row. My options are either board as soon as possible to use the next row's lockers or change seat and be prepared to use the space under the seat in front of me if need be. I know this. But the crew are making extra work for themselves dealing with p*ssed off premium pax who wait in the lounge until called and thus board last finding the only place for their bags to be halfway down the aircraft or the hold.
Why don't the crew put their bags above row 2 or 3 or 4?
(It isn't new - I remember flight deck crew pilot bags always filled the front row lockers of Manx ATP's)
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There is no requirement for Flight Attendants, or indeed anybody else, to justify or explain the contents of their baggage to anybody else. FA bags are present because they are required.
The fact is that recent developments within the LoCo industry mean that customers are encouraged to bring hand baggage only: Checked baggage is discouraged to speed turnaround and save weight. Given that space in the Cabin is finite, it is clearly unrealistic to expect that an in-finite volume of cabin baggage can be accommodated in the overhead bins - Some will have to be stowed in the other approved stowage, namely underneath the seat in front.
FA bags are not the cause of the problem, nor even a major contributor. However, because they tend to be labelled as such, they represent an easy target for the disgruntled.
The fact is that recent developments within the LoCo industry mean that customers are encouraged to bring hand baggage only: Checked baggage is discouraged to speed turnaround and save weight. Given that space in the Cabin is finite, it is clearly unrealistic to expect that an in-finite volume of cabin baggage can be accommodated in the overhead bins - Some will have to be stowed in the other approved stowage, namely underneath the seat in front.
FA bags are not the cause of the problem, nor even a major contributor. However, because they tend to be labelled as such, they represent an easy target for the disgruntled.
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On my airline, I will try my very upmost to relocate my crew bag if necessary. Nine times out of ten I end up stowing it in an empty food trolley (even though this is not an official stowage).
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@Haven't a clue: crew bags are not the real problem for those sitting at the front - the real problem is that some passengers sitting further back put their bags in the o/h lockers at the front as they get on and pick them up as they get off. That's why even if I'm travelling business class I try to board early to make sure I don't have to go halfway down the aircraft to find a space (and fight the flow of pax to get back to it on exit). I shouldn't have to but there it is. First-world problems!
And, TightSlot, this isn't only on the LoCo's - it's the same on e.g. BA. Pax avoid checking baggage because they know they'll have to wait ages for it at the other end or they fear it's going to get lost.
And, TightSlot, this isn't only on the LoCo's - it's the same on e.g. BA. Pax avoid checking baggage because they know they'll have to wait ages for it at the other end or they fear it's going to get lost.
I'm not aware of KM's SOP but if your bag under the seat made it so uncomfortable for you then it sounds like it wasn't stowed correctly and should have been offloaded and placed in the hold.