As a classical musician with a slightly-too-long-but-fits-just-fine instrument, my annoyance is that the only metric is size, and not suitability for checking. I guarantee 99% of overhead luggage is stuff that can be checked just fine and musical instruments simply cannot be, but for some reason this isn’t allowed to be a consideration.
I get panic attacks every time they look like they are going to get persnicketty about carryons, because I’ve had some confrontations over it and even had to buy an extra ticket on the spot once (long story, but I certainly rejoiced when that airline ceased to be). Just a couple days ago a delay caused me to miss my connection on Southwest and I just about flipped out on the agent because I’d paid early bird check in and on the new flight instead of the A group I was at the end of the Bs. The randomness of never knowing when you’re going to get fucked with is what makes it so stressful.
I love that he calls the idea “ingenious”. I guess it takes a genius to realise that a larger compartment can fit more stuff in it.
Snarkiness aside I think more and more people are using carry-on suitcases these days whereas the overhead compartments were designed for conventional bags and the airlines haven’t caught up.
I just cancelled a planned trip to Italy on Norwegian Air rather than check my accordion as baggage. I know from experience that the accordion fits in the overhead bin, even though its dimensions suggest that it will not. The problem is that the instrument is not a big box. It’s really a smaller box with a flat keyboard attached. With the keyboard in front, It fits perfectly in the overhead bin which is deep at the back & shallower in the front.
After many many phone calls with Norwegian customer service, one exhausted rep told me to take it up with the carrier that actually handles check-in & baggage, a company called Aviation Port Services. I hadn’t realized that the airline outsources check-in (maybe because of issues with foreign nationals working on American soil?). So when you’re arguing with check-in reps about bag size, you’re usually not actually arguing with an airline employee. You’re arguing with somebody who has no stake in the airline’s reputation.
It’s true that every aspect of a flight is monetized now – even getting a window or aisle seat costs extra on JetBlue – & the business model of many “low-cost” airlines is to make extra money by forcing people to check their bags at the last minute. Rather than risk the safety of my musical instrument in the baggage hold, I gave up on the flight & will eat the cost of the “low-cost” ticket.
I’m sitting on a United flight literally right now as I’m writing this. I needed to travel for work at the last minute and this was the only airline that had non-stop flights from/to my destination.
I’ve been nothing but underwhelmed. From shitty in-flight entertainment that charges you for everything (you can’t even bring up the fucking flight map without coughing up money), to shitty in flight Wi-Fi that conveniently “forgets” you paid for it (and has a broken website for requesting a refund), to the worst “premium” economy seats I’ve ever had to pay an outrageous upgrade fee to use (I’m 6’ tall and a fat bloke, I need all the room I can get). I paid almost $100 to upgrade to an exit row and this is one of the worst seats I’ve ever had. Leg room is great but the exit door encroaches so much on my shoulders I may as well be in one of the narrow seats in the back of the plane. And I can’t move the armrest or recline.
I can’t say I’ll be using United as my first choice any time soon.
etc etc etc. I literally travel with a backpack and buy clothes when I get somewhere, and mail them back to myself. I don’t travel a lot, about as often as I need new pants anyhow.
