Originally Posted by
ConstantFlyer
At least Ryanair seems to enforce its hand luggage policy most of the time. Yet I see people on the 'legacies' struggling to board with three or four pieces, and rarely will either gate staff or cabin crew intervene.
Mainly because on the legacies the customers themselves are adamant they can bring whatever they like "because it's not Ryanair". Many of them fail to realise that a lot of legacies have a very small hand baggage allowance in comparison to the low-cos! When challenged by check in or gate staff they either whinge and moan about "jobsworths" or kick off like a small child having their rattle being taken off them. Everyone's a special case. Everyone has a short connection. Everyone is carrying thousands of £ worth of valuables in the carry on. Everyone has a laptop they can't possibly carry on it's own. They've heard it all.
Only difference is a small child doesn't usually swear or threaten to sue. Check in or boarding staff, already cut to the bare minimum in a lot of airports, are under so much pressure to get the flights out on time that any kind of lengthy confrontation is avoided at all costs. If passengers followed the rules or didn't totally overact when they were being enforced then there would be room for everyone's bags on board!