EU ban on one-bag only policy

[Sunnyjohn]

Our (notoriously unreliable) local expat newspaper has a letter from a reader who states that there is a new EU policy which bans european airlines from enforcing a "one-bag per person only in the cabin" policy. I cannot find anything about this on google or elsewhere. Does anyone know anything about it?

[edi_local]

I certainly hope not. If the EU needs to do anything it's severely limit, by law, the amount of carry on baggage people can take! It's getting beyond the joke now how much people take on!

[fa2fi]

This could be potential carnage on the face of it. But without knowing the specifics I'm not sure what to make of it.

To be honest technically it wouldn't make much difference if people out things under the seat in front but people are very reluctant to. It will be interesting to see how people will expect their 2 plus items to fit in the overhead.

It is no longer an LCC issue whereas once upon a time it was. My recent CDGLHR BA flight was no different to an EZY flight and they have quite a few fewer seats on an A320 and the flight had about ten empty seats yet it was still an issue getting bags in and the crew were very firm in getting people to out their small bags under the seats.

With BA now charging for bags (whatever way they spin it you're still paying) people have their roll ons and their additional item and it was extremely tight getting the bags in.

It would just not be workable.

Yes airlines could stop charging for hold baggage but we'll end up paying for that in higher ticket costs and why should I have to pay the same when I'm not putting stuff in the hold? Interesting times. I'm glad I'm out of it

[PAXboy]

Even if such a policy were possible, the moment it was made public - there would be a BIG response, not least in here. So I doubt the report.

[Sunnyjohn]

To answer my own question because no-one else has so far: I think the writer was referring to this from the EU regs:

As of 31 January 2014, liquids purchased duty free from any airport or on any aircraft are generally permitted for transport in carry-on baggage. A prerequisite for such transport is that the liquid be carried together with the purchase receipt in an undamaged, sealed safety bag that can be checked with special examination technology. Both liquid medications and special liquid nutrition will be examined using this technology. The safety bag must not be opened before arrival at the final destination airport. All liquids must be able to be taken out of the baggage and presented individually for the aviation security check. If the liquid cannot be determined to be completely safe, it is not permitted for transport in the carry-on baggage.

The airline mentioned in the letter, easyJet, allows items bought from duty-free to be brought on board in an obvious duty-free shop carrier as well as a carry-on bag.. In the letter, the writer states that EJ told two passengers to put their small bags, holding their passports and money, into their hand luggage. You notice the regs actually say "in carry-on baggage", nothing about a separate bag. So I think the writer of the letter in the expat newspaper got their wires crossed. Not surprising - it is a little confusing!

[The SSK]

The EU, particularly the Parliament, hates the existence of one-bag rules as being very anti-consumer, but so far has not found a way to regulate them. There was talk about modifying the upcoming review of delay/denied boarding legislation to include it but it doesn't fit comfortably.

[mad_jock]

anti-consumer my backside.

It because as a group they want to take there trolley bag and there laptop bag on at the same time. And the females want the same plus a handbag.

The fact there isn't enough room and there are issues with the overhead baggage loading limits of the bins doesn't concern them.

[llondel]

The fair way to do it is to give everyone numbered tags for their bags. The rule then is that if someone wishes to place their #1 bag in the overhead bin and there isn't room, bags with higher numbers on them are removed to make room. If you can fit bag #1 overhead and bag #2 under the seat then no problem.

Implement this on flights taken regularly by EU bureaucrats so they get the inconvenience of the resulting delays as baggage is reshuffled.

[mad_jock]

I remember the time they banned carry on baggage for a bit.

As operating crew it was heaven. The plane was loaded/off loaded in half the time.

[PAXboy]

The SSK

The EU, particularly the Parliament, hates the existence of one-bag rules...

Really? can you give an example of how they show this?

[llondel]

The other way of doing it is to allow multiple bags but require that they all fit together in the box provided, thus making total volume per passenger the same as it is now.

I guess this one fails when you've got some idiot trying to get all ten of their bags out of the overhead locker while the cabin crew are trying to evacuate the aircraft.

[The SSK]

PAXboy I have spent far too much time this last year hanging around the European Parliament, mainly on consumer affairs issues, the one bag rule is constantly being mentioned.

[MaxReheat]

Why do passengers stand for ages at the gate even though they have an allocated seat? Because of the conditioning induced by a decade plus of the LCC seat free-for-all mentality.

Why are cabin overhead bins maxed out with baggage even when (with BA, for example) a bag can go in the hold? Because of the conditioning induced by a decade plus of the LCC money-grabbing policy of charging for hold bags.

Open up the holds again and stop the checked-bag rip-off or, if nothing else, reduce the exhorbitant charges to encourage bags out of the cabin and into the hold.

[monarchnew]

Or perhaps its time to flip the charges so that the airline charges you to take a bag into the cabin. Free bag into the hold upto a certain weight.

[bizdev]

Queing at the gate

Queuing at the gate has nothing to do with conditioning - it is so that there is a good chance you will find space in the locker for your bag. Those that get on last invariably do not (find space).

[HamishMcBush]

Open up the holds again and stop the checked-bag rip-off or, if nothing else, reduce the exhorbitant charges to encourage bags out of the cabin and into the hold.

When you have waited over an hour at LHR for your checked bag to re-appear on a flight that was shorter than an hour, you will realise why some of us prefer to take hand luggage only. If only ground support was prompt, then maybe we would feel better about having to check bags in when we'd prefer not to

[PAXboy]

The SSK

I have spent far too much time this last year hanging around the European Parliament, mainly on consumer affairs issues, the one bag rule is constantly being mentioned.

Wow! Thanks. I have always been a supporter of the 'big picture' EU but not of the 'small detail' EU. The reasons that only one cabin bag is allowed, and the dimensions, are clear and open. I fail to see how this is a 'problem'.

MaxReheat

Why do passengers stand for ages at the gate even though they have an allocated seat? Because of the conditioning induced by a decade plus of the LCC seat free-for-all mentality.

I'm not so sure. I think it is all part of the modern approach to 'let me grab all that I can'. We have discussed this gate problem many times in this forum, and how it has developed over the last years. As far as I recall, LCC behaviour has not been far up the scale but I sit to be corrected.

Why are cabin overhead bins maxed out with baggage even when (with BA, for example) a bag can go in the hold? Because of the conditioning induced by a decade plus of the LCC money-grabbing policy of charging for hold bags.

I'm not so sure. We have discussed this bag problem many times in this forum, and how it has developed over the last years. As far as I recall, it started in the 90s with the Hub-and-Spoke of the major carriers. With tight timing on connections and possibly taking three sectors - folks found it was far better to take their bag with them, then to have it miss a connection. The LCCs then followed but with point-to-point and the limited baggage for other reasons, to which many were already accustomed (certainly in the USA) but I sit to be corrected.

The LCCs have prospered not just because the legacy carriers and their govts had things sewn up, but because people always want to pay the minimum. It has been convincingly proved that if you offer a low 'headline' price and the chance to add other items at your choice - then people will buy. They feel in control of the price. Another obvious example is buying a new car, the chance to take a basic model and upgrade etc. is one that has worked for years.

Open up the holds again and stop the checked-bag rip-off or, if nothing else, reduce the exhorbitant charges to encourage bags out of the cabin and into the hold

If you can find enough Pax willing to pay the price of the fuel burn and the turn around time and the extra manpower required - then ask an airline to do it.

Whilst the Western world continues in a financial flat line (at least another five years in my view) then I don't see much changing.

[The SSK]

PAXboy I think the EP's gripe is that they see it as another way for the LoCos to gouge the passenger who turns up at the airport with a slightly out-of limits bag and is saddled with a hefty checked-bag fee - or indeed a lady with a handbag as well as a 'legal' cabin bag.

The fact that differeent airlines have different limits and even within an airline, staff at one station may interpret the rules differently to those at another station is an irritant.

I don't fly LoCo but I know I would stress massively about the size of my cabin bag, I just don't need that kind of hassle.

[llondel]

I once did a short transatlantic trip with hand luggage only. We were warned about the lack of overhead bin space, and being in the last boarding group, I was concerned - I take snacks and entertainment stuff with me that I'd rather have in the cabin for ten hours than have it languishing in the hold. Normally if I'm travelling with checked luggage I make sure my carry-on will fit under the seat, avoiding the whole overhead locker problem.

On the plus side, it's a nice feeling to walk out of passport control and straight past the crowd waiting at baggage reclaim on arrival.

When it comes to liquids, I've always taken an empty water bottle through security and filled it at a convenient water fountain in the departure lounge. Even on the occasion where I got selected for the full works security check, they had no problem with the empty bottle. I've also had an occasion where a fairly significant container of soy milk in my son's bag got all the way through the system. I was somewhat gobsmacked that such a quantity of liquid got through.

[PAXboy]

The SSK Interesting again, and thank you.

... they see it as another way for the LoCos to gouge the passenger ...

I think they are mistaken and here I go with one of my lists - as I see it.

• The legacies had hard rules of govt to underpin them and the overall market was small and elite.
• The 747 and 767 happened.
• Market expanded beyond expectations in the 1970s and 80s, so the majors did not have to worry too much.
• De/Re-regulation and privatisation happened.
• Folks like SouthWest saw a new market and understood that by 'slicing' the price into bite sized chunks people could pay for they wanted.
• It worked because people always want to pay less and get more - it's a fundamental aspect of human beings.
• The EU does not want govts to subsidise carriers but they don't want airlines to charge in a way that customers have - overwhelmingly - taken to.
• If your suitcase is marginally outside the rules, then you pay. YES it is uncomfortable sometines.

But what the EU should go for is that carriers do not execute their rules with fairness. We have all seen some folks with large/more bags on the LCC, whilst having had our own smaller/single bag surcharged. In my view, THAT is the problem and that unfairness is why I dislike some carriers.