Spirit Air Charges for Carry On Luggage

[mhendo]

@Chronos

The main reason folks carry on so much nowadays is that almost all airlines are now charging for checked luggage. Or at least, for checked luggage that uses all of the airport infrastructure designed to make things easier on the airline: You can still hassle the airline with a gate-check for free. It’s a classic example of having the wrong incentives.

I’m willing to believe that the amount of carry-on, and the number of large carry-on bags, has increased a bit since the airlines instituted checked baggage fees. But while the problem might have grown a little bit, it is far from new.

For example, people still do exactly the same thing on Southwest even though this particular airline is about the last US holdout against fees for checked baggage. Also, we discussed this issue on these very boards a few years back, before the trend of checked baggage fees began, and people were complaining about exactly the same sorts of selfish asshole behavior back then. Here’s a post from Doper RickJay, who is a very frequent business traveler, and had, by his own estimate, flown about 200 times over the previous three years:

@RickJay

Happened again last night (I was actually in the airport when I wrote my post.) It took 45 minutes to board a medium-sized airplane because of all the retards dragging huge suitcases onto the plane, and of course there wasn’t enough room for it all. I’m starting to wonder if some people actually are unaware that the airline will take your bags for you for free.

You’re right, Chronos, that the airline policies are not exactly providing incentive for people to be reasonable with their carry-on bags, but the airlines themselves could also fix this problem by actually enforcing their own carry-on rules properly. If your bag doesn’t fit in one of those guideline frames that they have at the airport, you don’t get to carry it on. Period. That sort of policy would certainly reduce congestion in the cabin, and would reserve cabin space for people who really can pack light.

@Chronos

Myself, I often end up checking luggage because of the silly rules about what you aren’t allowed to have in a carry-on. If I’m going on vacation for two weeks, there’s no way I’m doing without my pocketknives for that long.

Well, TSA policies are something of a separate discussion from airline baggage policies. I happen to agree that most TSA rules about things like liquids, pocket knives, etc. are ridiculous, and are just there to reassure us that Something Is Being Done About Safety.

ETA:

By the way, here’s another rant by a frequent flier, from 7 years ago, about inconsiderate douches with massive cabin bags.

@Gary_Kumquat

Weight aside, if your bag is roughly the size of a chest of drawers check it in the hold, you inconsiderate shite. The rest of us have bags too, and finding a whole locker taken up by your comedy sized bag will not amuse your fellow passengers. Drive us to violence yes, amuse no. You’re going to be locked in a small space with us for some time, and I doubt you want a mile high version of murder on the orient express - especially one where the detective at the end concludes “the fucker had it coming, justified homicide if ever I saw it”.

And unless you really are looking to earn a bonus kicking, trying to fit it into the overhead bins by crushing my already packed laptop case is not a good idea. Whichever way you look at it, your 3 foot by 2 foot bag will not fit in the bin, but my size 11 boot will fit up your arse if I really try hard.

The problem is definitely not just a result of checked luggage fees.