Carry-on crackdown: travellers support ban on oversized cabin bags

Very interesting article, however it's very rare to see carry-on being taken off the plane. There is normally room to stow lugguage somewhere in the overhead lockers.

If the study was only done on US-based flights, its hard to apply the results to Australian airlines. Note that Jet-bridge bag drop for carry-on lugguage is very common option in the US, where you can wait in the jet-bridge at the destination and collect baggage. This especially applies for pencil jets (which are very common, and we dont have any in Australia), where normal roll-on cases only fit down 1-side of the overhead lockers.

It's getting a bit better with the introduction of the Sky Interior etc.

In my very unscientific experience I often find it is the more frequent fliers (golds and plats) who are most inclined to take the biggest cabin baggage possible. I sometimes contribute to the problem, although never oversize, so not at all having a go!

My solution to the problem is not hanging around in the lounge. Presuming your flight is operating on time give yourself time to get to the gate BEFORE boarding starts. That way you can be among the first on board and put your bag exactly where you want it.

I'm on my second year as a velocity platinum and I've only ever had my cabin baggage weighed/checked ONCE. Definitely room for more here!

My pet hate is people who take too much onboard. Besides cluttering the onboard lockers, they slow the boarding and unloading process as they buggerise around with their Samsonite suitcase. It's like standing to the right on the escalator - it's just deeply deeply irritating.

If you want to buy a cheap ticket with a baggage allowance, you need to be prepared to travel light.

If you're going away for a fortnight, you need to be prepared to check a bag in.

I'd love it if the airlines and the FAs here cracked down on carry on. And if I was Alan J or John B, I'd be sending the bags I collected at the boarding gate onto the carasoul at the other end stone cold last.

And that's my carry on rant over. I feel better now

There is yet another reason why I like carry everything with me - when disembarking I will not wait at carousel. My record for international flight in Melbourne is just 15 min from plane touch tarmac to me exit from airport. However I am full supporter for vigorous reinforcement of carry on rules.

We have kiosks and bag drops to speed the travel process. Now another roadblock is being put up: carry-on verification. Just ban anything with wheels from the cabin.  That should sort out the weight issue too. Check it, pay the tariff and get over it. "I don't wait at the carousel" is as offensive as it is selfish.

It's definitely common in the US - occasionally happens on AA. AS is particularly bad, with my last flight on them three months ago taking an extra 35 mins more than it had to, simply because too many d***s had stowed too much of their carry-on s*** leaving no room left AT ALL for half a dozen pax who then had their baggage offloaded & checked-in instead. Could have all been avoided by a quick check prior to boarding.

This article is a little bit inaccurate in its reporting on the statistics.

Personally I would support a crackdown... but let's not kid ourselves, there is no "crackdown", it's simply enforcing the rules.

The climate is very different here in Australia for sure. As mentioned, the predominant reason for not checking in bags is "time wasted at baggage claim" (be it a superficial reason or not). It's not really a case of checked bag fees, unless one regularly carries excessive baggage, or for Virgin where non-status customers on the cheap fares must stump up dosh for a bag.

Yes please stop people taking heaps of carry on. I take a very small amount. If I am on early then my small amount gets squashed by some-one elses huge heavy bag. If I board later there is no room. Australia used to be very strict about carry on but now it is a free for all and very unfair to those who do the right thing. 

Yes, baggage allowances should be enforced. I travel fortnightly Syd-Bris or Syd Melb return and am amazed at what people bring on board. Even more ridiculous when you see someone trying to stuff a bag in an overhead locker when it is clear to everyone that its not gonna fit.

I travel with a messenger bag only and it irritates the tripe out of me when someone moves it some distance to fit their own humungous bag in. On most flights the FA's are now also baggage handlers playing "musical bags"

One has to wonder why VA has 7kg carry-on allowance and JQ has 10kg allowance. This disparity only causes pax to try and cram more into their carry-on if they switch between airlines. Yes, the problem of over-size luggage has been around since I first started working in the airline industry in 1975. Luggage lockers have gotten bigger encouraging people to take on bigger gates. Only solution is to have staff roaming departure lounges and sending people back to check-in. I must say $35 for a check-in bag on VA is certainly a disincentive. The price should be according to how many times the bag has to be handled; 2 or 3 legs should cost more than a non-stop flight.

I dislike people bringing the kitchen sink on board, I say bring back the outdoor stairs and force them to carry the bag up and down 100 stairs, as occurs on a regular basis in China when you fly on Air China.

On the other hand, charging passengaes to check in bags does encourage people to bring that annoying kitchen sink on the plane. At least no-one brings a chicken in cage on board in the US, as sometimes occurs in china.  

Agree to all but not the comment saying and gold and plats carry the most im  my experience.  

As a gold Velocity for 7 years it is usually those trying to save $ that scam the system. Lower the fee and they would make more money. But.....Sadly, they often get away with it as the attendant catches them but takes it elsewhere. I have only seen 2 or 3 be sent to the hold.

And yes MEGA backpacks that fit under seat but jam under legs are the worst.

Enforce it, but enforce the phones, labtops and seatbelt rules as well as they all add up to delays whilst some w#$ker thinks HIS call is worth holding up 200 people.

Agree to all but not the comment saying and gold and plats carry the most im  my experience.  

As a gold Velocity for 7 years it is usually those trying to save $ that scam the system. Lower the fee and they would make more money. But.....Sadly, they often get away with it as the attendant catches them but takes it elsewhere. I have only seen 2 or 3 be sent to the hold.

And yes MEGA backpacks that fit under seat but jam under legs are the worst.

Enforce it, but enforce the phones, labtops and seatbelt rules as well as they all add up to delays whilst some w#$ker thinks HIS call is worth holding up 200 people.

Yes 80% of all Qantas Flights from Perth to Karratha, Newman & Port Hedland sees more than 50% of the customers carrying on over sized bags and or 1 bag more than allowed and back of the bus riders try filling up Business Class lockers as they walk down the back, Business Class lockers are now 50% full of crew baggage or other non passenger items. The trick is that carry on baggage needs to increase as waiting for baggage in the hold is a nightmare. Increasing the overhead lockers space by knocking out middle seat passengers is one option allowing the other two passengers in that row to pay a higher fare for the added space both in seating and overhead locker space.