Carry-ons (Opinions?)

"Banty" wrote in message
...
In article , Evelyn C.
Leeper
says...

Mark Hewitt wrote:

"Icono Clast" wrote in message
om...

"Jim Davis Sr." wrote:


I don't understand why people burden themselves on the long walks to
and from the gangways and then trouble their fellow passengers by
blocking an aisle. I just don't get it. When they're a bit early have
have to go to the toilet, they ask strangers to "watch my bag" not
knowing whether that stranger is going to disappear with it. I just
don't get it.


Because quite often I've had to wait in excess of 40 minutes after the
plane
has landed, before my bag actually shows up. If I could get away with
just
hang baggage when I go on a flight. I would do that!

If you're on a business trip and the time is critical - then pack lighter.
Wear
clothing passable for your business in case there is a problem. If you're
moving or have acquired some largish items, ship stuff. If you're
travelling on
pleasure, the first step to pleasure would be to learn how to relax and
stop
counting minutes at the baggage carousel.


Or because twice the airlines have failed to send my luggage on the same
flight as me.

Twice out of how many flights? And did they or did they not get the bags
to you
within a day?

Occasionally happens to me too. Usually Arrives at my Hotel within 6 hours.
I prefer them to misplace it when I'm going home. I don't have to lug it
home, and they deliver it to my door in a few hours.

"Hilary" wrote in message
...

And for "normal" people, travelling cattle class, you don't check laptops,
valuables or anything breakable.

True - No one checks lap tops or related items

Depending where you're flying, it's
sometimes best not to check anything... if you're expecting it to still be
there at the other end, that is.

That's just being paranoid. I can count on one hand, the times my luggage
was "lost" in almost 30 years. Always got it delivered within hours, &
nothing disappeared.

"Evelyn C. Leeper" wrote in message
et...
Menachem Mavet wrote:


Well, we're thinking of buying one to cart around my husband's CPAP
(Constant Pressure Air Pump--a medical device to get around sleep
problems). It's about the size of a large shoebox plus cords and
tubing, but heavy as the dickens, and not something we would want to
check.


And you shouldn't have to check something like that. Large shoebox size.
Extras maybe in another large shoebox size. Doesn't seem like a problem
there. But wait until there is a full flight, and you can't find room for
it because someone filled the storage area with a ton of useless crap in
refrigator boxes.

Jim Davis Sr. wrote:
... 40 minutes ...

I've waited almost that long to get off the plane when people are trying to
break loose the crap they jammed in the overheads.

Anyone who has to break their stride to retrieve their carry-on from the
overhead on the way off the plane has brought too much on the plane. And I
say this as someone who doesn't check anything much of the time.

miguel
--
Hundreds of travel photos from around the world: http://travel.u.nu/

"None" wrote in message
ink.net...

My biggest pet peeve is those damn strollers! These yuppies that show up
at
the gate with their kid strapped to their back in a sling and a
double-wide
cadillac stroller filled to the brim with bags and bull****!

ALL STROLLERS should be banned except for the umbrella type that fold up
very small. All other should be taken away at the ticket counter. Have
you
ever seen a gate agent try to check a 50 pound stroller at the gate and
get
it down them damn stairs to the belly of the plane? And all the while the
breeder parents are bitching about "don't scratch it" or they look at them
like it's their job to put up with their junk.


You clearly don't have kids. Let's say all strollers are checked at the
ticket counter. Then, the hapless parents have to carry (1) the kid (2) all
the stuff you need when travelling with the kid - change bag, toys, food
etc - at best, that's one bulky shoulder bag *all the way from check-in to
the gate*. Have you ANY idea how far that is in some airports (e.g. LHR?).
And where do you put the kid at security control? On the floor, where he'll
either go nuts, get trampled, or start chewing the HV cable to the x-ray
machine? I think not. It is essential to be able to take the stroller to
the gate - and a ROYAL pain when you don't get it back right at the gate,
which is often the case in Europe at any rate.

"Banty" wrote in message
...
In article , PTRAVEL says...


"Banty" wrote in message
...
In article , Evelyn C.
Leeper
says...

Mark Hewitt wrote:

"Icono Clast" wrote in message
om...

"Jim Davis Sr." wrote:


I don't understand why people burden themselves on the long walks to
and from the gangways and then trouble their fellow passengers by
blocking an aisle. I just don't get it. When they're a bit early
have
have to go to the toilet, they ask strangers to "watch my bag" not
knowing whether that stranger is going to disappear with it. I just
don't get it.


Because quite often I've had to wait in excess of 40 minutes after
the
plane
has landed, before my bag actually shows up. If I could get away
with
just
hang baggage when I go on a flight. I would do that!

If you're on a business trip and the time is critical - then pack
lighter.
Wear
clothing passable for your business in case there is a problem. If
you're
moving or have acquired some largish items, ship stuff. If you're
travelling on
pleasure, the first step to pleasure would be to learn how to relax and
stop
counting minutes at the baggage carousel.


Or because twice the airlines have failed to send my luggage on the
same
flight as me.

Twice out of how many flights? And did they or did they not get the
bags
to you
within a day?

I mean, good grief. These complaints are just control-phreaky "I
demand a
glitch-free life and I wanna be first" stuff. The large number of
self-appointed carry-on exceptions (and the resultant scrable for
overhead,
underfoot, and garment bag space) *is* impacting other pax. PDA's,
music
players, and cameras fit in largish purses and soft briefcases (for the
latter,
with laptop). Medicine and magazines too. One more of carry-on size
handles a
weekend's worth of stuff (say - how 'bout packing one of those such
that
you're
covered for a baggage-loading disaster and checking the rest!).


Excuse me?

You're excused, since I didn't write any of what you've quoted above.



Spoken like a true non-business traveler. Why in the world should anyone
risk their enterprise and forgo their _legal_ carryon because you don't
approve?


That can be a garment bag.

It can be, and sometimes that's what I use, along with my computer bag. It
can also be one of the boxy rollaboards. As I said, your personal
preferences don't determine what is appropriate.

Don't know how you got the impression I don't
approve.

From this, which your wrote in the post to which I replied:

"If you're on a business trip and the time is critical - then pack lighter.
Wear clothing passable for your business in case there is a problem. If
you're moving or have acquired some largish items, ship stuff. If you're
travelling on pleasure, the first step to pleasure would be to learn how to
relax and stop counting minutes at the baggage carousel."


But I do sometimes dress in a manner that will carry on to business if
necessary.

Well, that's nice for you. I don't, nor is there any reason that I should.

Two ways to approach the business-dress problem. One can do either,
or both, and offset the (small) risk of arriving without one's checked
baggage.

Perhaps for you, it's a small risk. For me, it's the _certainty_ that, if I
don't show up in court dressed approriately, my client is prejudiced and I
might wind up sanctioned or in jail.


I have to wear suits for my business and, no, I won't spend hours in
plane
wearing one because you don't like carryons. I, personally, have had my
bags delayed -- 4+ days in each case -- twice out of the four times I
checked bags on a business trip. I also carry a laptop (with associated
electronics), PDA, cellphone and charger, plus critical documents that I
need when I get there.

It absolutely amazes me that you would be criticize someone who falls
within
the _airline_determined_ requirement for carryon, which inconveniences no
one except, perhaps, your personal sense of aesthetics.

I'm amazed you see my post that way.

Again, you're the one who wrote this:

"If you're on a business trip and the time is critical - then pack lighter.
Wear clothing passable for your business in case there is a problem. If
you're moving or have acquired some largish items, ship stuff. If you're
travelling on pleasure, the first step to pleasure would be to learn how to
relax and stop counting minutes at the baggage carousel."

I only commented on the business-travel aspect of it. I find it equally
amazing that you've appointed yourself the expert on leisure travel as well.
I travel internationally two or three times a year for leisure travel and I
think I'm pretty good at it. I don't presume to dictate leisure-travel
standards to others.


If one is worried about the time at the carousel (which is what I was
addressing, and seems rather a matter of poor planning,

Whatever business travel you may do obviously bear little relationship to
mine. I frequently have to travel last minute to handle legal emergencies
for clients located throughout North America. Poor planning? No.
Ignorance on your part of how others do business? Yes.


but anyway...), one can
have the fresh business suit *and* walk out of the airiport if one travels
light.

One can have a fresh business suit, and a laptop, and necessary documents,
and shirts, socks and underwear for a week, and a PDA and a phone and all
the other _necessary_ accoutrements of the kind of business they conduct by
availing themselves of the legal maximum carryon permitted by the airlines.
No reason to check bags, and every reason not to.


Pristine freshness or not, I use two ways to do that, depending on the
circumstances. Within airline requirements. That's all.

Banty

"Banty" wrote in message
...
In article , Hell Toupee says...

Jim Anderson wrote:

I agree with your last point whole-heartedly. There's two issues here
as to
why people HAVE to carry everything on.

1. The MYTH of lost luggage.

Well, there's also the problem of finding valuables disappearing from
one's checked luggage. In fact, an undercover investigation at our local
airport discovered a thriving practice in ground crews stealing from
baggage. That makes people want to keep their valuables with them on the
plane - and some of those things are quite bulky.

My immediate thought - ship them insured. But I can see you're thinking
too...

When I travel for business, I carry approximately $4,000 in electronics.
When I travel for pleasure, that number increases to $10,000, most of which
is unscheduled -- the cost of scheduling is FAR too high. However, you
completely miss the point. Even if every penny was covered at replacement
value, a check for $10,000 doesn't solve the problem of not having access to
the computer/camcorder/still camera on location, nor does it compensate me
for the search and shopping time, not to mention the additional time wasted
at the airport and on the phone trying to track down the missing bags.



2. Well, I have to wait XX of minutes for my bag.

I really don't know why UPS or Pack 'n Mail or some other package
delivery service doesn't set up shipping kiosks in terminals. That'd be
a convenient last-minute option for people who, say, shopped excessively
while on vacation and daren't check their bag full of expensive or
fragile goodies. Just take it to the shipping counter and pay a few
bucks to have it all shipped home. And it'd make it easier for the
airlines to take a hard line on their baggage restrictions. If you can't
take it onboard, take it over to the freight counter and have it shipped
back to your home.

Damn good idea! Say, there may be an entrepeneural opportunity here
....

Banty

"Jim Davis Sr." wrote in message
...

"PTRAVEL" wrote in message
...

"Banty" wrote in message
...
In article , Evelyn
C.

I have to wear suits for my business and, no, I won't spend hours in
plane
wearing one because you don't like carryons. I, personally, have had my
bags delayed -- 4+ days in each case -- twice out of the four times I
checked bags on a business trip. I also carry a laptop (with associated
electronics), PDA, cellphone and charger, plus critical documents that I
need when I get there.

It absolutely amazes me that you would be criticize someone who falls
within
the _airline_determined_ requirement for carryon, which inconveniences
no
one except, perhaps, your personal sense of aesthetics.


I can totally understand Business Clothing, & Business related equipment.
I
will gladly give up some of my space for another business traveler. I was
behind a woman in Houston, who tried to take 2 normal carry-ons, and _2
_small rolling suitcases with giant windchimes, made from small fire
extinguisher bottles. She had a temper tantrum when she was told to go
back
& check them. She didn't want to wait at baggage claim at the other end.

As I mentioned in another post, the people I see abusing carryon are almost
always casual flyers pulling stunts like the one you've described. Wind
chimes made of fire extinguisher bottles! Wow!

In article , Jim Davis Sr.
says...


"Banty" wrote in message
...
In article , Evelyn C.
Leeper
says...

Mark Hewitt wrote:

"Icono Clast" wrote in message
om...

"Jim Davis Sr." wrote:


I don't understand why people burden themselves on the long walks to
and from the gangways and then trouble their fellow passengers by
blocking an aisle. I just don't get it. When they're a bit early have
have to go to the toilet, they ask strangers to "watch my bag" not
knowing whether that stranger is going to disappear with it. I just
don't get it.


Because quite often I've had to wait in excess of 40 minutes after the
plane
has landed, before my bag actually shows up. If I could get away with
just
hang baggage when I go on a flight. I would do that!

If you're on a business trip and the time is critical - then pack lighter.
Wear
clothing passable for your business in case there is a problem. If you're
moving or have acquired some largish items, ship stuff. If you're
travelling on
pleasure, the first step to pleasure would be to learn how to relax and
stop
counting minutes at the baggage carousel.


Or because twice the airlines have failed to send my luggage on the same
flight as me.

Twice out of how many flights? And did they or did they not get the bags
to you
within a day?

Occasionally happens to me too. Usually Arrives at my Hotel within 6 hours.
I prefer them to misplace it when I'm going home. I don't have to lug it
home, and they deliver it to my door in a few hours.



Yep. I got it by taxi one time!

Cheers,
Banty

Jenn wrote:

In article ,
"Evelyn C. Leeper" wrote:

Menachem Mavet wrote:

My real pet peeve regarding luggage are those damn cases on rollers,
esepcially the ones in the smaller sizes. I can understand someone
needing rollers for a large case (which should be checked baggage,
anyway), but I see people dragging along attache-sized cases and
daypacks on rollers, which impede foot traffic more than someone just
carrying the case. No the mention the fact that cases with rollers
are bulkier and take up more space in the over head bin than
soft-sided cases, and you can't squish them to cram more stuff in.
What the hell are people carrying in those cases anyway that they need
rollers? Lead bricks? No wonder people are so out of shape these
days. They don't even want to carry briefcases!

Well, we're thinking of buying one to cart around my husband's CPAP
(Constant Pressure Air Pump--a medical device to get around sleep
problems). It's about the size of a large shoebox plus cords and
tubing, but heavy as the dickens, and not something we would want to check.

people who whine about other people's small wheelies are generally fit
and middle aged or younger and have no ability whatsoever to imagine
that THEY might ever have shoulder problems, or arthritis, or get old

Then again, I have been thinking that I may give up using the small
rollers on the plane because my shoulders no longer hoist the weight
that well. As to the complaints about checked rollers I wonder how far
they have had to lug their luggage on trips. FFM