Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Airlines should make checking luggage free and charge out the wazoo to bring a carryon.

It should all be free. It used to be.

Plus 1

Much prefer the security and convenience of carryon.

On a short flight from London to Amsterdam, I was at the gate early with a few other people. The BA staff came around to all of us and told us they were gatechecking our bags. Wasn't happy about it but complied. However, I noticed they only did this for the first 10 or so people at the gate. Everyone else who came later kept their carry-on.

It annoyed me. Although the bag collection in Amsterdam was very quick. But it did feel like I'd been penalized for being early!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We had this issue a few years ago when the airline was full and the FA demanded my daughter check her violin. It’s a 10,000 dollar instrument and we were NOT going to check it. She was heading to a major performance. So we walked off the flight. The airline reimbursed us and provided miles as an apology.

It’s not always drugs.

Does a violin case even meet the size limits for carry on?

Yes. There is tons of guidance on carryon for instruments.

I fly to and from SF last week and gate checked both times, for free, and by gate checking I was able to board earlier.*

Also both times, picking up from baggage was easy, quick, and smooth. Dulles is so big that the bag was on the carousel by the time I made it there. Landing in SF was nearly the same. The problem comes when it's this long delay to get your bag. I had a flight last month into DCA where there was a 30 minute wait.

If you could gate check and pick up at the gate that would be my dream.


* a total aside - it's not that i want to board earlier. I'd prefer to board in an orderly, efficient fashion where there's not all the standing around. But the number of bags people are trying to shove means it's just easier to get on the plane first. I used to love to wait til the very end to board, stroll on, get in my seat, put my small bag under the seat in front and then have the pull away happen shortly after. Having to board and wait now is annoying.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Airlines should make checking luggage free and charge out the wazoo to bring a carryon.

Serious question: What's a "wazoo" ?

Serious question: have you ever heard of Google?

Serious question: every time someone asks a question do you tell them to Google it?

NP: I don't tell people to use Google -- but when a person asks a simple question that could quickly be answered by google and they don't google -- I think they are dumb.

NP. And when you obviously have the internet at your fingertips, if you are posting here on it.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Airlines should make checking luggage free and charge out the wazoo to bring a carryon.

Serious question: What's a "wazoo" ?

Serious question: have you ever heard of Google?

Serious question: every time someone asks a question do you tell them to Google it?

NP: I don't tell people to use Google -- but when a person asks a simple question that could quickly be answered by google and they don't google -- I think they are dumb.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Airlines should make checking luggage free and charge out the wazoo to bring a carryon.

Serious question: What's a "wazoo" ?

Serious question: have you ever heard of Google?

Serious question: every time someone asks a question do you tell them to Google it?

Why wouldn’t you point out to people when they are being completely useless and should spend the finger power googling something instead of typing out a dumb remark?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many people do not realize that it is a Federal offense to disobey the direction of cabin crew.

Airlines often don't back them up though, since they make so much money on business/VIP travelers.

It is, but it is unfortunate that the majority of the FAs have an IQ equivalent to room temperature, and poor training. At least on most US carriers. Decision making and logic are not their fortes, and often their biggest concern is getting everything done in record time so that they can chitchat with each other.

There is a difference in airlines, though. I think Spirit Airlines employees are at the top of the list. It is fairly well-known (certainly by corporate Spirit trainers) that people CHEAT all the time on the training tests. Scary to think your life may depend on someone whose reading comprehension was so bad they couldn't read a simple paragraph aloud nor relate what it meant.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Many people do not realize that it is a Federal offense to disobey the direction of cabin crew.

Airlines often don't back them up though, since they make so much money on business/VIP travelers.

It is, but it is unfortunate that the majority of the FAs have an IQ equivalent to room temperature, and poor training. At least on most US carriers. Decision making and logic are not their fortes, and often their biggest concern is getting everything done in record time so that they can chitchat with each other.

I agree some flight attendants can get power trippy for sure:

https://liveandletsfly.com/thrown-off-a-united-airlines-flight-for-taking-pictures/

But your post is over the top. Your interests and theirs are generally very closely aligned- getting the flight out safely and on time. Have I had some attendants be curt and snippy, or not very customer friendly when serving drinks? Certainly. But I don't take it personally and I don't make a huge deal out of it, and most of them are kind and helpful in my experience.

We witnessed a big argument about checking some carry on bags. A couple absolutely refused to though many others already did. The check in person essentially told them they wouldn't get on with their bags so they got the checked tags but at the end of the jet bridge they ended up taking the bags on the plane! We noticed but they had room to stow the bags overhead and got their way in the end!

Anonymous wrote:I literally love gate-checking my bag. Why would I want to be responsible for lugging it on and off and finding a bin for it if I don't have to?

I would do it on every flight.

Anonymous wrote:Many people do not realize that it is a Federal offense to disobey the direction of cabin crew.

Airlines often don't back them up though, since they make so much money on business/VIP travelers.

It is, but it is unfortunate that the majority of the FAs have an IQ equivalent to room temperature, and poor training. At least on most US carriers. Decision making and logic are not their fortes, and often their biggest concern is getting everything done in record time so that they can chitchat with each other.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:They probably wanted the seats for someone else. They tried to do that to me once and force us to give up our seat for our child we paid for a standby. I refused as we were flying to a medical appointment and next flight out was the next day and we’d miss the appointment. Thankfully they let our kid have their seat.

Who is "they"? The flight attendants? They don't get compensated based on who is flying, and in fact get dinged pretty heavily if a flight is late related to their actions. I think you misinterpreted the situation, or there may have been other information you assumed but weren't actually told.

Yes, also the OP said the flight attendant told one of the passengers they spoke to them 3 times about something.

Anonymous wrote:They probably wanted the seats for someone else. They tried to do that to me once and force us to give up our seat for our child we paid for a standby. I refused as we were flying to a medical appointment and next flight out was the next day and we’d miss the appointment. Thankfully they let our kid have their seat.

Who is "they"? The flight attendants? They don't get compensated based on who is flying, and in fact get dinged pretty heavily if a flight is late related to their actions. I think you misinterpreted the situation, or there may have been other information you assumed but weren't actually told.

Anonymous wrote:It does not take much to get kicked off a flight these days. It could have been refusing to check a bag that doesn't fit or just cussing out the flight attendant. If the airline thinks you're a risk to their schedule, you're going to get kicked off the plane.

Sure thing buddy, it's definitely worth the added 15-20 minutes of paperwork to "save time"- not to mention the time for law enforcement to arrive if requested. I agree some flight attendants have power trips from time to time, but really you have to be a pretty big a**hole to get kicked off a plane. If you follow crew instructions it won't happen.