Last night I ran into a three-hour mechanical delay on a US Airways flight from Columbia, SC to Philadelphia. Most passengers were transported to their final destination via Washington National or Charlotte, so there when the flight finally departed, only eight passengers remained.
You would think that after a three-hour delay that US Airways was at fault for and with only eight passengers onboard a 50-seat CRJ aircraft, the agents would just want to get passengers onboard and get the flight out. Alas, no.
I had my rollerboard and a duffel bag with me and had pulled my laptop case out of my duffel bag and was typing away at the gate when a US Airways gate agent approached me and asked me to please consolidate my carry-ons because only two were allowed onboard.
Seriously?
Yes, she was just following US Airways regulations, but give me a break–there were eight people onboard and it was not even like I was trying to smuggle on an extra carry-on, I was just working in the gate area. Talk about petty.
Almost as petty as me blogging about it…
Your first problem was flying US. 🙂
I’m glad I re-read that. At first I thought you meant that you took your laptop BAG out of your duffle. You do see agents in the smaller airports being a little more picky about things. Technically a Laptop Case is considered a Carry-On/Personal Item. The agent was probably just trying to give you a heads up that before you boarded, you’d have to consolidate. If she hadn’t informed you and forgot to during the boarding process, she/he could have been fined by the FAA for not following the FAA regulation. It’s not just US Airways, but all airlines have to follow this one & they have been cracking down. Trust me- I’ve had to ask commuting flight attendants to consolidate and check bags too (to be fair she had 6 bags and it was a full flight) If you’re curious it’s FAR 121.589- I looked it up.
When you packed for your flight you had no idea there were only going to br eight passengers on it. You had more bags than the regulations allow and it is about time the airlines force compliance with quantity and size of bags. I am tired of little old ladies pulling on full size suitcases and then having an impossible time finding a place for them. What part of one carry on and one personal item do you not understand?
@Marv–You need to re-read my post. I only had two carry-on items–a duffel bag and rollerboard. I pulled my laptop case out of one another bag so I could get work done in the gate area during the delay. The laptop was returned to the other bag before boarding. So I only had two bags. I just found it petty that on a flight with eight people that had been delayed three hours, the gate agent found the need to nit-pick about consolidation before boarding had even begun.
Does that make sense to you, Marv?
@Grace–As I read it, the FAR (reproduced below) allows airlines to set their own carry-on policy. Am I reading it incorrectly?
Sec. 121.589
Carry-on baggage.
(a) No certificate holder may allow the boarding of carry-on baggage on an airplane unless each passenger’s baggage has been scanned to control the size and amount carried on board in accordance with an approved carry-on baggage program in its operations specifications. In addition, no passenger may board an airplane if his/her carry-on baggage exceeds the baggage allowance prescribed in the carry-on baggage program in the certificate holder’s operations specifications.
(b) No certificate holder may allow all passenger entry doors of an airplane to be closed in preparation for taxi or pushback unless at least one required crewmember has verified that each article of baggage is stowed in accordance with this section and Sec. 121.285 (c) and (d).
(c) No certificate holder may allow an airplane to take off or land unless each article of baggage is stowed:
(1) In a suitable closet or baggage or cargo stowage compartment placarded for its maximum weight and providing proper restraint for all baggage or cargo stowed within, and in a manner that does not hinder the possible use of any emergency equipment; or
(2) As provided in Sec. 121.285 (c) and (d); or
(3) Under a passenger seat.
(d) Baggage, other than articles of loose clothing, may not be placed in an overhead rack unless that rack is equipped with approved restraining devices or doors.
(e) Each passenger must comply with instructions given by crewmembers regarding compliance with paragraphs (a), (b), (c), (d), and (g) of this section.
(f) Each passenger seat under which baggage is allowed to be stowed shall be fitted with a means to prevent articles of baggage stowed under it from sliding forward. In addition, each aisle seat shall be fitted with a means to prevent articles of baggage stowed under it from sliding sideward into the aisle under crash impacts severe enough to induce the ultimate inertia forces specified in the emergency landing condition regulations under which the airplane was type certificated.
(g) In addition to the methods of stowage in paragraph (c) of this section, flexible travel canes carried by blind individuals may be stowed–
(1) Under any series of connected passenger seats in the same row, if the cane does not protrude into an aisle and if the cane is flat on the floor; or
(2) Between a nonemergency exit window seat and the fuselage, if the cane is flat on the floor; or
(3) Beneath any two nonemergency exit window seats, if the cane is flat on the floor; or
(4) In accordance with any other method approved by the Administrator.