Hand Luggage Deathmatch

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Viewing 15 posts - 1 through 15 (of 27 total)

  • FDOS_UK
    Participant

    In the red corner, CharlesP who believes one should only travel with hand luggage and in the blue corner, Cashsuds, who opines

    The case for restricted carry on becomes stronger than ever. I cannot see why people have to lug their luggage into the cabin!!! The temptation is too great for anyone to think logically under these circumstances. Ban all carry ons larger than a satchel!!!

    Both cannot be right, two men will enter the ring and only one will leave.

    Whose opinion do you back?

    My vote goes for CharlesP


    TominScotland
    Participant

    Good question and elegantly posed, FDOS_UK.

    Personally, I would ban satchels altogether as, IMHO, they are (as used by adults not school kids) for pretentious posers and not serious business travellers…..


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    I’d ban all backpacks. They can be dangerous in a crowded environment as the wearer rarely considers those around them as they turn. I’ve been hit at least a dozen times, though recently I was prepared, braced myself and as I got hit I gave a slight nudge and the fellow whose pack was almost bigger than him went spinning and down he went. He had no sympathy or help from anyone, just a few good laughs.


    PeterCoultas
    Participant

    Back packs are great as you can spin around and get yourself space….marvellous on a tube or in the aisle waiting to deplane but you have to remember to keep spinning or someone can easily pinch something from the pockets….more seriously, all carryons should be charged and hold luggage should be free as in that way passengers returning from Heathrow to Bombay or to the USA would probably not bother with a carryon….though they might have several large suitcases…


    openfly
    Participant

    The gate staff must have the authority, and will, to control unreasonable size/amount of hand baggage. I always travel within the rules. Most flights, particularly at big airports such as Heathrow, have many passengers with unacceptable size and amounts. The worst offenders seem to be our Transatlantic cousins transitting Heathrow with three enormous wheelie bags…and the kitchen sink.
    Gate staff seem to be terrified to challenge the offender, afraid to take the “don’t you know who I am” and “I could have flown with….you know” flak!
    If the Gatwick Ryanair gate baggage checkers were round the world we wouldn’t have this problem!!


    TominScotland
    Participant

    These themes have been aired before and we don’t seem to get resolution/ agreement!!

    Lugano, I always have a (relatively small) backpack with me because I am unable to carry any significant weight for an extended period so a briefcase is out.

    Banning wheelie cases – a good idea in theory. However, I am due to fly through Schipol on one of their 45 minute connections soon and I know from VERY bitter experience that checked luggage is very unlikely to follow me from my Glasgow to my Munich flight……(Marcus, sorry, Schipol and KLM are not perfect!!) So I need to keep my wheelie case with me. On the return, when I have longer, I will probably check it.


    openfly
    Participant

    Tom….you are playing the game in that your bag is of reasonable size within the guidelines. But, so many pax take up a complete locker with enormous wheelies and the rest.


    MrMichael
    Participant

    I agree with LP, backpacks are a real pain, except mine :-). I know I have never bumped in to LP, as if in a q of people or where spaces is limited I carry it like a bag and do not sling it over my back. If more people were considerate of others this conversation/dual would not need to be had.

    One think LP, have you considered that carrying a backpack yourself may give you more opportunity to knock things flying in the airport shops….think of the havoc you could cause…..Mr Bean style!


    JohnHarper
    Participant

    One piece in economy, two in first or business – when will the airlines learn?

    Well some have, but not many.


    PdeBarry
    Participant

    Sorry to say but a Rucksack is essential. My wife has a heart condition and by having a rucksack her meds and water are easily reachable.


    SimonS1
    Participant

    [quote quote=758154]Sorry to say but a Rucksack is essential. My wife has a heart condition and by having a rucksack her meds and water are easily reachable.

    [/quote]

    Two completely different things there though. It isn’t the rucksack that is essential, it is your wife’s meds. If rucksacks were banned I am sure you would find some other form of small bag to carry the requisites in. I have a soft sided laptop bag, in it I carry my laptop, medications and valuables and it fits under the seat in front with loads of space. Quite nice as well that I can avoid the “priority boarding” scrummage and in fact enjoy the entertainment offered by those who just have to be first into the metal tube.

    The proof of this is that there was a period after 9/11 where all hand baggage like rucksacks was banned and I didn’t see any reports of people passing away due to lack of access to meds.

    On the wider issue of rucksacks there seems to be something about travel that causes people to leave their brains at the entry gate. A little bit of thought (like removing your rucksack at the entrance to the plane) and the problem would be solved.


    Rockhopper
    Participant

    As others have said all it requires is for the gate staff to enforce hand luggage rules. I flew with Flybe last week (no other options – they are my least favourite airline!) on a flight operated by Stobart Air. The overhead lockers on these aircraft (ATR’s) is quite tight and I have a smaller carry on bag that I know fits easily.

    As I was looking out the window during boarding wondering why Flybe cannot ever operate one of my flights on time I saw a lady walking to the aircraft with a massive US style wheeled bag with another bag (one of those beach bag style “handbags”) almost as large as the first. As she was among the last to board I sat back to watch the fun. She flumps the massive “handbag” down on her seat and then tries to stuff her wheeled bag into the locker which was half the size of the bag. Then in a fit of pique yells at the cabin crew that her bag will not fit and the cabin crew needed to do something about it, the plane is too small, etc etc

    To cut a long story short the cabin crew were brilliant – in response they advised her of the size restrictions she agreed to when she purchased her ticket and told her they would be checking her wheeled bag. An explosion followed to which the calm crew responded if she didn’t wish to check her bag she would be offloaded – cue round of applause from those seated nearby. Defeated she sat down and turned redder when presented with a charge for putting the bag in the hold (something I have never seen done on board before but I guess the crew had had enough of her).

    All of this – a further delayed departure, aggravation for the crew etc – could have been avoided if the gate staff had just enforced existing restrictions. So hand luggage is fine if everyone respects the rules and those that don’t are pulled up!


    Charles-P
    Participant

    Some time ago I was flying to Turkey via Germany with Lufthansa. Before boarding began all those with excessive hand luggage were asked to join one line and those of us with the correct amount were asked to form another. We were boarded first while two Lufthansa staff began the lengthy process of explaining to various, mostly ethnic Turkish, people why attempting to board with assorted bags, rucksacks, launderette bags, sacks, donkeys, etc would not be allowed. I did the trip on a number of occasions and it worked well, compare this to Turkish internal flights between Istanbul and Ankara on Turkish airlines which were great fun with massive quantities of hand luggage and a certain relaxed attitude to seat allocation.


    JohnHarper
    Participant

    Charles-P, I wonder how long ago you traveled on a TK domestic flight?

    I fly with TK every week and I find them one of the most strict when it comes to cabin bags for economy passengers, the lines are combed and two choices are offered, put it in the hold or don’t fly. They are more flexible in business class but I haven’t seen anyone there yet with more than two pieces.

    Rockhopper – I never have reason to fly Flybe but I wish every airline would adopt this approach.


    Charles-P
    Participant

    John Harper – the last domestic flight I took with Turkish airlines was about a year ago and all was as I describe above, I am glad to hear things are better now. Is there still the problem of people standing up about three seconds after touchdown despite the crew shouting at them to sit down ?

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