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Airlines made a big mistake when the put in overhead bins. All they do is make people clog the aisles prior to takeoff and after landing. Luggage should be checked, not brought on board. If the airlines all agreed to wipe out the bins...
No can do, as there are many items people need to travel with that CANNOT be safely checked.
No can do, as there are many items people need to travel with that CANNOT be safely checked.
Right, nothing wrong with carrying on a small handbag or tote for medicines or other personal necessities. I'm talking about the small suitcases on wheels that people can barely stuff into the overheads.
Just booked a flight on Southwest. I'll happily check my bags and stow the backpack I bring with me under the seat to leave bin space for someone else.
People like you are the folks United is trying to win over with Basic Economy fares. If the Basic Economy fare is low enough to make the ticket (even with the bag check fee added on) cheaper than Southwest, many leisure travelers will book it.
Granted, they'd be risking losing the value of the ticket if they later needed to change or cancel their flight, but for most people that happens infrequently enough that the savings might pay off in the long run. Southwest's no-fee change policy is really their best feature, as no other airline offers it on standard nonrefundable economy class tickets, and unlike checking a bag, the need to change a flight is one you can't generally predict in advance.
No can do, as there are many items people need to travel with that CANNOT be safely checked.
This is hypothetical because aircraft are designed with overhead bins and they are here to stay.
But, pretending that newer aircraft came without overhead bins, you would have to "can do" or take the train. Small electronics, laptops, meds, etc. can fit in a carry bag that goes under the seat. The guy who brings a suitcase full of high end camera gear will just have to carry luggage insurance. And likely in this bin-less aircraft, there would be an option$ for gate checking bags that stayed in the cabin in some compartment accessible only to flight crew.
This is hypothetical because aircraft are designed with overhead bins and they are here to stay.
But, pretending that newer aircraft came without overhead bins, you would have to "can do" or take the train. Small electronics, laptops, meds, etc. can fit in a carry bag that goes under the seat. The guy who brings a suitcase full of high end camera gear will just have to carry luggage insurance. And likely in this bin-less aircraft, there would be an option$ for gate checking bags that stayed in the cabin in some compartment accessible only to flight crew.
Insurance or not, damaged camera gear is a hassle to deal with for the airline, and the contract of carriage documents I've read are pretty much unanimous in saying DO NOT CHECK MEDIUM-SIZED POSSIBLY FRAGILE HIGH VALE ITEMS. The airlines don't want the responsibility of getting those items to the destination undamaged and want the passenger to have responsibility for the item's safe and undamaged arrival. (And heck, I've seen photos of an airline managing to break exotic lenses that were properly packed in a Pelican case, so I'm all for keeping the five figure camera kits in the cabin.)
Right, nothing wrong with carrying on a small handbag or tote for medicines or other personal necessities. I'm talking about the small suitcases on wheels that people can barely stuff into the overheads.
Said suitcases often contain more than clothes. Camera equipment, electronics, valuable jewelry, items of great sentimental value, lithium batteries, anything needed for work presentations (especially confidential documents) - none of those things can be safely checked.
Not everyone is a leisure traveler who has plenty of time to wait around the baggage claim area for bags, or who can easily wait a day or two for a misrouted bag to finally show up. And plenty of people need to take along items they can't risk losing under any circumstances. For those people, checking all their bags is a non-starter. They NEED a carryon, not just a small personal item. (In fact, I've long argued that the airlines should reverse their current policy to "one checked bag free, charge a fee for a carryon'" precisely because the folks who do truly NEED a carryon in addition to a personal item would happily pay that fee. The folks who are carrying on a rollaboard just to avoid paying a checked bag fee, oh the other hand, would quickly resort to checking a suitcase again in order to save money.)
This is hypothetical because aircraft are designed with overhead bins and they are here to stay.
But, pretending that newer aircraft came without overhead bins, you would have to "can do" or take the train.
As soon as I can catch a train from Omaha, NE to Helsinki, Finland, I'd be happy to do that. For some trips, flying is the only practical way to get there.
Remember, the bread and butter for the legacy airlines is business travelers, many of whom are carrying not just electronics but sensitive company documents that they dare not check. And since many of them are flying for short meetings, they can't wait around for an hour for checked bags to be unloaded, or risk a misrouted bag not arriving in time for their meeting. Airlines won't be eliminating carryons for that reason alone.
People like you are the folks United is trying to win over with Basic Economy fares. If the Basic Economy fare is low enough to make the ticket (even with the bag check fee added on) cheaper than Southwest, many leisure travelers will book it.
Granted, they'd be risking losing the value of the ticket if they later needed to change or cancel their flight, but for most people that happens infrequently enough that the savings might pay off in the long run. Southwest's no-fee change policy is really their best feature, as no other airline offers it on standard nonrefundable economy class tickets, and unlike checking a bag, the need to change a flight is one you can't generally predict in advance.
If I had to pay to check a bag, I'd do carry on, although in this case, I'm traveling with others who will be checking bags so I'm stuck going to baggage claim either way.
but between the lowest fare, free bags, my miles with Southwest and the fact that my city is one of their main hubs, it's extremely rare for me to fly another carrier even though I do check the fares and schedules just to be sure it's the best deal.
If I had to pay to check a bag, I'd do carry on...
Why? If Ticket A costs $200 plus $50 in checked bag fees, and Ticket B comes with a free checked bag but costs $275, even with the bag fee Ticket A is cheaper. If all other things are equal, why wouldn't you choose Ticket A?
Lowest cost is lowest cost, whether you pay it all upfront or in separate chunks.
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but between the lowest fare, free bags, my miles with Southwest and the fact that my city is one of their main hubs, it's extremely rare for me to fly another carrier even though I do check the fares and schedules just to be sure it's the best deal.
That is certainly sensible; as long as Southwest meets your needs and is offering the best fare and schedule for your trip it certainly makes sense to fly them. People just need to remember to do what you do and check ALL the possibilities before booking a ticket. The days when it made sense to be blindly loyal to any airline are far in the past!
Why? If Ticket A costs $200 plus $50 in checked bag fees, and Ticket B comes with a free checked bag but costs $275, even with the bag fee Ticket A is cheaper. If all other things are equal, why wouldn't you choose Ticket A?
Lowest cost is lowest cost, whether you pay it all upfront or in separate chunks.
That is certainly sensible; as long as Southwest meets your needs and is offering the best fare and schedule for your trip it certainly makes sense to fly them. People just need to remember to do what you do and check ALL the possibilities before booking a ticket. The days when it made sense to be blindly loyal to any airline are far in the past!
Except that I have found that at least for where I fly, Southwest is generally the lowest fare even before factoring checked bag fees into it. I meant that if I didn't need to check a bag AND it was going to cost more, I'd do carry on, as I generally do when traveling alone.
Since it's not costing me more, it is just as easy to check the bags given that I'll be with other people who do need to check bags (elderly and can't manage it on their own and I prefer to not try to juggle multiple bags myself).
These days, given the ease of checking prices and flight times with a few clicks, there certainly is no justification to not comparison shop!
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