Alaska’s Republican senator, Ted Stevens’ (who chairs the Senate Commerce, Science and transportation Committee) recent suggestion to restrict airline passengers to one carry-on bag sparked a lively debate at a dinner party I attended last night.
Stevens’ theory is that airport screeners would be able to pay closer attention to potential terrorists if they weren’t so burdened by checking two carry-on bags. He has a point. But, I am a mom and two carry-ons is the way I travel. (Frankly, in the past, I have gotten away with having three carry-ons, but the flurry of activity that surrounds getting me and my child seated usually serves as a distraction to flight attendants.) I realize that I am the source of angst for many business travelers, but such is life. I put a small diaper bag under the seat, a larger bag overhead and my child on my lap. (Hey, I’m dealing with my own space issues.)
And, I’m not the only one who opposes the one-bag limit. Business fliers (like our friends who consider themselves “time-pressed executives”) carry on a suitcase and a laptop or purse. By doing so they avoid checking in bags and wasting time at the luggage carousel.
On the other hand, my flight attendant pal loves the idea of limiting the number of carry-ons. She says the number of carry-on bags is out of control. Actually, what she said was, “Passengers need to realize that airplanes are not their private moving vans.” Her point: Loading the plane, an already slow task, is slowed down even more when you have people trying to cram their bags into the limited space.
But, I think the number of bags you take depends entirely on the purpose of you trip. I think families taking longer trips will require more space than the casual traveler or business traveler. (I got a mountain of backlash for that statement.) But, I remain steadfast in my remarks. Think about it, the business traveler who has learned tricks to packing efficiently versus a family going to Disneyland for 10 days. But, as my flight attendant friend points out, if you book early, choose seats in the rear, and show up on time, you will have room for your carry-ons.
The carry-on debate sparked over dinner continues to resonate in Washington and amongst travelers, flight attendants, and lawmakers. So, would being limited to one carry-on bag affect the way you travel?