Airlines and Luggage.

[TomSlick]

I spent time in an airport today waiting for a flight. During that time, I heard an airline gate agent begging and then threatening passengers to gate-check their carry-on luggage. When I got off the plane, there was a crowd of people standing at the end of the jet way waiting for their gate-checked luggage making it a bit of a challenge to get off the plane.

Over the years, I notice more people with more and larger carry-on luggage. Getting on and off the plane involves the collection by passengers of luggage stashed all over the plane that then has to be struggled up the aisle. I then see some of these same folks at the baggage claim waiting for more luggage, so not all of these folks are trying to make a quick get away from the airport.

The airlines apparently want people to use carry-on luggage or else they wouldn't have started charging luggage fees. What I do not understand is why. I cannot remember the last time the gate agents didn't have to beg passengers to gate-check luggage. I cannot remember the last time I didn't see a passenger fighting a bag out of the overhead with it hitting someone. Wouldn't things run much more smoothly if the airlines encouraged passengers to check luggage? What am I missing here?

[uppityperson]

1. $ eom

[TomSlick]

4. Clearly so but...

How does it save money if the airlines have to have employees shagging luggage from and to gates - luggage for which no fee was paid? How are airlines benefited when flights are delayed while some poor gate agent is begging and threatening passengers to gate check luggage? Surely the increase in efficiency in having more passengers check luggage would save more money than is collected in luggage fees.

[uppityperson]

5. I know, I don't get it either.

[Glorfindel]

2. I have noticed the same thing. I think it's a matter of over-booking. All flights seem to be full

nowadays. I only fly four or five times a year, but when I do, I'm willing to pay extra for first or business class in order to avoid these complications. I would never dream of checking a bag. I've heard too many horror stories.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

3. Weight could be one reason. Most airlines limit the weight of checked bags

to maybe 50 lbs., up to 70 in some cases (I looked at Delta's info). There's no weight limit for carry-ons but because of their size limit they'll weigh only about half as much, and you can only have one of them, but you can have two free checked bags, more if you pay extra. So if an airplane seats 200 passengers and each one brings one carry-on weighing 25 lbs, that would weigh 5,000 lbs. But if each of those passengers brought 2 checked bags at 50 lbs, each, that's 20,000 lbs, which is a whole lot of weight. Extra weight means extra fuel burn and reduced passenger loads. That might be why airlines don't try very hard to encourage people to check their bags. Also, passengers generally prefer to grab their carry-on and get off the plane and not have to wait around for their bag to turn up in baggage claim. Or not; they also don't have to worry whether, on their arrival in Honolulu, their bag might be waiting for them in Reykjavik.

Gate-checking typically occurs when the overhead bins are full. Everybody hates it when that happens.

[Zorro]

6. Gate-checking carry-ons happens on every flight I take

and I always take advantage of it.

Saves me $25 and the hassle of finding overhead space.

[TomSlick]

7. I got it. It's obvious that lots of people are doing this.

The question is why the airlines are encouraging this.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

8. They aren't encouraging it; they have no choice

because luggage has to be stowed, and if there's no space in the cabin it has to be checked. It's a PITA for the gate agents and baggage handlers and it can delay the departure.