I just returned from an FR-sponsored trip to the UK with my 16-year old son, both loaded with xmas presents. Although I consider myself pretty fair in what I drag on board, I do admit to trying to see what I can get away with, especially since it's good old Ryanair.
I recall that in the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Fr at STN were really nervous, requiring that normal medium size backpacks are checked, resulting in planeloads of people wandering round the shops begging for plastic bags in which to carry their delicate items. So I also try to have a cloth carrier bag with me in case.
This year I was not accosted for having two carryons, although I did squeeze the backpack into the top of the holdall when checking in. But there seemed little interest in our handluggage, just a peremptory query. We had a whole overhead to ourselves too, though the pack with the two bottles was duly stowed under my toes. (I once saw a hard briefcase slip down and wreck someone's shoulder).
On our return, although we had offloaded the presents, we were given even bulkier items to carry back, from dear but unthinking relatives. Add to that the thousands of teabags (for the whole office), and a large size wooden fokker dreidekker made locally (oh boy!). But again - no problem, even at usually sticky STN, We were even one of the early checkins for a change.
Which brings me to another item FR seems to have introduced, a sort of filter system to try and beat the rush to get a seat. The boarding cards are now numbered such that the early bird gets a low number and is then invited to board first (boarding cards 1 to 65 for example), after the families or infirm. Quite clever!
I notice too that FR has not yet had time to paint the ex-buzz 737s, which are running overall yellow. Oi tink dere's a blue tailed one too. But you're right, so what! Guess I'm still mourning the way a perfectly good (and for me convenient carrier) was killed off. And what was wrong with the Bournemouth route - it was so convenient, and almost always full = popular.
What I also notice is that seemingly few pax use the recline button, which MOL also seems to have noticed. I hear the next batch of McD Boeings will not have recliners (or is it the next batch of Recaros?).
And, for the first time in my experience, we had a go-around at 'busy' Hahn on New Year's eve! The only time the crew up front spoke to us was to explain that they were too high on the approach! Nothing like a bit of on-job training, eh! My son thought it most exciting. No browny points for the crew member flying - hope he didn't suffer for it.
Happy Landings all in 2004!
atb