I don’t want to check my bag at the gate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Last summer we travelled to a popular destination and the flight was full. We were at the beginning of “main” boarding, and when there were about five groups ahead of us they suddenly announced they were going to start checking bags because “the flight is full and to expedite boarding”. NOT because of weight and balance. And, as we found out once we boarded and were met with wide open bins, NOT because of the bins being full. They just wanted to board us quickly, apparently. At that point it was too late to go back and retrieve my carry-on, and I was even more annoyed later when it took forever for the bags to make it to the conveyer at our destination when I had paid extra to be “main” vs “economy”. In hindsight I could have made a fuss and demanded the difference returned to me, but I digress.

We are headed back in a couple days and I’m already anticipating the same thing happening. What happens if I just carry-on anyway and find that there are no bins this time?

They did this on our flight to Rome in June on United. If you are concerned pack a duffel that will go under the seat instead of a roller.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG people just check a bag.

No need to squeeze your sunscreen into multiple 3 oz bottles you bought from Target, or wash your underwear in the sink every night, or stress out about your boarding group.

Some airports the checked luggage gets to baggage claim before I do.

You forgot the $35 per person each way part.

United now charges $80 per bag each way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG people just check a bag.

No need to squeeze your sunscreen into multiple 3 oz bottles you bought from Target, or wash your underwear in the sink every night, or stress out about your boarding group.

Some airports the checked luggage gets to baggage claim before I do.

You forgot the $35 per person each way part.

And the "hassle when the bags don't make it" part.

[Anonymous]

Just tell them you have medical supplies in your bag that you aren't comfortable putting in checked bag/won't fit in the smaller carry on. It could be medicine, a CPAP, osteomy supplies, breast pump, etc.

[Anonymous]

It's just not that big of a deal to get your bag at the baggage claim. People now have a complex about carrying on, but checking a bag is just not problematic. If you don't want to pay for it (which often isn't that much - or get one of the airline's credit cards so that it's free), then I suppose you could pack as though you were carrying on and hand it over for gate check if asked. Obsessively carrying on is such a weird flex.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OMG people just check a bag.

No need to squeeze your sunscreen into multiple 3 oz bottles you bought from Target, or wash your underwear in the sink every night, or stress out about your boarding group.

Some airports the checked luggage gets to baggage claim before I do.

Have you ever been on a week-long Caribbean cruise where your checked bag never reaches you until you reach the airport to fly home? I have.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG people just check a bag.

No need to squeeze your sunscreen into multiple 3 oz bottles you bought from Target, or wash your underwear in the sink every night, or stress out about your boarding group.

Some airports the checked luggage gets to baggage claim before I do.

Have you ever been on a week-long Caribbean cruise where your checked bag never reaches you until you reach the airport to fly home? I have.

No. Fly nonstop and confirm the destination on your bad tag.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG people just check a bag.

No need to squeeze your sunscreen into multiple 3 oz bottles you bought from Target, or wash your underwear in the sink every night, or stress out about your boarding group.

Some airports the checked luggage gets to baggage claim before I do.

Have you ever been on a week-long Caribbean cruise where your checked bag never reaches you until you reach the airport to fly home? I have.

No. Fly nonstop and confirm the destination on your bad tag.

Not every flight can be non-stop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG people just check a bag.

No need to squeeze your sunscreen into multiple 3 oz bottles you bought from Target, or wash your underwear in the sink every night, or stress out about your boarding group.

Some airports the checked luggage gets to baggage claim before I do.

Have you ever been on a week-long Caribbean cruise where your checked bag never reaches you until you reach the airport to fly home? I have.

No. Fly nonstop and confirm the destination on your bad tag.

Not every flight can be non-stop.

Learn how to travel like a grownup and stop weeping every time things don’t go your way. Jeez.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG people just check a bag.

No need to squeeze your sunscreen into multiple 3 oz bottles you bought from Target, or wash your underwear in the sink every night, or stress out about your boarding group.

Some airports the checked luggage gets to baggage claim before I do.

Have you ever been on a week-long Caribbean cruise where your checked bag never reaches you until you reach the airport to fly home? I have.

No. Fly nonstop and confirm the destination on your bad tag.

That’s not a guaranteed way for your bags to arrive.

[Anonymous]

I typically fly American. My last 10 flights they have demanded people in groups 6 and higher to check bags at the gate. I'm usually group 4 or 5 so I'm never forced. But I can see what a PITA it is because AFTER the flight you end up with a big group of passengers blocking the passageway leaving the plane as they wait for their bags to be delivered. Plus I'm sure there are lots of people (who don't fly often and don't understand how the "check at the gate" works) who assume their bags will be at baggage claim and leave the plane, terminal and security and only figure out then that their luggage is waiting back at the gate on the other side of security.

[Anonymous]

Just check your stupid bag, princess

[Anonymous]

Some people are too weak to travel. Either pack lighter or deal with how it works. And grow up or stay home.

[Anonymous]

It sucks ebags went out of business because this is what the Motherlode traveler backpack was MADE for. You can fit a week’s worth of clothes in it easily but it compresses down a lot and you wear it on your back. They never ask me to gate check this. I wear my small personal bag on my front, the traveling backpack on my back, and we get on the plane and shove it in the overhead. Never a checked bag or gate check.

I agree with others that you need a similar bag- the wheeled carry ons are a much higher risk of being flagged for a gate check and they’re a huge pain in the ass to get through an airport with once you’ve experienced moving with everything on your back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OMG people just check a bag.

No need to squeeze your sunscreen into multiple 3 oz bottles you bought from Target, or wash your underwear in the sink every night, or stress out about your boarding group.

Some airports the checked luggage gets to baggage claim before I do.

Have you ever been on a week-long Caribbean cruise where your checked bag never reaches you until you reach the airport to fly home? I have.

No. Fly nonstop and confirm the destination on your bad tag.

That’s not a guaranteed way for your bags to arrive.

Agreed. My bag has been lost on a non stop flight.