Easing the squeeze

[dghob]

It's probably time this old, old question was asked again because sooner or later you'd think airlines might do something.

The question is....when are airlines going to get serious about pax who persist in bringing carry on baggage that is well in excess of the so-called limits?

A case in point for me was a QF flight from Adelaide to Brisbane last week. As far as I could see every seat taken. At a guess I'd say the boarding process took maybe 10-15 minutes longer than it would normally as people with bags that would no way fit the test thingo at the gate stuffed about forcing the bag (more often bags) into the overhead bins, squashing other peoples' bags, and leaving nowhere for others to store theirs. Meanwhile the aisle was blocked for everyone else, including crew. You all know what I'm on about here.

As cabin crew you must get p*ssed off with this!? With just about every domestic flight in Oz now pretty full surely the matter must be on the agenda for someone?

For what it's worth I make a habit of getting on board as soon as possible to avoid the problem. Then I can sit back and watch the action!:ugh:

Cheers
dghob

[Boomerang_Butt]

Unfortunately I don't think the issue is going to go away anytime soon. Part of the problem is the differing allowances between airlines in this country. What's ok on one isn't on another- for example you could go with your 10kg's of carry on from Jetstar to a QF flight where the set limit is 7kg (not that it seems to matter much these days!) then Qantaslink which of course is 4kg's for a good reason...

Some pax don't understand that sizes are different for different aircraft too. I personally think the size QF allows is a little too large as that test unit can fit bags which won't fit in certain lockers on certain QF aircraft- have sent in feedback to this effect so we shall see what happens.

Another factor is FF's travelling in economy who mistakenly think their status gives them more carry on piece allowance- it doesn't. I respect that they give the company a lot of business, and if possible allow for suit bags etc, (probably doesn't help) but do explain that it is above the allowance and is only being allowed on today because we have space etc etc and on a full flight it won't be coming in the cabin. Pieces go by travel class not your FF status unless you're a Chairman's Lounge member and even then in economy it's a 'nice to have' when room is at a premium.

Doesn't help that most pax refuse to stow small items under the seat in front. I asked 4 pax to do so the other day and all flatly refused, stating it was 'their right' to use the o/h locker. I understand that but when the flight is full larger items have preference in o/h lockers when they can't fit under seats in front. Eventually I had to ask the people with the large bag to gate check it as we were already past departure time and the situation was going nowhere. Wasn't very fair as they only had the 1 bag between them yet everyone else bringing on their 5 thousand bags meant people playing by the rules missed out.

It's a difficult battle as well with online check-in because now a bag often won't be seen until the pax is at the gate. Then if it's too big we have to hold up boarding while we test the bag, get essential items out and gate check. When ground crew are short staffed sometimes they can't gate check bags, or late boarders come to the gate after loading is finished.

I think it's high time we had standardised limits and have it prominently signaged saying that CASA choose these limits not the airline. I've lost count of how many pax have a 20-something kg bag and say 'Oh but it fits in the test unit!' - it's not just about size it's about weight. I don't think it;s going to get any better until there' blanket rules about baggage- maybe the matter should be enforced at the security checkpoint like they're proposing to do in the US.

Sorry for the long post but as you can tell this issue is one close to my heart! :E

[lowerlobe]

Doesn't help that most pax refuse to stow small items under the seat in front.
This is where a lot of cabin Crew have problems and it is really their job to enforce the requirements of their airline...

If a pax has said to me I'm not putting the bag on the floor under the seat in front of them and the lockers are full then I happily tell them I will arrange it to be loaded in the hold with the rest of the luggage.....

Sometimes you have to be forceful in a diplomatic way of course....:E

[Boomerang_Butt]

Yes it is difficult, especially when the laptop bag is the only thing they brought on! They think, why should I have to move my bag for some idiot who brought a trolley on? Which I can see their point but when you have 4 Platinum flyers yelling they will take their business elsewhere, and the trolley doesn't fit in the locker (even though it fits in the test unit) then you kind of see why I had to check the trolley in the hold :bored:

I just try to keep the small bags going under seats during boarding and rollaboards in the lockers but you can't catch all of them! Until there's standard sizes I think this isssue will continue!

[lowerlobe]

BB...Not exactly what I meant...

The thing you have to remember is that you are in charge not the pax....

If an item that has been carried on is not stored correctly or has a place to be stored correctly then it goes....simple.

I'm sure that if you tell someone that their precious laptop is either going under the seat in front or the bulk storage container in the hold then they will pick the the former...if they tell you they will not fly with your airline again that is their problem not yours....safety comes first.

[bfisk]

As a pilot that does a lot of commuting to and from base, here's my two cents:

Check-in crew, gate crew and cabin crew are well within their right to decline oversized or heavy bags to be brought onboard, especially with a full airplane.

While it might be embarrassing to tell customers they can't bring all their gear, what you are in fact doing is providing a service to the rest of the passengers who are indeed aware of the regulations and adhere to them.

When someone else is allowed to board with 2-3 pcs of hand baggage, which leaves me with only underseat storage for my cabin-sized bag (or even smaller backpack, depending on a/c type), I believe the only appropriate thing is to enforce the rules. No one likes to get a speeding ticket either, but I think the general public is happy that there are measures in place to take out the bullies. And as far as the frequent flier is concerned: if anyone should know the rules, they are the ones, not the once-every-blue-moon-holidaymaker!

[AirborneSoon]

Its a problem compounded by many things.

1. Airlines charging for hold luggage now just encourages people to bring it onboard in the hopes it won't get offloaded to avoid the fee. Airlines also have confusing onboard luggage allowances, a handbag plus a suit bag plus a laptop plus a cabin bag not totalling more than 7kgs altogether. I mean who is really going to think about things that much? It should be one bag, period. Whether that's a laptop, handbag or whatever doesn't matter. One bag.

2. Too few staff to actually scan for oversized luggage at gate lounges. Gate staff are usually only there long enough to disembark one flight and send another out. Otherwise they are onto the next gate.

3. Tight schedules mean there just isn't an allowance of time for cabin crew or ground staff to be offloading bags, issuing baggage tickets and adding bags to the hold. Pushing back an aircraft on time is always a major concern.

4. There is no requirement to test bags in the test unit so passengers just ignore them. Passengers often get argumentative when they are informed their bags are oversized. They will give the staff member concerned endless grief about how they always bring this bag and that bag onboard and this is the first time anyone has objected to it.

5. Inconsistencies across airlines and the network. One person may do their job with the bags but the next will think it's too much hassle and just let it go through leaving it up to someone else to break the bad news.

6. Most people don't consider if anyone else can fit their bags into the overhead lockers. As long as their stuff is in there that's as far as the thought goes.

Most onboard luggage is something that can be checked into the hold. It's overnight luggage not laptops or purses or other breakables. Why people want to save $10 on checking bags when they will probably spend more than that on coffee and a snack on any given day I have no idea.

Personally I think an easy way to solve the problem would be to have smaller x-ray machines at passenger screening points or a size gauge that the bag must pass through to get into the machine (have larger ones for business deliveries into the airport), if the bag won't fit in the machine then there's really no arguing about it. :ok:

[wiggy]

As a frequent flying commuter it's a subject close to my heart as well...(especially AirborneSoon's point 6 - i.e. folks don't give a stuff) - Travelling on a LoCo recently I saw Cabin Crew pretty much order some poor s*d to take his legit sized baggage out of the overhead locker and into his foot space so that somebody else could jam their most definitely oversized backpack into the overhead.

Even when traveling with "my" airline, which still assigns seats, you get the LoCo scrum at the gate as people shove be first on in order to stow their shopping. I reckon the only real answer is each seat has it's own assigned slot in the overhead locker and if your handbaggage won't go there, or under your seat, it goes to the hold.....but I know it's not going to happen.