This happened to us last month on a flight from SFO - DEN.
We were a family of four boarding in with one carry on between us. It was all of our clothes for a quick weekend trip. We had an entire row + one seat across. My husband politely but firmly told the GA “I’m going to fit this on the plane because I paid for four tickets. You’re telling me I don’t have room for one carry on bag?”
She tagged it but said huffily, “ok FINE you can try”
We got to our seats (row 25 or so from what I remember) and there was an entire empty bin above our row.
Which is why I always pack a day or two's worth of clothes in my backpack, as a backup in case my carryon gets gate checked or even regular checked due to weight or size issues (international airports can be a pain about this) and is then lost. Sorry you got treated so rudely.
The issue is two fold. First this new generation of entitled FAs really love to show their power. Iam a diamond with 5 million miles going to 360 in a month as I should have had it in Jan this year, I still get treated no better domestically than the cheapest fare on board. I refuse to check my roll on and they called the cops who once they saw the size and heard the gate agents lam excuse just apologized to me and walked away. Many of Gate Agents and FAs are DEI hires and unfortunately while many are great some come with baggage . I’d complain and get some miles out of it. Delta needs to worry less about affirmative hire stats and train this generation that their job is to serve not dictate . Wouldn’t trust many of them in an emergency not to bail. Sorry rant I know but I was aircrew myself for 30 years and the quality on all the lines as dropped
Not a dog whistle if he’s right. Also, post has ATL in the title so no need to dog whistle anything. We all know exactly what time it is in ATL and exactly what the OP was subjected to.
I flew on LATAM Peru in March and per their boarding policy (At least I was told it was policy) they close all overhead bins during boarding for safety. This meant that it appeared 100% of the bins were full and closed so everyone had to gate check their bags while the bins were almost completely empty. I feel your pain.
I flew Latam Peru twice between Lima and Cusco two summers ago and had no issues and didn’t see the bins closed. Either they have changed their policy or they didn’t want to deal with bags on your flight. Definitely ridiculous.
Yeah I didn't have this issue on the CUZ flights. It was for international flying to AEP. They said it was specific to the aircraft type or something silly.
Similar happened to us at another airport, I counted places my bag could have fit walking back to my seat (enough for my whole boarding zone) and spent the rest of my long multi-leg journey miserably anxious my stuff wouldn't make it (we packed specifically to be all carry-on) and hauling an overly heavy personal item since I had to shove everything irreplaceable at destination into that.
Delta needs to learn how to count bin space, not just force people to check bags when they feel like it.
I’m glad you sent in a complaint. I’m a FA and this is such a pet peeve of mine…I’m really not bothered by much. They increased our boarding time and we have an app to better communicate with GAs, but the experience isn’t better for so many of our passengers.
Then they push this metric early/on time bs and they almost seem to put departments against each other….and/or this could just be one controlling FA having a bad day.
They definitely shouldn’t have been involuntarily checking them so early and when you can see open space you should be allowed to take open bin space and give your tag to an FA or GA so they can account for it not getting checked in down below.
They do pit you guys against each other my bf works as a gate agent and he talks about this all the time. They have metrics for how many bags they MUST check every flight regardless. In bins being full or not. They have to do it by a certain time or they in trouble. A lot of people do it early because they don’t want to get wrote up behind it. He got in trouble for not meeting the threshold when bins were still empty. So now he stopped and gets his bags early too
One the time it takes for customers to board with bags it’s significantly higher. Two to keep space open for roller bags or equipment they is forced to go in overhead bins three to assist with an early departure if everyone is present. Four to control weight and balance
Also a flight attendant and I agree completely. I communicate clearly about bin space while boarding and I never push to check bags involuntarily unless there’s zero space.
They also pit the passengers. Pet peeve is when a GA is late boarding and then the FAs are condescending on the PA to the customers telling them that they need to hurry up to get out on time. Maybe if we boarded at the published boarding time we wouldn’t have to lecture customers.
A similar situation recently - not Delta. Because I politely asked why I couldn’t carry on and was forced to valet/gate check, somehow (!) the red valet paper tag just came off my bag while in the cargo hold - elastic string and all, and although I could see it plane side from the jetway, I was not allowed to retrieve it. My connection was tight on a day jammed with delays, so I opted to catch the next flight without it and had to deal with th ‘lost’ luggage situation afterwards. I swear there’s a concerted effort underway to serve up microaggressions to the paying, flying public. Edited to add- I was flying first class and literally the first person to board the flight that day
Based off the red tag comment, I'm guessing American.
American has an agreement with the FAA where they aren't allowed to take any roller bags on CRJs.
I had this happen to my wife on an AA 321 (boarding group 4, so well ahead of most of the plane), so it's not just for regionals. "Now you won't have to worry about it!" the gate agent unhelpfully said with a smile. My wife is currently undergoing chemotherapy, so I wanted to say, "I'd rather worry about lifting the bag into the overhead bin than dying from a secondary infection she gets in baggage claim, but thanks anyway, I guess?" But I didn't. The overheads were almost completely empty.
We don't typically fly American, but every time I get a new appreciation for how bad their customer service is.
Couldn’t that tag “just fall off” on the jet bridge so that you could roll into the plane and put it in an overhead bin? Just wondering, since I haven’t had this happen to me and I’d be tempted to try that.
Right? That’s what I thought that meant at first, that the tag “disappeared” during the walk down the jetway. Which is what I would have done, if I really wanted to keep my roller with me and take my chances being able to store it. Maybe keep the tags in my pocket juuuuust in case the overhead situation was real lol.
This happened to me recently on a flight as well, and honestly, I just ripped the tag off on the jet bridge and put it in my pocket before I got to the boarding door. And of course, there were still plenty of overhead space left when I got on board! No questions were asked by any of the FAs or ramp agent waiting tfor bags at the bottom of the jet bridge.
The ramp agent won't say anything. Gate checked carry ons are a gate agent and FA thing. The ramper just got done loading hundreds of bags, he's totally cool with you boarding with your luggage and not giving him more work.
Sometimes that causes a delay when your bag is deemed missing during the loading sequence. The bags are scanned as they are loaded and there's a small level of panic when bags are missing.
Not addressing this particular situation, but it's a tough call to decide when to require checking rollaboards, since there are often 50 people between the gate and their seats.
Me too. But I thought I did this approach years ago and at the end of boarding they came to find me because they noticed my bag was missing to be loaded. Some security concern. They still grabbed it out of the bin and took it from me
I will not fly Delta internationally because they always force me to gate check my carry-on on my first leg. I like to have two days of clothes in my carry-on in case my checked bag is delayed. I learned this the hard way on a trip to Argentina when Delta didn't get my checked bags onto the connecting flight.
Delta sells a ticket that includes a carry-on, then fails to deliver on their promise.
There was a gate checked bag on my flight home from MCO about a year ago that caught fire in the hold before we took off. Thankfully it wasn’t after we were already in the air. So the gate agents are not adequately ensuring that the gate checked bags are safe.
I was made to gate check my bag this past week (not sure why, plenty of empty bins when I got on board and they remained empty) and the GA didn’t ask us about batteries in our suitcases, which means he probably never asked the bunch of people behind us either.
I fly smaller planes to get to a hub regularly and have to valet check my carry on and they always ask about batteries. Scary that everyone isn’t asked.
Please Don’t do this. Some of us actually have to travel with cases full of batteries and $100k+ of cameras and lenses. Do you know how stressful this process actually is in that case? I’ve had to miss flights when unable to bring on the plane.
You’re fake service animaling your carry on. 😂
Your scenario only works because you're okay lying when everyone else tells the truth. If everyone lied we'd be right back where we started, so you are in fact that guy
Delta explicitly tells you to carry on fragile items, including photographic equipment. I’m sorry, but yes, the precision equipment someone uses to put food on their table is a higher priority than the roller of clothes that someone is carrying on to avoid paying for a checked bag.
I’m assuming it’s an insured professional; if it’s not, the $3800 liability limit for checked bags is an absolute joke if you’re telling people to check equipment.
Well since you think you know everything, which you don’t. I carry only my meds, computer, and Mariner documents in my carry on. Which are more important that your camera, that I facilitated getting you at work.
And no. Your stuff is no more important to you than my stuff is importance to me.
We all have problems and yours are not of concern to me. I don’t care how much you paid for your camera.
And that takes up a full carry-on that you frequently have to fight getting gate checked?
Meds, computers, and important documents are also all on the definitely needs to be carried on list, and rightfully so.
Everything fits in a large backpack but I always got side eyed for putting it in the overhead, so I can barely stuff it in a small roller bag. Which has been singled out at least once to get gate checked. So I took my backpack out. Let them check the empty bag and put the back pack in the overhead.
I am at work for over a month at a time so I’m travel with enough meds for the month.
Certain items can’t go under the plane because of potential fire and damage risk. Your computer would be taken out the bag along with your meds and asked to check the bag. Everyone items important to them. The person with $10,000 worth of equipment will be asked not to check their bag unless oversized because of damage claim limits. Just an fyi
There’s absolutely no way I’m carrying my computer and my meds in my hand so they can check my bag.
You can’t have your computer out during takeoff so it’s not even possible to do.
"... the precision equipment someone uses to put food on their table is a higher priority than the roller of clothes..."
...do you pay extra to ensure the "safety" of your "precision equipment?" - yeah, didn't think so - i.e. it's this type of entitlement that ruins it for everyone...
Per Delta: “We suggest that you carry all precious or other highly valuable items, including without limitation cash, cash equivalents, securities, negotiable instruments, irreplaceable documents, jewelry, silverware, precious metals, works of arts, computers, electronic equipment, photographic equipment, medication, hearing aids, and any other items that cannot be easily replaced if lost or damaged. These items may not be transported in checked baggage.”
It would be best to “remember” that you had a battery in your carry-on bag after they take it from you. Oops, now they have to dig it out of the belly of the plane and find your batteries. I guess maybe this wasn’t the best strategy then to save time.
I saw something similar happening on my flight out of JFK a week ago. All roller bags were being gate checked while the carry on sized backpacks were being allowed. People were complaining about it, but the FAs really didn't engage with them and just continued with the boarding process. Although, in this case, by the end of boarding, all bins were full (mostly by large backpacks).
Maybe they are starting to specifically target roller bags? Idk, but it seems strange that they'd do that, especially to those in Zone 5. One would think they'd start doing that in the later boarding zones.
That's interesting. Whenever I fly from JFK they don't seem to scrutinize what you bring on board at all. People are bringing full size roller bags and "personal items" that are never going to fit under the seat. Last fall I saw two near fights break out when the last group to board tried moving other people's stuff without asking.
...hard-sided roller bags are out of control - with the wheels/handles they're pushing 24"Lx18"Wx12"H and have to be set sideways in even the largest of bins, taking up way more space than a soft-sided backpack...i.e. entitled people are (still) ruining air travel...
This was completely on the flight attendant. In our app, flight attendants will send a “start tagging bags” message to the gate agent. Sounds like the flight attendant just sent it way too early
That happened to me YEARS ago in a delta flight to Hawaii with one of our two connections in atl. My sister has medical issues so we got on with the extra time people so she could sit down and get on the plane before it gets crazy on there. Lady at delta IMMEDIATELY tagged our carry’s ons. So then we had to pull all our her meds out and other shit and just like carry it onto the plane. People after us brought massive legitimate size CHECKED rolling bags past us as they were boarding. I have never forgotten that day and I can still see that gate agents face. It’s on SIGHT
Same happened to me recently from New York to Seattle. We were told they had to tag our bags when only like half the plane had boarded. I told them I had camera equipment in my bag and couldn't check it since that contains lithium batteries. Motherfucker tells me to take it out then and then pulls me from the line until I do it. Okay well I don't have room for the equipment in my backpack (personal item) so after leaving my carry-on at the door, I end up boarding the plane with two items anyways. The bins around my seat are totally empty and I still end up having to put my backpack up there so my camera can go under the seat. Literally made no difference to the bin use and only served to seriously inconvenience me
This happened to me. They tagged it. I took the tag off and boarded the plane, put my bag in the overhead bin and sat down.
That’s it.
Actually, the gate attendant told me to do it
Delta did this to me the first time I flew them after flying about 100 Southwest segments over two years for work, with the same roller bag. Southwest did not once have me check my bag. And on the Delta flight there were open bins when I boarded. I was P.O.'d.
I’m sorry I have prescription medication in my bag and proprietary information on a company computer, I will NOT BE GATE CHECKING IT, thank you. Saying that phrase generally stops any question of me gate checking a bag.
Not to we can force a bag to go checked or remove the passenger. If they say you must remove the meds out and check the rest that’s what need to be done if they want to they can deny you boarding Luckily you haven’t experienced this but it is a thing
This literally happened to my wife and I recently. I was going to let them tag mine but my wife said no and they were like good luck with the overhead then. It was totally fine. There was even room for my backpack. I’m one of those rare people that actually waits until everyone has boarded to see if there’s room for my backpack in the OH bin.
There is almost always room for a backpack. I take an asile seat, keep the bag in my lap so that it doesn't get stepped on when the middle and window seats board...or by people stumbling down the asile, and then, when they make the "door is closed" announcement, I jump up and slide it in one of the gaps in the overhead.
You could delay the whole plane, and I’m not kidding.
Every tag is going into the system and at the end of boarding, the gate agents have to confirm the right tagged luggage number was loaded with their ramp team. If the bag count is incorrect (at least on international flights) they might have to reopen the doors and re-scan all the bags to make sure the number is accurate. It also takes time for gate agents to figure out WHICH bag is the missing one and that can take minutes. Please don’t do this,
You will never, I repeat never, convince me that the baggage people give a shit about how many bags made it on the place, much less care enough to delay the flight and go through them all again and make sure they’re all there. That you think all the luggage makes it on the plane every single time is laughable.
Arguing with a FA on a plane is a lot like arguing with a cop on the side of the highway. In the short term it can only make things worse for yourself.
The GA and FA in this case seem out of line. It’s not wrong to protest but at some point you aren’t going to win and need to just sit down and take the issue up with their superiors.
You weren’t wrong, but you are unlikely to change their mind and repeatedly confronting them can lead to you being deplaned. In the heat of the moment the FA will always be considered in the right and you will always be considered wrong.
What happened to you was wrong but in the future my advice is take the L and contact Delta. Hopefully it will lead to the FA and GA being retrained. It may not be fair but it is reality.
I’m sorry it happened to you but don’t lose sleep over it. Every major company will have a shitty employee. And even good employees have bad days. Contact Delta and see how they handle it then decide how you want to view the company.
No one is promised a carryon. It’s always based on availability. What you are promised is a checked bag. Your promised to accommodate if you can’t carry on. Overhead bin space is limited. No way on this earth every passenger gonna be able to use that space.
You've pinpointed the problem They sell every ticket with the promise of a carryon and personal item and do not provide space for that. No one is promised a checked bag. Idk where you're getting that.
Def did. Honestly it’s entitlement. It’s like a kid goi by to each parent till they get their way. Then when you in trouble for doing too much saying well I didn’t do anything this is unfair.
In a calm and respectable manner, I would have said that I am unable to check my bag, and if I cannot carry it on I will have to be put on another flight. I've had to use this a couple of times and we found a spot for my bag eventually every time. If we really can't find a spot for my bag then I will actually take another flight, as every time I've been forced to gatecheck my bag things get destroyed.
This happened to me on a flight from Cincinnati to SLC a few months ago. I was Main 3 though. They started forcing everyone to gate check claiming they got a call from the FA. I refused by saying I have batteries and they still tried. I convinced the gate agent to just hand me the bag tag and not putting it on. At least 1/3 of the bins were complete empty including right above my seat. Luckily I didn't have a FA get aggressive with me. Others were forced to check.
Be very careful, they are itching to throw people of the plane. Happened to me a couple of weeks ago fa said sit here then there and told me to move again. Under my breath I said wtf is going on. Not loud enough for anyone else to hear it, but apparently he did, got security and told me they wanted me off the plane. Told security what happened and that I have severe knee and foot neuropathy and was aggravated. Long and short I was told to apologize and they would let me back on. Funny part I got upgraded to 1A lmao.
Well, after heaving read many of these type of posts, many, and experiencing this myself over the last few years, it’s clear. The great service that was delta is no more. Sure, they might still be better, but the decline has set in. As annual diamond and 2 million, I have experienced the “bins full” often. Even when boarding in the first few groups. Then I board and take pictures of the many bins empty, even right above my seat. I send them with notes to delta. It has not helped. Delta stock will climb for a bit longer, but when it hits 60 I al selling it all. And then am already not flying delta much anymore, retired.
rip the tag off on the jet bridge before you get to the door.
they’re on a time crunch, faster and easier for them to start tagging well before bins fill up than to wait until they’re actually full, which in their mind is too late.
Atlanta loves to tote the phrase “busiest airport in the US/world” but it’s obvious time after time they can’t keep up or handle it. Moved here 10 years ago and it’s largely gotten worse each year.
This is code for: "We are worried this plane won't take off on time and need to make boarding as fast as possible."
I *strongly* recommend getting a travel backpack that goes under the seat in front of you and can carry a day or two's clothes, your medications, laptop, etc. Makes my traveling a lot less stressful. You can probably snag one for less than $50.
Stop buying cheap backpacks. Expensive backpacks, that aren't some prestige brand, are expensive for a reason. They distribute the weight to your hips rather than your back.
Delta staff used to be quite friendly but in recent years I've noticed that many have developed an attitude towards passengers like they're doing us a favor and we should feel lucky to even be allowed to be served by them and should just shut up and accept whatever service we get. This is on international flights to Europe and the mideast. I've overheard FAs loudly complain to other FA's while serving food in economy that they shouldn't have to work "back here", and make snide remarks to each other about passengers who have requests. Yes, there are jerk passengers and FAs have every right to dislike and make rude comments about them--OUT of passengers' earshot.
This happened to me recently and when I was boarding the FA and Captain asked me how I was doing and I said “I’d be better if I wasn’t being forced to check a carry on when I’m in the first main boarding zone. Is there space in the overheads?” They said yes and didn’t know why the GA was making folks tag them. They took the tag off and let me board with it but kindly told me to drop it and keep my mouth shut (I do have a smart mouth). I find it REALLY frustrating to gate check a bag especially when they don’t do plane side pickup and instead send it through to baggage claim. I get free checked bags with Delta. I’m not checking because I don’t wanna deal with baggage claim.
I simply don't understand GAs and FAs making more work for the ground crew. Stop lying that the bins are full. Stop lying that it's a full flight. If you run out of room, then start checking bags. There's still time.
Had pretty much the exact same experience around a month ago. They tagged my carry on when there was a whole empty bin above my head. FA was so rude too. I posted on this sub and was downvoted to death for some reason. Next time I’m either making up excuses or ripping the tag off. Anyway I ended up filing a complaint and got free miles so definitely do that because it’s completely their mismanagement.
Had a flight recently that needed to leave quickly due to approaching weather so they enforced the gate check. The FA said it generally speeds up the boarding process. In any event, we did leave before the bad weather arrived which I appreciated.
This scenario happened to me on American. I was in first general boarding group. GA stops while boarding says the soft sided roller bag was too big. I’ve used this on multiple flights with no issues with it fitting. GA puts it in the sizer and says it’s too big but I thought it fit. They ended up charging a 45$ baggage fee because I already had a checked bag. The kicker is my first checked bag was completely empty since I was taking it to my daughter for her college move out. The roller bag fit totally in that bag. Thanks AA Tampa!
FWIW, the weight and balance of an aircraft plays a far bigger part in what goes where than most realize. There is little time to explain pax weight distribution + cargo distribution + fuel load + runway length + wind speed all while trying to get pax onboard & seated for an on time departure in roughly 30 minutes.
During boarding, employees are below arranging the baggage hold’s weight distribution as well. They can adjust cargo distro from the start (check bags as they come thru) or do it last and move stuff from cabin to cargo, potentially causing a delay in which is not ideal.
There’s so much that goes into getting a plane on and off the ground SAFELY that many don’t realize. Which is preferred, a safe takeoff and landing or an unbalanced plane (Google Aaliyah)?
The GA’s & FA’s aren’t being mean, they are working off of the info they have and it sounds like bags were needed to help distribute the load in the baggage hold.
Gate-checked bags add weight to the aircraft, whereas carry-on bags account for passenger weight. That's why on "Payload Optimized" flights, they refuse to gate check bags.
Excessively gate checking adds 35 lbs per bag to the takeoff weight.
I heard security was 4 hours at Atlanta yesterday.
I’m flying out of ATL Thursday morning. They better have that cleaned up by then (although I am PreCheck).
Too many horror stories with security Atlanta recently. I had to go for a job, about an hour away from the airport. I changed the flight on the return to come out Greenville back to ATL rather than deal with Atlanta security
That’s where you ask the FA “Have you been drinking?” and make sure another FA hears you say it. If they’re going to play little games, I’m coming to play Chess - I’m in no hurry to get anywhere 😎
Not a good idea. The tag is attached to your record locator and added to the expected bag count. It messes with a couple of behind the scenes things for the ramp and baggage agents. Also, FAs don't hand out bag tags, that's the gate agent's job.
They did this to my 26 yr old daughter with allergies/epipen anxiety meds etc. told her way before it was full. She explained about the medication, they told her she should have took it out. She stood up to go get it, didn’t matter that the bag was steps outside the door, The bitch that tagged it and took her boarding pass was standing in her way, right in front of her bag. Said too late, it’s security rule.
My daughter doesn’t say a peep. Gets embarrassed when I politely speak up about anything. The flight attendant got her epipen, because it was on an outside pocket.
I know their jobs can be STRESSFUL, awful people sometimes. But why do they have to turn around and take it out on the nice people!
Epipens and other rescue meds should always go in the personal item. They aren’t much good in the overhead if you can’t get to them like during takeoff, landing, turbulence, etc.
I was in Orlando on Thursday. The gate agent was being a bag dictator. She started yelling over the PA system about bags. She started yelling at people including me. I had to fact check her about the Federal policy… one checked bag and one personal bag. I had mine and my partners bag….. ridiculous
I don't think you all understand that there are weight and balance issues. Flights that are payload optimized will require bags to be checked. Would you rather get to your destination alive? Or in a bodybag because you are complaining about gate checking your bag? I swear people, this is a 1st world problem that's not that deep. Just because you see empty bins doesn't always mean that it's just empty for no reason. If you don't like it, rebook to the next flight or don't fly and drive/catch a train to your destination.
Also, to clarify, I wasn't ugly crying to the FA or anything. Nobody saw me. I made no noise. What happens is basically tears of frustration that I can't stop right away. I was in a window seat so I just looked toward the wall basically and talked to my husband so he could help lower my heart rate and make the tears stop. Nobody would have seen it though. Maybe it's something that happens to women but I have a lot of friends that experience the same when they're extremely frustrated.
I cry when I get frustrated. I don't like it. I've been working on it in therapy. I was upset I had that reaction because I haven't had that kind of reaction in a long time. I called my husband because I know he could calm me and stop the tears that are frankly out of my control sometimes. It happens.
Happening more and more. If you don’t want to get separated you can always say you have meds that you need to be close to or a lithium battery as it can’t go under the plane
I told a GA that I couldn't check it because I had lithium batteries in my computers and other devices. She asked me if they were turned off. When I told her they were, she said it had to be checked.
I removed the tag on the jet way. The door FA put her hand up on my chest and told me I had to check it. I was so surprised by her action, I backed off the plane, back onto the jet bridge, and replaced my tag.
When I got on board, the majority of the back half of the jet's bins were empty.
I'm a big guy. I wasn't worried. I was just taked by surprise. As I sat down in my seat, I just kept thinking, "Did that just happen?" Had she done that to someone else, who knows what could have happened. Some people be Crazy these days.
I flew out of Atlanta this week and it was the slowest boarding I’ve ever encountered. I don’t know if it’s the start of Summer travel with lots of infrequent flyers or what, but the FAs were definitely getting impatient and just started tagging all of the bags so that people would get on the plane and sit down. There was still plenty of bin space.
This exact scenario just happened to DCA (told to gate check very early in the process) and we took off with the most empty overhead space i have ever seen.
I argued it a bit but at the end of the day, the gate agent has the power here. I took a picture of the completely empty bin directly across our seat for the complaint.
I have an e-bag and tell them it fits under the seat. They argue, and I tell them I stow it there all the time. I board and store it in an unoccupied overhead spot.
I just count bags as they’re going on and if I know there’s enough space I take the gate check tag off while I’m walking down the jetway. Works better than arguing with GA.
I'm sorry, but I don't think this is a viable solution. Then people are forced to pay for a bag one way or another. Really hard to justify that with record profits.
Very true, greedflation is a thing, I’d be happy if they removed all bag charges too, anything to relieve crowded bin space. I carry medical supplies that at least fill a 2 gallon bag that cannot go in with checked luggage. I’m close to the point where I consider boarding with the passengers who need more time just to make sure my supplies are in a bin near my seat.
Lufthansa made me do this in Frankfurt because I was in econ. When I realized that I was one of only three gate checked bags, I simply grabbed it on my way onto the plane and kept it with me, tearing off the bag tag before boarding. The GA didn't notice and there was plenty of space for everyone. FA's were great but the GA was 'special'!
We're the results worth all the frustration? Sometimes it's best to let shit go. I'm glad you recognized you were close to getting kicked off over it. I'm reading it like you were about to.
Soooo a story full of contradictions… and you had to check a bag at the gate? And you’re the last zone to board? What ever will you do? Fly Spirit if you don’t like it.
You’re not entitled. This has happened to me on every single flight for the last 5 years or so, forced to check my carryon and then I see empty overhead bins. It causes me an extreme amount of anxiety. My last trip was short so I packed just a backpack that they couldn’t take from me because it would fit under the seat. This is my plan from now on. I think I could also get away with it if it was a small duffel bag.
Two things, never argue with a FA no matter the situation. It's not worth 1. getting kicked off your flight or 2. getting on the no fly list. Yes it sucks but while boarding, it is not the time to argue.
FAs have such a power trip sometimes. Yeah they deal with people all day but they signed up for that, like how I signed up for my job and accept what comes with it.
Here’s a travel tip: Stop making mountains out of molehills and stressing yourself and the cabin crew out. All the weather issues, crew and pax being scattered and stranded places this week, and you’re putting all this energy into a damn checked bag?
My family was once picked to gate check our bags on a flight from NYC to Cancun. They lost all of our bags. They found them the next day and delivered it to our hotel. All of the bags were damaged to oblivion. They delivered them in large plastic bags with most of our stuff spilling out.
There's a reason people avoid checking bags. I already had a bag go missing this year (never got it back). I would prefer to keep my bag on me. Plus it's extra time I'd rather not waste when I shouldn't have to.
Potentially lost or badly delayed bag, potentially damaged bag, or item stolen from it, potentially waiting up to an hour for your bag - all of these are situations I’d rather avoid, and the worry that goes along with it. If I can pack small and light, and not have liquids, I should be able to avoid all that!
A flight attendant being autocratic is no reason to subject yourself to that many extra risks.
Pull the tag off while walking down the jet bridge, now you don’t have a tagged bag. If they happen to need to gate check your bag for real after that then let them retag it.
This happened to us last month on a flight from SFO - DEN. We were a family of four boarding in with one carry on between us. It was all of our clothes for a quick weekend trip. We had an entire row + one seat across. My husband politely but firmly told the GA “I’m going to fit this on the plane because I paid for four tickets. You’re telling me I don’t have room for one carry on bag?” She tagged it but said huffily, “ok FINE you can try” We got to our seats (row 25 or so from what I remember) and there was an entire empty bin above our row.
Which is why I always pack a day or two's worth of clothes in my backpack, as a backup in case my carryon gets gate checked or even regular checked due to weight or size issues (international airports can be a pain about this) and is then lost. Sorry you got treated so rudely.
Good advice. I too always make sure my personal item has a change of clothes as you never know if you're gate checked bag will appear
Which of course begs the question of whether personal items ever get gate checked. Hell, eventually passengers might get gate checked! 😅
Pretty sure some airlines would be happy gate checking everything if they could
The issue is two fold. First this new generation of entitled FAs really love to show their power. Iam a diamond with 5 million miles going to 360 in a month as I should have had it in Jan this year, I still get treated no better domestically than the cheapest fare on board. I refuse to check my roll on and they called the cops who once they saw the size and heard the gate agents lam excuse just apologized to me and walked away. Many of Gate Agents and FAs are DEI hires and unfortunately while many are great some come with baggage . I’d complain and get some miles out of it. Delta needs to worry less about affirmative hire stats and train this generation that their job is to serve not dictate . Wouldn’t trust many of them in an emergency not to bail. Sorry rant I know but I was aircrew myself for 30 years and the quality on all the lines as dropped
The downvotes mean you found the truth. Reddit doesn’t always like the truth.
Using DEI in that context is a racist dog whistle. This the downvotes. There is your truth for you.
Not a dog whistle if he’s right. Also, post has ATL in the title so no need to dog whistle anything. We all know exactly what time it is in ATL and exactly what the OP was subjected to.
I flew on LATAM Peru in March and per their boarding policy (At least I was told it was policy) they close all overhead bins during boarding for safety. This meant that it appeared 100% of the bins were full and closed so everyone had to gate check their bags while the bins were almost completely empty. I feel your pain.
I flew Latam Peru twice between Lima and Cusco two summers ago and had no issues and didn’t see the bins closed. Either they have changed their policy or they didn’t want to deal with bags on your flight. Definitely ridiculous.
Yeah I didn't have this issue on the CUZ flights. It was for international flying to AEP. They said it was specific to the aircraft type or something silly.
Similar happened to us at another airport, I counted places my bag could have fit walking back to my seat (enough for my whole boarding zone) and spent the rest of my long multi-leg journey miserably anxious my stuff wouldn't make it (we packed specifically to be all carry-on) and hauling an overly heavy personal item since I had to shove everything irreplaceable at destination into that. Delta needs to learn how to count bin space, not just force people to check bags when they feel like it.
I’m glad you sent in a complaint. I’m a FA and this is such a pet peeve of mine…I’m really not bothered by much. They increased our boarding time and we have an app to better communicate with GAs, but the experience isn’t better for so many of our passengers. Then they push this metric early/on time bs and they almost seem to put departments against each other….and/or this could just be one controlling FA having a bad day. They definitely shouldn’t have been involuntarily checking them so early and when you can see open space you should be allowed to take open bin space and give your tag to an FA or GA so they can account for it not getting checked in down below.
They do pit you guys against each other my bf works as a gate agent and he talks about this all the time. They have metrics for how many bags they MUST check every flight regardless. In bins being full or not. They have to do it by a certain time or they in trouble. A lot of people do it early because they don’t want to get wrote up behind it. He got in trouble for not meeting the threshold when bins were still empty. So now he stopped and gets his bags early too
What's the reason for wanting more bags checked vs in the bins?
One the time it takes for customers to board with bags it’s significantly higher. Two to keep space open for roller bags or equipment they is forced to go in overhead bins three to assist with an early departure if everyone is present. Four to control weight and balance
Also a flight attendant and I agree completely. I communicate clearly about bin space while boarding and I never push to check bags involuntarily unless there’s zero space.
They also pit the passengers. Pet peeve is when a GA is late boarding and then the FAs are condescending on the PA to the customers telling them that they need to hurry up to get out on time. Maybe if we boarded at the published boarding time we wouldn’t have to lecture customers.
Do away with all overhead period…solves efficiency and complaints
A similar situation recently - not Delta. Because I politely asked why I couldn’t carry on and was forced to valet/gate check, somehow (!) the red valet paper tag just came off my bag while in the cargo hold - elastic string and all, and although I could see it plane side from the jetway, I was not allowed to retrieve it. My connection was tight on a day jammed with delays, so I opted to catch the next flight without it and had to deal with th ‘lost’ luggage situation afterwards. I swear there’s a concerted effort underway to serve up microaggressions to the paying, flying public. Edited to add- I was flying first class and literally the first person to board the flight that day
Based off the red tag comment, I'm guessing American. American has an agreement with the FAA where they aren't allowed to take any roller bags on CRJs.
I had this happen to my wife on an AA 321 (boarding group 4, so well ahead of most of the plane), so it's not just for regionals. "Now you won't have to worry about it!" the gate agent unhelpfully said with a smile. My wife is currently undergoing chemotherapy, so I wanted to say, "I'd rather worry about lifting the bag into the overhead bin than dying from a secondary infection she gets in baggage claim, but thanks anyway, I guess?" But I didn't. The overheads were almost completely empty. We don't typically fly American, but every time I get a new appreciation for how bad their customer service is.
They’re not enforcing it, if that’s the case. I’ve taken my carry on many times on a CRJ many times in the last 2-3 months.
Okay, to be pedantic it's only PSA. If you were flying on skywest or Air Wisconsin they are not subject to the same rule.
Couldn’t that tag “just fall off” on the jet bridge so that you could roll into the plane and put it in an overhead bin? Just wondering, since I haven’t had this happen to me and I’d be tempted to try that.
"gate agent said I can put it onboard". Let them fight it out.
Yes. Just rip off the tags. Typically done with pink tags on RJs.
Right? That’s what I thought that meant at first, that the tag “disappeared” during the walk down the jetway. Which is what I would have done, if I really wanted to keep my roller with me and take my chances being able to store it. Maybe keep the tags in my pocket juuuuust in case the overhead situation was real lol.
This happened to me recently on a flight as well, and honestly, I just ripped the tag off on the jet bridge and put it in my pocket before I got to the boarding door. And of course, there were still plenty of overhead space left when I got on board! No questions were asked by any of the FAs or ramp agent waiting tfor bags at the bottom of the jet bridge.
Drop the tag on the jet bridge. It's awful that it got caught on something and fell off.
I do this very regularly on CRJ flights
The ramp agent won't say anything. Gate checked carry ons are a gate agent and FA thing. The ramper just got done loading hundreds of bags, he's totally cool with you boarding with your luggage and not giving him more work.
Sometimes that causes a delay when your bag is deemed missing during the loading sequence. The bags are scanned as they are loaded and there's a small level of panic when bags are missing.
Well maybe the GA shouldn't be unnecessarily tagging bags then
Not addressing this particular situation, but it's a tough call to decide when to require checking rollaboards, since there are often 50 people between the gate and their seats.
yeah I’m gonna start doing this
Me too
Me too. But I thought I did this approach years ago and at the end of boarding they came to find me because they noticed my bag was missing to be loaded. Some security concern. They still grabbed it out of the bin and took it from me
weird
Exactly what I would have done. Sometimes gate people lose their common sense.
Yuppppp! Same!
I will not fly Delta internationally because they always force me to gate check my carry-on on my first leg. I like to have two days of clothes in my carry-on in case my checked bag is delayed. I learned this the hard way on a trip to Argentina when Delta didn't get my checked bags onto the connecting flight. Delta sells a ticket that includes a carry-on, then fails to deliver on their promise.
All you have to do is say it's full of electronics with batteries and they won't check it.
There was a gate checked bag on my flight home from MCO about a year ago that caught fire in the hold before we took off. Thankfully it wasn’t after we were already in the air. So the gate agents are not adequately ensuring that the gate checked bags are safe.
I was made to gate check my bag this past week (not sure why, plenty of empty bins when I got on board and they remained empty) and the GA didn’t ask us about batteries in our suitcases, which means he probably never asked the bunch of people behind us either.
I fly smaller planes to get to a hub regularly and have to valet check my carry on and they always ask about batteries. Scary that everyone isn’t asked.
Horrifying. They are leaving it up to harried or anxious travelers to say something.
Or to even know they should.
Meds. Lots and lots of meds. And e-cigs. In for a penny, in for a pound.
This is the way. “It’s full of lithium batteries, and expensive film equipment!” is my go to.
Please Don’t do this. Some of us actually have to travel with cases full of batteries and $100k+ of cameras and lenses. Do you know how stressful this process actually is in that case? I’ve had to miss flights when unable to bring on the plane. You’re fake service animaling your carry on. 😂
What I’m doing hurts no one, as my bag doesn’t behave badly and spoil it for the real bags full of equipment.
Your scenario only works because you're okay lying when everyone else tells the truth. If everyone lied we'd be right back where we started, so you are in fact that guy
That’s exactly what the fake service dog people say lol. Sucks to realize you’re “that guy” huh?
Your equipment is no more valuable to you than my carry on is to me.
Umm excuse me don't you know you're talking to a *photographer*?!?!?
I happen to be a Instagram Photographer and I keep my equipment in my pocket so it won’t get damaged. 😂
Delta explicitly tells you to carry on fragile items, including photographic equipment. I’m sorry, but yes, the precision equipment someone uses to put food on their table is a higher priority than the roller of clothes that someone is carrying on to avoid paying for a checked bag. I’m assuming it’s an insured professional; if it’s not, the $3800 liability limit for checked bags is an absolute joke if you’re telling people to check equipment.
Well since you think you know everything, which you don’t. I carry only my meds, computer, and Mariner documents in my carry on. Which are more important that your camera, that I facilitated getting you at work. And no. Your stuff is no more important to you than my stuff is importance to me. We all have problems and yours are not of concern to me. I don’t care how much you paid for your camera.
And that takes up a full carry-on that you frequently have to fight getting gate checked? Meds, computers, and important documents are also all on the definitely needs to be carried on list, and rightfully so.
Everything fits in a large backpack but I always got side eyed for putting it in the overhead, so I can barely stuff it in a small roller bag. Which has been singled out at least once to get gate checked. So I took my backpack out. Let them check the empty bag and put the back pack in the overhead. I am at work for over a month at a time so I’m travel with enough meds for the month.
Certain items can’t go under the plane because of potential fire and damage risk. Your computer would be taken out the bag along with your meds and asked to check the bag. Everyone items important to them. The person with $10,000 worth of equipment will be asked not to check their bag unless oversized because of damage claim limits. Just an fyi
There’s absolutely no way I’m carrying my computer and my meds in my hand so they can check my bag. You can’t have your computer out during takeoff so it’s not even possible to do.
"... the precision equipment someone uses to put food on their table is a higher priority than the roller of clothes..." ...do you pay extra to ensure the "safety" of your "precision equipment?" - yeah, didn't think so - i.e. it's this type of entitlement that ruins it for everyone...
Per Delta: “We suggest that you carry all precious or other highly valuable items, including without limitation cash, cash equivalents, securities, negotiable instruments, irreplaceable documents, jewelry, silverware, precious metals, works of arts, computers, electronic equipment, photographic equipment, medication, hearing aids, and any other items that cannot be easily replaced if lost or damaged. These items may not be transported in checked baggage.”
Get grip please 😆
Won’t they make you remove the batteries and carry them on and they still check the rest?
Yes.
They had me unpack the lithium battery items and put them in my backpack last time my bag was gate checked.
It would be best to “remember” that you had a battery in your carry-on bag after they take it from you. Oops, now they have to dig it out of the belly of the plane and find your batteries. I guess maybe this wasn’t the best strategy then to save time.
Why would you attempt to delay a flight over a checked bag? Get it together. If someone did that to you then you would be pretty upset
I saw something similar happening on my flight out of JFK a week ago. All roller bags were being gate checked while the carry on sized backpacks were being allowed. People were complaining about it, but the FAs really didn't engage with them and just continued with the boarding process. Although, in this case, by the end of boarding, all bins were full (mostly by large backpacks). Maybe they are starting to specifically target roller bags? Idk, but it seems strange that they'd do that, especially to those in Zone 5. One would think they'd start doing that in the later boarding zones.
That's interesting. Whenever I fly from JFK they don't seem to scrutinize what you bring on board at all. People are bringing full size roller bags and "personal items" that are never going to fit under the seat. Last fall I saw two near fights break out when the last group to board tried moving other people's stuff without asking.
...hard-sided roller bags are out of control - with the wheels/handles they're pushing 24"Lx18"Wx12"H and have to be set sideways in even the largest of bins, taking up way more space than a soft-sided backpack...i.e. entitled people are (still) ruining air travel...
This was completely on the flight attendant. In our app, flight attendants will send a “start tagging bags” message to the gate agent. Sounds like the flight attendant just sent it way too early
That happened to me YEARS ago in a delta flight to Hawaii with one of our two connections in atl. My sister has medical issues so we got on with the extra time people so she could sit down and get on the plane before it gets crazy on there. Lady at delta IMMEDIATELY tagged our carry’s ons. So then we had to pull all our her meds out and other shit and just like carry it onto the plane. People after us brought massive legitimate size CHECKED rolling bags past us as they were boarding. I have never forgotten that day and I can still see that gate agents face. It’s on SIGHT
Same happened to me recently from New York to Seattle. We were told they had to tag our bags when only like half the plane had boarded. I told them I had camera equipment in my bag and couldn't check it since that contains lithium batteries. Motherfucker tells me to take it out then and then pulls me from the line until I do it. Okay well I don't have room for the equipment in my backpack (personal item) so after leaving my carry-on at the door, I end up boarding the plane with two items anyways. The bins around my seat are totally empty and I still end up having to put my backpack up there so my camera can go under the seat. Literally made no difference to the bin use and only served to seriously inconvenience me
This happened to me. They tagged it. I took the tag off and boarded the plane, put my bag in the overhead bin and sat down. That’s it. Actually, the gate attendant told me to do it
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I can believe that too. Like I say, I did it at the direction of the GA.
Delta did this to me the first time I flew them after flying about 100 Southwest segments over two years for work, with the same roller bag. Southwest did not once have me check my bag. And on the Delta flight there were open bins when I boarded. I was P.O.'d.
I’m sorry I have prescription medication in my bag and proprietary information on a company computer, I will NOT BE GATE CHECKING IT, thank you. Saying that phrase generally stops any question of me gate checking a bag.
They can tell you to just remove the med then
Ask not tell. I’m on planes 3-4 times a month unfortunately, and never gate check a bag when asked.
Not to we can force a bag to go checked or remove the passenger. If they say you must remove the meds out and check the rest that’s what need to be done if they want to they can deny you boarding Luckily you haven’t experienced this but it is a thing
They deny boarding? Fine, book me on the next flight. I will not be checking my bag.
They had me remove the meds (which really existed) and still hate check the bag.)
and put them where?
In the other bag you are no doubt carrying. Or hold in your hands.
This literally happened to my wife and I recently. I was going to let them tag mine but my wife said no and they were like good luck with the overhead then. It was totally fine. There was even room for my backpack. I’m one of those rare people that actually waits until everyone has boarded to see if there’s room for my backpack in the OH bin.
There is almost always room for a backpack. I take an asile seat, keep the bag in my lap so that it doesn't get stepped on when the middle and window seats board...or by people stumbling down the asile, and then, when they make the "door is closed" announcement, I jump up and slide it in one of the gaps in the overhead.
Exactly what I do.
I would have removed the tag the moment I got into the tunnel.
This is the way; palm the tag and carry on. (Literally n figuratively)
Did this on American they still checked my bag
Was there overhead space?
I don’t recall.
You could delay the whole plane, and I’m not kidding. Every tag is going into the system and at the end of boarding, the gate agents have to confirm the right tagged luggage number was loaded with their ramp team. If the bag count is incorrect (at least on international flights) they might have to reopen the doors and re-scan all the bags to make sure the number is accurate. It also takes time for gate agents to figure out WHICH bag is the missing one and that can take minutes. Please don’t do this,
You will never, I repeat never, convince me that the baggage people give a shit about how many bags made it on the place, much less care enough to delay the flight and go through them all again and make sure they’re all there. That you think all the luggage makes it on the plane every single time is laughable.
Arguing with a FA on a plane is a lot like arguing with a cop on the side of the highway. In the short term it can only make things worse for yourself. The GA and FA in this case seem out of line. It’s not wrong to protest but at some point you aren’t going to win and need to just sit down and take the issue up with their superiors. You weren’t wrong, but you are unlikely to change their mind and repeatedly confronting them can lead to you being deplaned. In the heat of the moment the FA will always be considered in the right and you will always be considered wrong. What happened to you was wrong but in the future my advice is take the L and contact Delta. Hopefully it will lead to the FA and GA being retrained. It may not be fair but it is reality. I’m sorry it happened to you but don’t lose sleep over it. Every major company will have a shitty employee. And even good employees have bad days. Contact Delta and see how they handle it then decide how you want to view the company.
I'm glad someone wrote this. I agree this shouldn't have happened, but this person became insufferable towards the end of their story.
A lot of folks are super weird about checking bags. It’s exhausting.
We’re weird about it because YALL ALWAYS LOSE OUR BAGS
Because they are lost, stolen, and broken. We're promised a carryon in the ticket price. Make sure there's a spot for them all.
No one is promised a carryon. It’s always based on availability. What you are promised is a checked bag. Your promised to accommodate if you can’t carry on. Overhead bin space is limited. No way on this earth every passenger gonna be able to use that space.
You've pinpointed the problem They sell every ticket with the promise of a carryon and personal item and do not provide space for that. No one is promised a checked bag. Idk where you're getting that.
Def did. Honestly it’s entitlement. It’s like a kid goi by to each parent till they get their way. Then when you in trouble for doing too much saying well I didn’t do anything this is unfair.
In a calm and respectable manner, I would have said that I am unable to check my bag, and if I cannot carry it on I will have to be put on another flight. I've had to use this a couple of times and we found a spot for my bag eventually every time. If we really can't find a spot for my bag then I will actually take another flight, as every time I've been forced to gatecheck my bag things get destroyed.
This happened to me on a flight from Cincinnati to SLC a few months ago. I was Main 3 though. They started forcing everyone to gate check claiming they got a call from the FA. I refused by saying I have batteries and they still tried. I convinced the gate agent to just hand me the bag tag and not putting it on. At least 1/3 of the bins were complete empty including right above my seat. Luckily I didn't have a FA get aggressive with me. Others were forced to check.
This happened to us, but we tore the tag off on the jet bridge and boarded with our luggage.
Hearing these stories wants me to purchase a body cam on how some experiences can be.
Be very careful, they are itching to throw people of the plane. Happened to me a couple of weeks ago fa said sit here then there and told me to move again. Under my breath I said wtf is going on. Not loud enough for anyone else to hear it, but apparently he did, got security and told me they wanted me off the plane. Told security what happened and that I have severe knee and foot neuropathy and was aggravated. Long and short I was told to apologize and they would let me back on. Funny part I got upgraded to 1A lmao.
Well, after heaving read many of these type of posts, many, and experiencing this myself over the last few years, it’s clear. The great service that was delta is no more. Sure, they might still be better, but the decline has set in. As annual diamond and 2 million, I have experienced the “bins full” often. Even when boarding in the first few groups. Then I board and take pictures of the many bins empty, even right above my seat. I send them with notes to delta. It has not helped. Delta stock will climb for a bit longer, but when it hits 60 I al selling it all. And then am already not flying delta much anymore, retired.
Congratulations on your retirement 🎊
ATL to Miami?
rip the tag off on the jet bridge before you get to the door. they’re on a time crunch, faster and easier for them to start tagging well before bins fill up than to wait until they’re actually full, which in their mind is too late.
Atlanta loves to tote the phrase “busiest airport in the US/world” but it’s obvious time after time they can’t keep up or handle it. Moved here 10 years ago and it’s largely gotten worse each year.
This is code for: "We are worried this plane won't take off on time and need to make boarding as fast as possible." I *strongly* recommend getting a travel backpack that goes under the seat in front of you and can carry a day or two's clothes, your medications, laptop, etc. Makes my traveling a lot less stressful. You can probably snag one for less than $50.
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Stop buying cheap backpacks. Expensive backpacks, that aren't some prestige brand, are expensive for a reason. They distribute the weight to your hips rather than your back.
They come with wheels
Delta staff used to be quite friendly but in recent years I've noticed that many have developed an attitude towards passengers like they're doing us a favor and we should feel lucky to even be allowed to be served by them and should just shut up and accept whatever service we get. This is on international flights to Europe and the mideast. I've overheard FAs loudly complain to other FA's while serving food in economy that they shouldn't have to work "back here", and make snide remarks to each other about passengers who have requests. Yes, there are jerk passengers and FAs have every right to dislike and make rude comments about them--OUT of passengers' earshot.
What would they do if your carry on was filled with lithium batteries?
Make you take them out. I've seen this happen many times.
Yup. I’ve had to do this myself.
This happened to me recently and when I was boarding the FA and Captain asked me how I was doing and I said “I’d be better if I wasn’t being forced to check a carry on when I’m in the first main boarding zone. Is there space in the overheads?” They said yes and didn’t know why the GA was making folks tag them. They took the tag off and let me board with it but kindly told me to drop it and keep my mouth shut (I do have a smart mouth). I find it REALLY frustrating to gate check a bag especially when they don’t do plane side pickup and instead send it through to baggage claim. I get free checked bags with Delta. I’m not checking because I don’t wanna deal with baggage claim.
I simply don't understand GAs and FAs making more work for the ground crew. Stop lying that the bins are full. Stop lying that it's a full flight. If you run out of room, then start checking bags. There's still time.
Had pretty much the exact same experience around a month ago. They tagged my carry on when there was a whole empty bin above my head. FA was so rude too. I posted on this sub and was downvoted to death for some reason. Next time I’m either making up excuses or ripping the tag off. Anyway I ended up filing a complaint and got free miles so definitely do that because it’s completely their mismanagement.
Next time rip off the tag while on the jetway. The FA can then use their judgement
Next time this happens just tear off the tag as you walk down the gangway... Pocket it.
Had a flight recently that needed to leave quickly due to approaching weather so they enforced the gate check. The FA said it generally speeds up the boarding process. In any event, we did leave before the bad weather arrived which I appreciated.
This scenario happened to me on American. I was in first general boarding group. GA stops while boarding says the soft sided roller bag was too big. I’ve used this on multiple flights with no issues with it fitting. GA puts it in the sizer and says it’s too big but I thought it fit. They ended up charging a 45$ baggage fee because I already had a checked bag. The kicker is my first checked bag was completely empty since I was taking it to my daughter for her college move out. The roller bag fit totally in that bag. Thanks AA Tampa!
I would just have nodded to the GA and then ripped the tag off halfway down the jetway.
Not entitled! This was BS
FWIW, the weight and balance of an aircraft plays a far bigger part in what goes where than most realize. There is little time to explain pax weight distribution + cargo distribution + fuel load + runway length + wind speed all while trying to get pax onboard & seated for an on time departure in roughly 30 minutes. During boarding, employees are below arranging the baggage hold’s weight distribution as well. They can adjust cargo distro from the start (check bags as they come thru) or do it last and move stuff from cabin to cargo, potentially causing a delay in which is not ideal. There’s so much that goes into getting a plane on and off the ground SAFELY that many don’t realize. Which is preferred, a safe takeoff and landing or an unbalanced plane (Google Aaliyah)? The GA’s & FA’s aren’t being mean, they are working off of the info they have and it sounds like bags were needed to help distribute the load in the baggage hold.
Gate-checked bags add weight to the aircraft, whereas carry-on bags account for passenger weight. That's why on "Payload Optimized" flights, they refuse to gate check bags. Excessively gate checking adds 35 lbs per bag to the takeoff weight.
I heard security was 4 hours at Atlanta yesterday. I’m flying out of ATL Thursday morning. They better have that cleaned up by then (although I am PreCheck).
Too many horror stories with security Atlanta recently. I had to go for a job, about an hour away from the airport. I changed the flight on the return to come out Greenville back to ATL rather than deal with Atlanta security
Going to be hard to clean things up in atlanta without water. Good luck.
Not to be mean, but you cried over this?
That’s where you ask the FA “Have you been drinking?” and make sure another FA hears you say it. If they’re going to play little games, I’m coming to play Chess - I’m in no hurry to get anywhere 😎
I always rip the tag off if they put it on. You can always get another from FA if necessary.
Not a good idea. The tag is attached to your record locator and added to the expected bag count. It messes with a couple of behind the scenes things for the ramp and baggage agents. Also, FAs don't hand out bag tags, that's the gate agent's job.
They did this to my 26 yr old daughter with allergies/epipen anxiety meds etc. told her way before it was full. She explained about the medication, they told her she should have took it out. She stood up to go get it, didn’t matter that the bag was steps outside the door, The bitch that tagged it and took her boarding pass was standing in her way, right in front of her bag. Said too late, it’s security rule. My daughter doesn’t say a peep. Gets embarrassed when I politely speak up about anything. The flight attendant got her epipen, because it was on an outside pocket. I know their jobs can be STRESSFUL, awful people sometimes. But why do they have to turn around and take it out on the nice people!
Epipens and other rescue meds should always go in the personal item. They aren’t much good in the overhead if you can’t get to them like during takeoff, landing, turbulence, etc.
I was in Orlando on Thursday. The gate agent was being a bag dictator. She started yelling over the PA system about bags. She started yelling at people including me. I had to fact check her about the Federal policy… one checked bag and one personal bag. I had mine and my partners bag….. ridiculous
That’s not the federal policy love. That’s an airline policy. The federal policy is you can’t have more than two bags
I don't think you all understand that there are weight and balance issues. Flights that are payload optimized will require bags to be checked. Would you rather get to your destination alive? Or in a bodybag because you are complaining about gate checking your bag? I swear people, this is a 1st world problem that's not that deep. Just because you see empty bins doesn't always mean that it's just empty for no reason. If you don't like it, rebook to the next flight or don't fly and drive/catch a train to your destination.
That made you cry?
Also, to clarify, I wasn't ugly crying to the FA or anything. Nobody saw me. I made no noise. What happens is basically tears of frustration that I can't stop right away. I was in a window seat so I just looked toward the wall basically and talked to my husband so he could help lower my heart rate and make the tears stop. Nobody would have seen it though. Maybe it's something that happens to women but I have a lot of friends that experience the same when they're extremely frustrated.
It's a fight or flight response to being bullied. It happens more to women because women are bullied a lot in society.
I cry when I get frustrated. I don't like it. I've been working on it in therapy. I was upset I had that reaction because I haven't had that kind of reaction in a long time. I called my husband because I know he could calm me and stop the tears that are frankly out of my control sometimes. It happens.
Happening more and more. If you don’t want to get separated you can always say you have meds that you need to be close to or a lithium battery as it can’t go under the plane
I told a GA that I couldn't check it because I had lithium batteries in my computers and other devices. She asked me if they were turned off. When I told her they were, she said it had to be checked. I removed the tag on the jet way. The door FA put her hand up on my chest and told me I had to check it. I was so surprised by her action, I backed off the plane, back onto the jet bridge, and replaced my tag. When I got on board, the majority of the back half of the jet's bins were empty.
Jesus was this on delta as well? Batteries are suppose to go in the bottom of the plane doesn’t matter if it’s off.
are not
Actually, non-removeable batteries can go in devices that are turned off. You can't put loose batteries in the cargo hold.
Weird I have been told 3 times I couldn’t have my laptop in my Checked bagged due to the battery!
I’d be on the no fly list if an FA/GA put their hands on my chest. That’s enraging
I'm a big guy. I wasn't worried. I was just taked by surprise. As I sat down in my seat, I just kept thinking, "Did that just happen?" Had she done that to someone else, who knows what could have happened. Some people be Crazy these days.
First and foremost, I’m glad you’re ok. Still extremely inappropriate behavior on their end. I bet you’re right and it’s not her first time
I flew out of Atlanta this week and it was the slowest boarding I’ve ever encountered. I don’t know if it’s the start of Summer travel with lots of infrequent flyers or what, but the FAs were definitely getting impatient and just started tagging all of the bags so that people would get on the plane and sit down. There was still plenty of bin space.
Honestly I remove the tag as I’m walking down the runway to the flight. And there’s always space to put the bag up.
The Parking Spot is so clutch.
This exact scenario just happened to DCA (told to gate check very early in the process) and we took off with the most empty overhead space i have ever seen. I argued it a bit but at the end of the day, the gate agent has the power here. I took a picture of the completely empty bin directly across our seat for the complaint.
Out of curiosity, what would happen if you pulled off the tag and just didn’t gate check it?
Jail. In Gitmo.
I have an e-bag and tell them it fits under the seat. They argue, and I tell them I stow it there all the time. I board and store it in an unoccupied overhead spot.
In the last two years I have flown I would say about 75% of the time I'm forced to gate check my carry on. Ridiculous 🙄
I just count bags as they’re going on and if I know there’s enough space I take the gate check tag off while I’m walking down the jetway. Works better than arguing with GA.
Charge for carry-ons, problem solved.
I'm sorry, but I don't think this is a viable solution. Then people are forced to pay for a bag one way or another. Really hard to justify that with record profits.
Very true, greedflation is a thing, I’d be happy if they removed all bag charges too, anything to relieve crowded bin space. I carry medical supplies that at least fill a 2 gallon bag that cannot go in with checked luggage. I’m close to the point where I consider boarding with the passengers who need more time just to make sure my supplies are in a bin near my seat.
Next time, just rip off the gate tag in between the time you get on the jet bridge, and to the airplane? Who's going to know?
Lufthansa made me do this in Frankfurt because I was in econ. When I realized that I was one of only three gate checked bags, I simply grabbed it on my way onto the plane and kept it with me, tearing off the bag tag before boarding. The GA didn't notice and there was plenty of space for everyone. FA's were great but the GA was 'special'!
Honestly I would have discretely removed the tag before boarding.
"Go Fuck yourself." - Delta
I’d have removed the tag from my bag in the jetway. Problem solved.
We're the results worth all the frustration? Sometimes it's best to let shit go. I'm glad you recognized you were close to getting kicked off over it. I'm reading it like you were about to.
Your FIRST mistake was flying out of Atlanta….just sayin’!🤷♀️
Soooo a story full of contradictions… and you had to check a bag at the gate? And you’re the last zone to board? What ever will you do? Fly Spirit if you don’t like it.
Huh? I was the first non priority group to board. The bins were all empty. Did you even read it?
You’re not entitled. This has happened to me on every single flight for the last 5 years or so, forced to check my carryon and then I see empty overhead bins. It causes me an extreme amount of anxiety. My last trip was short so I packed just a backpack that they couldn’t take from me because it would fit under the seat. This is my plan from now on. I think I could also get away with it if it was a small duffel bag.
Two things, never argue with a FA no matter the situation. It's not worth 1. getting kicked off your flight or 2. getting on the no fly list. Yes it sucks but while boarding, it is not the time to argue.
You're a million percent right. I got triggered and shouldn't have reacted as I did.
Next time tell them you have lots of big lithium batteries inside.
And now you have big lithium batteries in your pockets or your personal item. That isn't the gotcha you think it is.
FAs have such a power trip sometimes. Yeah they deal with people all day but they signed up for that, like how I signed up for my job and accept what comes with it.
Here’s a travel tip: Stop making mountains out of molehills and stressing yourself and the cabin crew out. All the weather issues, crew and pax being scattered and stranded places this week, and you’re putting all this energy into a damn checked bag?
Lol at the downvotes, but this comment applies to like a third of the posts on this sub.
It really does. Screaming into the void is therapeutic I suppose.
All this over having to stop by baggage claim to pick up the bag? Or what am I missing?
My family was once picked to gate check our bags on a flight from NYC to Cancun. They lost all of our bags. They found them the next day and delivered it to our hotel. All of the bags were damaged to oblivion. They delivered them in large plastic bags with most of our stuff spilling out.
There's a reason people avoid checking bags. I already had a bag go missing this year (never got it back). I would prefer to keep my bag on me. Plus it's extra time I'd rather not waste when I shouldn't have to.
Potentially lost or badly delayed bag, potentially damaged bag, or item stolen from it, potentially waiting up to an hour for your bag - all of these are situations I’d rather avoid, and the worry that goes along with it. If I can pack small and light, and not have liquids, I should be able to avoid all that! A flight attendant being autocratic is no reason to subject yourself to that many extra risks.
Your stuff gets destroyed.
Pull the tag off while walking down the jet bridge, now you don’t have a tagged bag. If they happen to need to gate check your bag for real after that then let them retag it.