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Location: Alerts for 6/22/09

Discussion: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size?

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jimglab	Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 18 2009, 8:36 PM EDT An Illinois congressman has introduced a bill that would replace individual airlines’ carry-on baggage policies with a new federal rule restricting the maximum size of such bags, and the Association of Flight Attendants thinks that’s a great idea (see this week’s story). What do you think? Have the airlines done a bad job of setting and enforcing carry-on bag policies? Should the federal government step in and standardize those policies with a new size limit, enforced by the TSA? Post your comments here. Quote & reply Post reply 3 out of 6 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you? Keyword tags: None (edit keyword tags)
felixjer	1. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 22 2009, 6:14 AM EDT I rarely fly without checking a bag; these days, I do not find paying for baggage that much worse than high fares in previous years. Also, I rarely take a wheeled carry-on, so I do not worry about my carry-on bag passing muster. However, airlines have been deficient at being firm about their own carry-on policies - frequently flights are delayed due to lack of space to accommodate carry-on baggage that is officially too big that attendants have allowed on board. If airlines or air employees decide to support the proposed regulation, customers must have recourse in the form of guaranteed baggage checking AND retrieval processes; e.g., baggage will go out on that flight; baggage will get to the destination; and baggage will be delivered to the claim area within, say, ten minutes of landing. The air industry must be willing to meet the customer halfway in this endeavour. Quote & reply Post reply 3 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	2. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 22 2009, 7:57 AM EDT Since this is not a safety issue, I would say NO, we do not need the federal government getting involved. The more restrictions /standards you place on airlines ( outside of safety) the less competition there is. Let the individual airline decided on what is acceptable or not. Consumers will naturally weed out those airlines that consistently give poor service ( missed departure times). BTW.. I am just the opposite... I never check backs except when traveling with my spouse. Quote & reply Post reply 1 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	3. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 22 2009, 8:00 AM EDT Yes of course, and baggage sizers should be attached to the security x-ray machaines so that people with oversized bags should be sent back to check thier luggage before wasting time going through security. Way back a decade ago, the Denver Airport had that function and it worked very well. Quote & reply Post reply 3 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	4. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 22 2009, 8:13 AM EDT Only if the Government starts mandating minimum nutritional requirements for snacks served, leg room, and cup sizes for water. Otherwise, they should NOT get involved in how airlines manage passenger ammeneties. Some airlines have bigger planes and can accomodate larger carry-on bags. I don't want to have to explain to a TSA Security agent, properly doing his/her job by screening for security issues, that I'm flying on a 777 or 737-800 and this plane can fit my bag (and still probably allow for too many bags on for an ERJ or old MD-80.) I'm guessing the airlines will like it because it will put the burden on TSA to tell a customer they have to check a bag and pay $25 and the gate agent doesn't have to do this. Hmmmm Quote & reply Post reply 3 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	5. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 22 2009, 8:41 AM EDT I think any move to control carry-on bags and size would be a good thing. I travel frequently for business and it drives me nuts watching people lumbering down the aisle with shopping bags, computer bags and a roller and acting indignent when everyone else on the plane doesn't make it a priority to help stowe their baggage. I think the airlines have let things slide because if passangers are carrying and hauling the bags then the employees don't have to and it lessens damage complaints and employee work load overall. The airlines seem to want to let a don't ask don't tell policy control the bag size. If a passanger can find a way to cram a bag into the overhead they seem willing to allow it rather than request compliance. When the general public is left to police themselves they generally don't. I find it much more relaxing to check the bag and not have to stress over availability of space that should be alloted to me and is being used by someone else. Quote & reply Post reply 5 out of 5 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	6. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 22 2009, 10:36 AM EDT This congressman is an idiot that should be more focused on fixing the economy than trying to insert a bill about something as petty as luggage size. The congress cannot fix the mess the airlines are in and cannot pass a consumers bill for airline passengers but they can vote on the size of luggage by making it a federal law? You have to be kdding me? All this will do is make the checking luggage line longers and increase the passenger cost because now more will be forced to check lugagge for which the airlines charge a fee. Quote & reply Post reply 2 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	7. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 22 2009, 11:06 AM EDT This is a classic case of where there are already enough rues - we just need enforcement of the ones that already exist. I fly twice a week on SWA. There is always 1 person who tries to drag a 100 lb bag to the rear of the plane... But just one. On USAir, once they started charging for bags, EVERYone tried to carry on everything. I would purposely Book a window seat in the back and even though I was the 10th person on the plane, I wasn't sure There would be space for my two carry ons. One time they tried to make me check my two computers! If people would follow the rules and the FAs or Gate Agents enforce them, we don't need more regs. Quote & reply Post reply 3 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	8. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 22 2009, 12:10 PM EDT No, C Shaeffer Quote & reply Post reply 0 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	9. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 22 2009, 12:20 PM EDT Why doesn't the congressman introduce a bill that forces the airlines to improve their baggage-handling so passengers won't need find it necessary to depend upon carry-ons? Or, even better, eliminate the fees for checking bags altogether. Quote & reply Post reply 1 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	10. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 22 2009, 1:49 PM EDT A regulation of carry-on bag size doesn't address the underlying issue of why people carry on. Until the government mandates the airlines to implement efficient baggage handling systems for checked baggage that doesn't lose checked bags or make passengers wait up to 45 minutes for checked baggage,gov't shouldn't get involved with regulating bag size. Quote & reply Post reply 0 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	11. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 22 2009, 5:04 PM EDT No! The Fed's should NOT set the standard or dictate the size of carry on bags! Next they'll tell me what size rental care I can have! Where did they get the size! A 10" depth/thickness is too thin! Sure the Flight Attendants are for it! Now they will do less than they do already and it means more revenue for checked baggage! I do agree there should be a standard, especially through security. What is really irritating is going through security successfully at one airport with carry on and then getting stopped at another for the same size bag. Denver has a gauge in the opening of their X-ray machines that limits the baggage size that other airports don't! The solution is too retrofit the airplnes with larger overhead bins and design them for easier door closing. Also, educate flyers to put bags in end first and DON"T, I repeat DON"T put sport coats, purses, or anything that can be stored on your lap or under your seat! If flight attendants want an easier job with carry-on then help police the small item abuse put in overhead bins. Quote & reply Post reply 0 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	12. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 22 2009, 5:22 PM EDT I think all personal luggage should be loaded in the same place. I do not agree with suit cases being brought into the plane. It takes longer to get through security, longer to load the plane, and longer to get off the plane. Here in Seatle to get through security. People have their coats, shoes, Lap tops, and suit cases, plus purses in some cases. They take up to much time. And bother other people on the plane. I always check in my bags. I do not want to pay more money for the weight. Sometimes I go for two week vacations with my Husband and it takes two large bags and one smaller. We usually do not exceed the weight limit. Quote & reply Post reply 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	13. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 22 2009, 10:02 PM EDT First, I think TSA is already too involved in the transportaion industry fo the value they provide. Second, Neither the Airlines or the traveling public needs TSA more involved in the airlines business. The carry on bag size needs to be enforced and the airlines need to do it. If you can't lift it, don't bring it on. If you have to stand on the seat across the aisle and pound on the bag, it is probably too big. The airlines generated the carry on bag problem by taking forever at some airports to get bags into the terminal. TSA made things worse with their fluids and gels rules. (very liminted value). I'd like to see carry on limited to computer bags and valuables. Roll aboards don't belong in the cabin. Congress doesn't need to be involved in commercial enterprises. See how well Amtrak and the Post Office work! DBL Quote & reply Post reply 0 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	14. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 23 2009, 5:36 PM EDT Tell the Illinois congressman to focus his energies on something more important to our national agenda than the size of ones carry on luggage. This is the airlines issue and not a legislative issue. Quote & reply Post reply 1 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	15. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Jun 24 2009, 12:14 PM EDT Not sure if more federal regulation is the answer, but the airlines have not been doing their job in enforcing the carry on bag policies. I do not carry on large bags, but on every flight, I see people that have gone over the size and number limit. They take up all the overhead bin space, so my briefcase has to go under my cramped legs/feet. They block aisles trying to get the bags forced into the overhead bin. They routinely hit people in the head with the bags as they put them in and take them out. The airlines should enforce the rules all the time or just not have any. If the government were to get involved then they should regulate more things. like seat size, leg room, beverage offerings, and give the passengers some rights. Otherwise, stay out of it. Quote & reply Post reply 0 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	16. RE: WOW BIGGEST RESPONSE TO ONE OF THESE QUESTIONS EVER!!! Jun 26 2009, 11:46 AM EDT THE SIZE PROPOSED IS ACTUALLY 2 INCHES BIGGER THAN MOST AIRLINES ALLOW 47 VERSUS 45 INCHES. AS A FORMER CONSULTANT MY FIRM TRAINED US TO NEVER NEVER NEVER CHECK YOUR LUGGAGE. A LOST BAG CAN RUIN A BUSINESS TRIP OR A VACATION. THEN WE HAD TWO CARRY-ONS AND BRIEF CASE. MOREOVER THE SIZE BIN THEY HAVE AT THE GATE NEVER FITS MY OVERSTUFFED CARRY-ON, BUT IT FITS IN THE OVERHEAD WITHOUT A PROBLEM??? TSA HAS ENOUGH TO DO CHECKING MY 3.2 ONCE TOOTHPASTES AND HAIR GELS AMD LAPTOP AND BELT BUCKLE AND NUDE SCANS. Quote & reply Post reply 0 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you find this valuable? Do you?
Posted Anonymously	19. RE: Should Congress regulate carry-on bag size? Feb 16 2010, 11:04 PM EST I agree that the government should implement this law. I have seen a few stores, such as Bergman Luggage www.bergmanluggage.com, who will give an indication on each of their product if they are as per the regulation standards. It is a good practise & saves a lot of headache Quote & reply Post reply Do you find this valuable?