Airport gate agents & carry ons

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More often than not I get asked at the check-in desk if I want to check my carry on for free, not due to a size issue because it's a fine size. They just say nicely there is limited cabin space and it would help. I usually do but I don't see it as a negative.

I do. Waiting for checked bags takes forever at some airports. I avoid checked bags whenever I can.

It just isn't that hard to wait for checked bags. Not defending the gate agents or whatever shenanigans they're doing - but I don't get the obsession over carry-on only - checked bags are actually pretty easy, quick, and reliable these days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I’m mostly surprised that they ever question a global services passenger.
DH has NEVER had his carry on questioned (he’s a million miler). But they’ve picked on me a several times (and like you, my bag is always regulation size). If we’re returning from a trip and my bag is fuller or expanded, we trade carry ons, DH takes mine and no questioned asked. But since I’ve been 1K status (a level below Global), I’ve never been questioned.

Same. DH never questioned. Me, fairly regularly. (We’re both rule-followers)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'd estimate that at least 50% of the time I approach to pre-board, I'm told "excuse me this is for Global Services/1k". Yes, I know, I'm GS! I also happen to be a younger looking woman shorter than 5 ft.

It's not just at airports, many places treat smaller women as if we are children or don't take us seriously.

Im almost 6 feet and female, and same. I've always attributed the woman part.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More often than not I get asked at the check-in desk if I want to check my carry on for free, not due to a size issue because it's a fine size. They just say nicely there is limited cabin space and it would help. I usually do but I don't see it as a negative.

I do. Waiting for checked bags takes forever at some airports. I avoid checked bags whenever I can.

It just isn't that hard to wait for checked bags. Not defending the gate agents or whatever shenanigans they're doing - but I don't get the obsession over carry-on only - checked bags are actually pretty easy, quick, and reliable these days.

I fly every 2 weeks on average to particular airport and the checked bags routinely take ~45-50 minutes to arrive at baggage claim. That’s a full 24 hour day of my life each year that I’d have to sacrifice just to wait for checked bags, not to mention the stress/extra time wasted when a bag inevitably eventually gets lost or delayed - no thanks.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I'd estimate that at least 50% of the time I approach to pre-board, I'm told "excuse me this is for Global Services/1k". Yes, I know, I'm GS! I also happen to be a younger looking woman shorter than 5 ft.

It's not just at airports, many places treat smaller women as if we are children or don't take us seriously.

Im almost 6 feet and female, and same. I've always attributed the woman part.

I agree that it’s far more a function of discrimination against women in general rather than those of a particular size

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flight attendants and gate attendants definitely treat white women worse than white men. My friends and I have exchanged numerous stories like the ones above.

I am specifying race because I don’t know how it plays out with different races

I’m the FA PP from upthread, and I couldn’t disagree more. I can’t speak for gate agents, but I have so many female and gay coworkers who go out of their way to deliberately screw with business men, in particular, because they are so self-important, and who are quite protective of solo women travelers.

Sorry, FA pp, but while you and your friends may be all about “girl power” it’s simply not the experience for most of us female frequent fliers, who are regularly expected to be more accommodating and blatantly given inferior treatment to men flying in the same class of service.

Just look at the incident that went viral when the pregnant wife of a pro baseball player was told by the flight attendants she needed to get on the ground to clean up all the popcorn her child spilled on a flight. Whether you want to characterize her as entitled or not, do you really think if it was a man traveling alone with a child they would have treated him the same way?

That’s a bad example. If my kid spilled something all in the aisle, like in that case, I wouldn’t have to be asked to clean up after them. Parents should and could clean up after their kids on a plane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flight attendants and gate attendants definitely treat white women worse than white men. My friends and I have exchanged numerous stories like the ones above.

I am specifying race because I don’t know how it plays out with different races

I think we do “know” how it plays out with different races.

No, they are not going to wrongly ask a POC about their bag for perceived as being racist. They don't ask men because of the feared power play. So that leaves small white women they can ask. Same with going through security. For every POC they ask to step aside for extra check, they will ask a non-confrontational looking white person to step aside to make sure their numbers are okay.

[Anonymous]

I still remember a man being dragged out of his seat when the flight was overbooked. Not a small woman. I’m a small woman and I’m finding all these claims of inferior treatment not ringing true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Flight attendants and gate attendants definitely treat white women worse than white men. My friends and I have exchanged numerous stories like the ones above.

I am specifying race because I don’t know how it plays out with different races

I think we do “know” how it plays out with different races.

No, they are not going to wrongly ask a POC about their bag for perceived as being racist. They don't ask men because of the feared power play. So that leaves small white women they can ask. Same with going through security. For every POC they ask to step aside for extra check, they will ask a non-confrontational looking white person to step aside to make sure their numbers are okay.

She replied with great authority. I mean no authority, just guessing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More often than not I get asked at the check-in desk if I want to check my carry on for free, not due to a size issue because it's a fine size. They just say nicely there is limited cabin space and it would help. I usually do but I don't see it as a negative.

I do. Waiting for checked bags takes forever at some airports. I avoid checked bags whenever I can.

It just isn't that hard to wait for checked bags. Not defending the gate agents or whatever shenanigans they're doing - but I don't get the obsession over carry-on only - checked bags are actually pretty easy, quick, and reliable these days.

Well then sweeten the pot by free checked bags and $$ for carryon. Win win.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I still remember a man being dragged out of his seat when the flight was overbooked. Not a small woman. I’m a small woman and I’m finding all these claims of inferior treatment not ringing true.

You think we’re lying about our individual stories of being asked about our carry on bags ? Remember this site is mostly female posters so you’re getting our POV. Feel free to “do your own research” till you find what “rings” true for you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still remember a man being dragged out of his seat when the flight was overbooked. Not a small woman. I’m a small woman and I’m finding all these claims of inferior treatment not ringing true.

You think we’re lying about our individual stories of being asked about our carry on bags ? Remember this site is mostly female posters so you’re getting our POV. Feel free to “do your own research” till you find what “rings” true for you.

I’m a short woman who has not been hassled. So my experience cancels yours out. This isn’t exactly scientific research.

[Anonymous]

Happened to me going from Gatwick to Belfast. Bought my carryon after reading the measurements online. Paid ahead for it to be carryon ( easy jet does this) then gate agent says it’s too big. Forced me to pay extra to Check it at plane door. I paid cos I didn’t want to get refused the flight.
Literally walked onto the plane and placed it in the overhead.
I took a photo of it and disputed the charge on my credit card. Got all my money back.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I still remember a man being dragged out of his seat when the flight was overbooked. Not a small woman. I’m a small woman and I’m finding all these claims of inferior treatment not ringing true.

You think we’re lying about our individual stories of being asked about our carry on bags ? Remember this site is mostly female posters so you’re getting our POV. Feel free to “do your own research” till you find what “rings” true for you.

I’m a short woman who has not been hassled. So my experience cancels yours out. This isn’t exactly scientific research.

Yet you conclude the rest of us are lying. No one claimed scientific certainly. You’re just hearing from those of us who chose to respond.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:More often than not I get asked at the check-in desk if I want to check my carry on for free, not due to a size issue because it's a fine size. They just say nicely there is limited cabin space and it would help. I usually do but I don't see it as a negative.

I do. Waiting for checked bags takes forever at some airports. I avoid checked bags whenever I can.

It just isn't that hard to wait for checked bags. Not defending the gate agents or whatever shenanigans they're doing - but I don't get the obsession over carry-on only - checked bags are actually pretty easy, quick, and reliable these days.

And when they lose your bag? I used to not care about checking bags, but airlines seem to have forgotten how to make sure bags make connecting flights