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Cracking Down on Carry-Ons

Weeks ago when American Airlines announced it would be charging passengers $15 to check in their first piece of luggage (and $25 for the second bag) every travel analyst in the country echoed the same comment: Beware of an impending crack down on carry ons.

Sure enough a few days ago American Airlines announced it will be clamping down on the size of carry-ons (and you can bet other carriers will follow suit in a timely manner). American is the first airline to issue a statement regarding carry-ons. According to an American spokesperson, the airline usually adds extra staff during the hectic summer months to ensure passengers are following current carry-on rules. But now some of those “high-season” employees are being given the task of monitoring individual carry-on bag checkpoints. The airline spokesperson claims the checkpoints are set up to give passengers a chance to rearrange the contents of their carry-ons (translation: eliminate some items) before the flight departs. That way they won’t have their bags taken at the gate or on the airplane.

Take note: According to American Airlines, if your carry-on ends up having to be gate-checked because it exceeds the posted limits you will be charged. However, if your carry-on complies with the size rules and there is simply no room for it in an overhead bin then you will not be assessed a check-in fee. So don’t be surprised if tape measures and become standard issue accessories for flight attendants.

To make sure your bag adheres to the posted limit you can visit your airline’s website, which lists acceptable dimensions and weight limits on carry-ons. Currently, every airline’s carry-on policy states that passengers are allowed to board with one personal item, (such as a purse or a laptop bag) and one bag that can be no larger than 45 linear inches (a number that is calculated when you add the height, width and depth of the bag) and cannot exceed 40 pounds.

While American Airlines cracks down on the size of carry-ons, Alaska Airlines announced this week that it has no plans to impose fees for a first checked bag (though beginning July 1st, the airline is joining most other airlines in imposing a $25 fee for a second checked bag) but it says it will put “a few things in place to better monitor carry-ons.” Some of those “things” include “more customer-friendly baggage sizers,” and in select cities the airline will have employees at security checkpoints “keeping an eye out for people with extra large bags” and giving travelers the “opportunity” to go back to the ticket counter and pay for it.”

Are the new luggage fees making you reassess your packing plans for your next flight?

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This entry was posted in Air and tagged , , , , by Michele Cheplic. Bookmark the permalink.

About Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. She spent the next ten years as a television anchor and reporter at various stations throughout the country (from the CBS affiliate in Honolulu to the NBC affiliate in Green Bay). She has won numerous honors including an Emmy Award and multiple Edward R. Murrow awards honoring outstanding achievements in broadcast journalism. In addition, she has received awards from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for her reports on air travel and the Wisconsin Education Association Council for her stories on education. Michele has since left television to concentrate on being a mom and freelance writer.