[Anonymous]

[Cedric_Statherby]

When are the airlines going to get serious about the hand luggage restrictions?

Tonight was typical. Busy commuter flight from Basel back to LHR. Full plane, mostly businessmen (and women) who never ever ever check in luggage – slows them down too much. But they all still need a suitcase, a briefcase, a heavy coat (it’s winter in Switzerland and cold), and possibly a laptop as well.

The briefcase alone is close to busting the handluggage limit. The suitcase is way way over it. The coat also goes in the overhead rack (our cost-conscious flyers are flying economy, so no wardrobe for them).

Result, mayhem. The overhead lockers are full before half the passengers have boarded. Cabin crew scuttle to and fro trying to find room (and being asked to lift things way over any weight limit). The space under the seat in front of me was taken up, not by my feet, but by the man next to me’s third (yes third) bag.

Why were these selfish buffoons not told to check their luggage like the rules dictate? When will airlines actually enforce the sensible, practical and widely advertised limits they themselves have set?

[flyingforce]

This is so frustrating isn’t it? I have spent a while planning what I can and can’t take on as hand luggage, so it is truly irritating when I see others get away with it. I have been asked to check-in my small holdall just because my laptop would not fit in it – and other times been let through. it seems to be completely at the discretion of the grumpy security guards. And what makes it more ridiculous is that all airlines have different rules and different airports have different rules with the same airlines! Ludicrous and no wonder that it takes so long to clear security. It’s true some passengers are at fault for not separating their prohibitive items. Surely everyone knows those rules now? Don’t they?

[JWinter]

Women! Why do you need all that fluid? Are there not beauty shops where you are going? At least prepare and put it in the correct clear bag!

[GeorgeG]

An idiots guide to clearing security

1. Check with airline to see exactly what they allow on hand luggage. As flyingforce says they are all different, so why leave it to chance?

2. You are allowed 1 litre of liquid in 100 ml quantities. Toothpaste counts as a liquid. So does lip balm, hand cream, face cream and other creams. This has been the case for a good few years now. Is it so hard to grasp?

3. Put all these items in a clear plastic bag – preferably one provided by the airport to avoid any further delay. This has also been the case for a good few years now. Is it so hard to grasp?

4. Empty your pockets of all change / paper clips / keys / snot rags – everything – and stuff it into a convenient pocket in your main hand luggage bag – Why not do this on the way to the airport? While sitting on the train or Tube? if you are driving why not do it on the bus from the car park to the terminal? Do you have to leave it until you are at the security barrier?

5. If you have to wear a belt pack it and put it one AFTER security. If your trousers fall down when going through security you may look stupid but people will still not think you are as stupid as the person who gets there and then has to remove the belt.

6. Taking off shoes is often a random request but this doesn’t mean you WON’t be picked, so why not have this in mind instead of looking surprised, irritated and shocked that you have been asked to do this?

7. Jackets and coats should be removed. Scarves too. This has also been the case for a good few years now. Is it so hard to grasp?

8. Laptops should be removed from their cases. Don’t worry your laptop will not break once inside a tray travelling at minus 10 miles an hour.

9. If you have followed these simple rules you will get through security with minimal delay to yourself and everyone else who is behind you. And remember there ARE people behind you so when you grab your tray and start putting your shoes back on why not move out of the way a little. I don’t want to look at your over-sized behind nor smell your sweaty feet.

10. If you can’t do these simple things then please refrain from coming to the airport. You would be wiser to sit at home and remove fluff from your belly button. You are not the only person on the planet. Just think a little and make life easier for everyone.

[JordanD]

At the risk of making this thread light-hearted (and as one of the BA travellers who currently takes a laptop bag and a hand luggage bag – and occasionally checking in one bag too), may I suggest watching Up in The Air … Mr Clooney’s character has a very good view of how to deal with airport security and hand luggage. Worth watching.

[flyingbunny]

I thought GeorgeG was being light-hearted. Yes I have heard it is good to watch George Clooney. Maybe these new body scanners will make people more aware of what they have in their pockets and remove everything before they hold everyone else up?

[Gin&Tonic]

Back to the original point it is ridiculous what happens on most flights; some airlines should have baggage handlers not cabin crew on board.

What amazes me most is how you very rarely see anyone challenged by the gate staff when boarding, some passengers can barely hold the boarding card for all the bags.

It is selfish and inconsiderate of the individuals who choose to travel this way and pig ignorance from the airlines against those of us who do fly just as regularly but within the guidelines for hand baggage.
The one that infuriates me most is the idiot who is last to wonder out of the business lounge so last on the plane, is sitting somewhere in rows 1-3, gets on last with a carry on suit holder the size of which would accommodate most peoples 2 weeks holiday luggage, ,briefcase or laptop bag. Then proceeds to open the first two overhead bins which of course are jammed full and then proceeds to look at the cabin crew with some pathetic confused look as to why there is no space. But then they always find them some instead of tagging it and throwing it in the hold because by now the idiot has made us late and need the slot.

[JoshuaP]

Agree with BarnesG. There should be some sort of strike system. If they know who holds the airline up, the crew could note the seat number and keep the name of the passenger. If they do this more than three times perhaps they should be made to check their luggage in.
I hate the people who get on late and then shove their stuff in on top of my carefully laid suit carrier or delicate gift. It always amazes me how rude and selfish people can be.

[FlyingChinaman]

GeorgeG

Thank you for your airport security TEN COMMANDMENTS. I am already using the very same tactics to get me through the security check point quickly. I hope you will have more followers as it will certainly help to speed up the process at airports when there are more informed frequent travellers,

I am afraid there are still plenty of airports where you will find a lot of inexperienced travellers where they will only follow the procedure when prompted by the security staff, it happened it me last week in Rio airport with long delays.

Travelling in the US, one is faced with trememdous amount of cabin baggage going through security points as most American frequent flyers distrust their airlines’ ability of delivering their checked baggage swiftly on arrival and often not even arriving at all! Thankfully the American travel public are now more experienced and the checking process is going through more smoothly nowadays.

TWinter: Girls will always be Girls irrespectively of their nationalities!!!!

[LuganoPirate]

GeorgeG makes some of the points I made in another posting concerning LCY about preparing for security.

As to hand baggage on the plane, you will frequently find people who have seats at the back will put their baggage in the front o/h lockers. I was row in 7 on one occasion and getting to my seat was someones bag under the seat in front of mine.

I was going to Lisbon so no way was I going to sit cramped for 2 hours. The stewardess seemed uninterested (the pitfall of an economy ticket) so when boarding was complete and her back was turned I took it out and put it in the aisle. She looked at me, I smiled and after an announcement a lady came from the back of the plane to claim it. Funny thing was the plane was only half full, so she could have taken it with her to begin with.

I’m now ruthless, will ask neighbouring passengers if it’s their bag and if not simply remove it and put it in the aisle for the attendants to sort out with an aggrieved passenger who is usually sitting further back.

In November flying LHR – ZRH, the middle seat was free. Suddenly from behind me came one of those awful rucksacks which was placed in the middle seat. No apology, no request, just plonked there. I asked him to remove it, he refused mumbling that there was no other space, he was squashed, and it would not fit in the o/h locker. I said if he had checked it in, which considering its size he ought to have done, he would not have the problem. Luckily at that moment someone came to claim the middle seat and he had to move it. To his distress it went into the hold.

Flying Copenhagen to ZRH I was made, at check in, to take out 4 kgs from my bag to bring it under 8kgs despite protests from me and Senator status.This was accomplished by removing 2 books and my laptop (which I no longer carry due to the hassle). This was allowed as in addition you can carry a laptop and reading matter.

No sooner checked in I put it all back, and despite her warning that she would be at the gate to check me, (she was), she did not utter a word and I boarded. All very strange and illogical to me.

[TominScotland]

Interesting thread with which I do have some sympathy. However, maybe the unrealiability of checked baggage has something to do with people’s behaviour?
Perhaps Ryanair have got the right idea for hand luggage – one item only and that must be 10 kg or less or its, I think, 30 Euro a kilo excess or pay to check the bag. At some airports (Prestwick) they weigh on boarding so that includes airport shopping. Draconian but eliminates the problem.
By total contrast, I have just flown LHR – SIN – MEL in economy with SQ on the 380 both legs and have nothing but praise for the upstairs cabin behind C class. With just 62 seats, its roomy (2-4-2) and quiet, and service was attentive. In baggage terms, there are the usual but big overheads and side buckets for window seat passengers – a real boon normally reserved for premium passengers which cuts out the need for inside passengers to get up to access their things all the time. Cabin crew take and hang jackets too which is unusual in economy.

[VintageKrug]

Though I often travel with handbaggage, even on longhaul, I pack light as I normally have a home to go to or friends living in my key regular destinations.

What worries me is heavy bags which could fall out and injure people in turbulence; no-one seems to acknowledge this as an issue and it will probably take a few lawsuits before this issue is addressed.

These oversize, heavy bags are especially an issue on US Domestic/transcon services.

BA has a size limit, but no weight limit as long as you can lift your bag unaided into the locker.

My recent Swiss flight in J had a ludicrously low 7kg weight restriction per bag, even in shorthaul business which was hardly enough when connecting to longhaul. I had a hardly life threatening 11kg in my rollaboard.

Thankfully, they do allow two bags so was let through once I removed a few items from my rollaboard and put them in a carrier bag (only to replace into my main bag once out of sight from check in).

[SimonRowberry]

Interesting and apposite thread.

I too get extremely irritated by people whom, sitting at the back of the plane, put their bags in the front overhead lockers. I usually travel with checked baggage and a single piece of hand baggage (usually a Crumpler with my Nikon D700, a couple of lenses and a MacBook Pro in it – worth about 6 grand in all, so I can get sensitive about where they are placed).

My seats of preference are 1A or 1F – I therefore have to stow my hand baggage and, if I’m not one of the first on the plane, this can be problematic.

The blunt fact is that many travellers appear to be becoming increasingly selfish. It is becoming simply a matter of “I will take on board what I want and stuff the rest of you.”

I rarely see anyone with a rollbag (and therefore almost certainly without checked luggage) carry the required transparent liquids bag through security (and equally rarely see anyone challenged about this). Furthermore, I regularly see scams at check-in, where a family member or friend stands away from the desk with the additional hand baggage. Some airlines (SWISS and Brussels Airlines spring to mind) now (theoretically) only allow hand baggage on board which has been tagged at check in with a DATED hand baggage tag. Alas, this is not always enforced on boarding.

SWISS are pretty strict from BHX – 2 pieced in Business Class, 1 in Economy, with a maximum weight (7 kilos I think, as VK says). This IS enforced at BHX. However, the some is not always true from ZRH.

The best time I had was when commuting between the UK and Scandinavia for a couple of years. As I had homes in both places, I travelled without any baggage at all, just my jacket. This sometimes caused me other types of security issues, however! Even in those days, I came across idiots who thought it totally acceptable to place their additional hand baggage under my seat and then refuse to move it.

In conclusion, I think we just have to acknowledge that this is thread is yet another reflection of the “I’m alright, Jack – stuff you” attitude that is becoming increasingly prevalent in our society these days.

I just hit the half Century so I guess I can now become a grumpy old man legitimately!

Regards, Simon

[LuganoPirate]

STOP PRESS: Just seen Ryanair has announced no charge for hold baggage up to 50 kgs and 2 pieces of hand baggage FOC, no weight restriction as long as you can lift it into the o/h locker!!!

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