Hi Distant Rumble - nice to see you on the Forum again!
I'm hoping a member of Cabin Crew (any airline will do) will respond as to why they have the need to take their own large trolley bags on board. I believe that their contents may well be essential for them to have in the cabin because on BA routes (and I can only talk about my own employer) the Cabin Crew will also have a large Samsonite or Delsey suitcase in the hold! As you yourself will appreciate, if you've a bag in the hold, there's no advantage in taking your trolley in the cabin as you've still go to wait at the baggage carousel at your destinatioin.
As I've said, the cabin bag issue will always be charged with emotion - as Ground staff, we can't do right for doing wrong, or so it would appear! Certainly, I try to take into consideration aircraft type, passenger load and where the customer is seated when I decide whether to check your trolley bag into the hold or not. (You will appreciate, between Row 7 and 12 on those Bae 146's of Aer Lingus, there's absolutely no stowage space in the bins except for small, squashable items.)
The One-World alliance marketing guff (sorry, literature!) attempted to standardise cabin baggage policy. THe only problem being that if you've come from the USA in First class with your whopping 18kg allowance and then hopping on to Aer Lingus to pop "across to the banks of the Liffey", there's no way that kind of baggage could be accommodated unless we took the toilet out of service!
I think Virgin probably got it right by insisting
any bag with wheels was checked in if the traveller was in Economy. The policy is respected by their travellers - after all, I agree that it's infuriating to be forced to check your trolley bag in only to see half a dozen larger ones wheeled on at the boarding gate.
Distant Rumble - check in with me or with Heathrow09L and we'll always treat you fairly, taking all factors into account!
Enjoy your R & R and please keep spending your money in that Gold Circle of yours! It keeps us working!
