I’ve recently flown on a CRJ-900 on both American Airlines and Delta Air Lines and the experience with carry-on bags could not have been more different. Why does American Airlines insist on such a restrictive approach?
CRJ-900 Carry-On Bags: A Very Different Experience On American Than On Delta
On my American Airlines flight, gate agents were tagging every large bag, saying it would not fit onboard. I’ve flown this aircraft type so often and know that my carry-on bag easily fits, so I did not take a yellow tag.
But upon boarding, I was scolded by a flight attendant for attempting to bring my larger bag onboard. I told her that it easily fit (and pointed to her own crew bag in the same overhead bin) but she was having none of that and handed me a yellow tag with instructions to leave the bag outside the door (with dozens of others)…
I’m not going to argue with a power-tripping flight attendant, but I asked her why and she claimed “federal rules” (which is usually a red herring when there is no rule). It is my understanding that my issue was hardly unique (I don’t fly AA often enough to know) and that you simply cannot bring larger carry-on bags onboard.
But then I flew Delta Air Lines, also on a CRJ-900. Guess what? Same plane. Same overhead bins. But no problem.
Passengers took their carry-on items onboard and placed them in the overhead bin. They fit! There were no issues. In fact, one guy brought an oversized bag onboard and I thought for sure it would not fit, but it did…even that fit.
So my question is why does AA have such a strict policy? Is it really federal rules? Unless my eyes deceived me, the overhead bins are identical.
Lately, I’ve been traveling only with a bag that fits under my seat, but I will avoid the CRJ-900 on American Airlines going forward if I have a larger bag…
Same experience here. As a former AA flyer, when I was on a DL CRJ-900 recently I thought it was odd the gate agent didn’t tag my bag (he did tag the larger carry one) and asked him if I needed one and he said no. To my surprise, yes, my bag fit just fine in the bin.
I can maybe provide some insight. It was a CRJ-900 and I assume operated by PSA? I am not certain, but some regional affiliates do not have an approved carry on baggage program in their operating manuals. Those have to be FAA approved and if they don’t have it they cannot allow carry on bags. By extension that is an “FAA Rule” (rolls eyes).
It does not matter that they fly for American, they have their own separate manuals that need approval. I do not work for PSA or American so I can only speculate, however I have heard of this happening at some smaller carriers.
@Matthew … Two respectful questions :
(a) Second paragraph : “I did not take a red bag.” ( Why would the colour red matter ? )
(b) Fourth paragraph : “federal rules” … “there is no rule” . ( Isn’t the overriding default rule to always obey the FA ? )
That’s where they gottcha .
AA doesn’t have the policy. And it is a Federal Rule. PSA Airlines’ FAA operations inspector has decided that roller bags do not get to go in the cabin. This is because of weight reasons and they get away with this based on “safety.” If the bag goes inside the cabin, it counts as part of your weight. If it is gate checked, it is counted separately as additional weight. The FAA group assigned to managing PSA’s certificate has decided for weight and balance reasons that this is the safest way to do things. PSA doesn’t have a choice.
This isn’t AA vs DL. This is just a glaring example of how individual FAA persons assigned to each airline have a LOT of individual leeway. A smaller example is have you ever noticed how on one airline you have to unplug all devices from power plugs for take off and landing yet on others you don’t? Yes because at that one airline it’s FAA folks have decided that cell phone chargers would be an impediment to evacuation.
Believe me PSA would rather let you bring the bags on and not deal with it. But this is how it is. Some years ago, Republic was mandated to not allow ANYTHING but airline provided items in the seat back pocket for take off and landing. Made you take your book out or soda out. Same type of deal.
Why do the DL connection carriers have it different? Don’t know. Maybe they do something different in their weight and balance programs. Or the FAA assigned to PSA has a bug up their behind.
Each operating carrier has their own regulatory team assigned by the government. Not AA vs DL. It’s Endeavour vs PSA vs SkyWest vs Envoy etc.
@Neds … Clear about the federal rule .
Yet , why would the colour red prevent a carry-on ? How about yellow , for example ?
The red tags are valet tagged bags (security screened bags) to be brought up to the passenger at the jetway on arrival. Yellow tag is the same thing. American just introduced yellow tags recently (and didn’t communicate it very well) for First Class bags. Though it really seems to make no difference since they’re all loaded the same and usually brought up all at once…
Government staff (bureaucrats) are to blame. Some believe that regional jets tend to serve more rural areas, which are more likely to be conservative and Republican. Punish those maga people, ha.
It happens on DL once every while but not as often as AA or UA. When it happens, you’ll proceed to see a DL Diamond/360 member have a prompt meltdown. It’s pretty good entertainment as long as said person isn’t your seatmate.
And I can tell you AA isn’t consistent on this. I have had it both ways on AA CRJ-900 flights. The only real issue is the left side of FC with the shallow overheads where next to nothing other than a coat fits.
There are two regional AA connection flights into SBN. The one from DFW you can bring aboard your bag. The one from CLT you 100% can not and they have done this to me many times even when I show them the bag fits! Yet another reason to avoid CLT!
See my response above. Depends on which carrier it is that operates it. Not the airline’s fault. It is the FAA.
AA doesn’t do that with ERJ-170/175 but with the CRJ-700/900 they do. At least give group 1 -4 a chance and if anything is left open, maybe 5-6. Just dumb AA, dumb.
AA doesn’t do anything…. SkyWest, Envoy, PSA, Piedmont do…