Carry on Baggage - allowances abused to save!

[JohnK]

People don't always front up to check-in with everything they intend to carry on-board.

Who does this sort of thing in this day and age?

It depends on the sectors, but in general, the shorter the flight, the more carry-on luggage you see. Apparently in this day and age waiting 3 mins at a carousel for your luggage is a time luxury no-one can afford. What I want to know is, when are humans going to become less stupid about this and realise that their individual lifespan really is longer than an hour and they can wait 5 mins for something. It's the instant-gotta-have-it-now craziness that drives it all.

Good post. Obviously I agree with you and I have no issues waiting for checked luggage.

In fact for me it is trying to check in as much as possible so I do not have to carry anything around. The less I have to carry with me means I am free to do anything I want and not have to worry about keeping an eye on my belongings. And I do not get tired carrying things around....

 

[spudwa]

I'm a professional photographer and we travel with a little gear as possible, checking in only the gear that we can afford to have sent to Timbuktoo. (If they can guarantee it arrives with me, intact, operational and with nothing stolen I'd check another 25% of the gear!)

This means the my roller bag has to carry the camera, required lenses and minimal equipment to allow me to get the job done, should the hold luggage go astray or miss the flight. Unfortunately, that gear weighs about 12kg - yep, it's over the limit including the bag (carry-on approved size, but not weight). But I can't do my job without the gear, and I don't think the airline will be willing to pay my rate for the missed day of shooting, or offer explanations to the client why we have to spend $$$$ on rental gear (if we can do so!!)

I also have a laptop and some mags etc to read on the flight and the lounge - this backpack style bag goes under my seat or on top of the roller bag.

I remember being pulled up in Fiji with the roller bag by security and having them lift it. "No you'll need to check - too heavy." Explained camera gear, which got me a huge smile, a nod of the head and he happily waved me through to immigration. Nice to have an understanding guy/girl on the door rather than a typical "heavy" who doesn't give a toss about anybody or anything else but "the rules".

A friend was stopped at security the other day because he had a small guitar. The security guard told him it could be used as a guillotine and even acted it out with a downward chop of his hand. I think he meant garrote. He told him to remove the strings which to my mind made them easier to use as "weapons"

 

[oz_mark]

It depends on the sectors, but in general, the shorter the flight, the more carry-on luggage you see. Apparently in this day and age waiting 3 mins at a carousel for your luggage is a time luxury no-one can afford. What I want to know is, when are humans going to become less stupid about this and realise that their individual lifespan really is longer than an hour and they can wait 5 mins for something. It's the instant-gotta-have-it-now craziness that drives it all. The pay for hold luggage doesn't help either. It's not as if people travel with less, they just sneak it through and see if they get caught or not. It doesn't make money for the airline, it costs money as resources are now diverted to offloading oversized bags.

Seriously, save $10 on checked luggage...? Most people spend more than that on a daily basis on coffee alone. Priorities are a bit strange these days.

Sorry to say, but I have spent 40 minutes witing at the baggage carousel in Melbourne on more than one occassion. If it were only three minutes, maybe less people would mind.

 

[Scozzie]

People don't always front up to check-in with everything they intend to carry on-board.

Too true they dont, I recall back in the early nineties being called to board a BA flight from Gatwick to Lagos and as I approached the gate wondered why the queue was not moving...turned out a Nigerian gentleman had got himself a nice bicycle and was taking it on board and no one was going to convince him otherwise.

 

[samiam]

Apparently in this day and age waiting 3 mins at a carousel for your luggage is a time luxury no-one can afford.

My recent experience in Perth is 30 minutes on average.

When I land in Melbourne at 11.30pm, I have waited 40 minutes on average which is the last thing anyone would want to do (impatient or not), at that time.

I no longer take checked baggage to Perth.

And don't forget the people who spring out of their seats as soon as the wheels hit the ground just so they can stand in the aisle for 5 minutes while the plane taxis to the terminal and they open the doors

The last time I flew, we weren't permitted to spring out of our seats and stand in the aisle until after the plane had taxied to the terminal, stopped, and the captain had turned the seatbelt sign off.

 

[nlagalle]

It depends on the sectors, but in general, the shorter the flight, the more carry-on luggage you see. Apparently in this day and age waiting 3 mins at a carousel for your luggage is a time luxury no-one can afford. What I want to know is, when are humans going to become less stupid about this and realise that their individual lifespan really is longer than an hour and they can wait 5 mins for something. It's the instant-gotta-have-it-now craziness that drives it all. The pay for hold luggage doesn't help either. It's not as if people travel with less, they just sneak it through and see if they get caught or not. It doesn't make money for the airline, it costs money as resources are now diverted to offloading oversized bags.

Seriously, save $10 on checked luggage...? Most people spend more than that on a daily basis on coffee alone. Priorities are a bit strange these days.

OK let's look at your 3 "minutes". I haven't ever seen a baggage carousel turn on in less than 10 minutes. Then another 5 minutes to get my bag, if I am lucky.

Now if I fly to Sydney, in that 15 mins I can be in a cab already as there is a small queue and halfway to that office.

As Ryan Bingham said (up in the air):

Thirty five minutes per flight. I travel 270 days a year. That makes 157 hours. Thats 7 Days. Are you ready to throw a week away on that (pointing at the luggage).

If I take all the trips domestically where I only used carry on and replaced that with checked baggage, and use a 20 minute average (which i think is close to the mark). from 26 trips, thats 17 hours waiting for my bags.. Nearly a day lost in my case! I've got better things to do!

 

[medhead]

I've said it before and I say it again a 7 kg bag hitting your head is going to do just as much damage as a 15 kg bag.

As for saving a couple minutes that is just Horsesh!t, try 15 minutes minimum as stated by many already. No doubt we'll next hear about how there is only a couple of minutes difference between row 4 and row 25. Sorry I've timed it the difference is about 10 minutes. The difference between catch a train in SYD or waiting for the next train.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Nowadays, I hardly ever have checked luggage, although I would check-in the carry-on if it's clearly over 7kg. If I'm travelling during off peak times, my average gate to taxi-stand time is about 15mins, in most major ports. Last Thursday, I cleared out of Sydney international in 10mins. i.e. I was in the CBD while some people on my flights were still waiting for their luggage.

 

[Sprucegoose]

A friend was stopped at security the other day because he had a small guitar. The security guard told him it could be used as a guillotine and even acted it out with a downward chop of his hand. I think he meant garrote. He told him to remove the strings which to my mind made them easier to use as "weapons"

You really have to wonder about those people sometimes. Ever seen Mall Cop?

 

[JohnK]

As for saving a couple minutes that is just Horsesh!t, try 15 minutes minimum as stated by many already.

I guess I am lucky that I commute SYD-BNE as both airports are very effecient in delivering luggage to carousels.

In Sydney my father arrives within 20 minutes of me touching down and usually I wait for him at the kerb.

In Brisbane I have landed at 7:35pm and made the 7:58pm airtrain (last of the night) easily.

No doubt we'll next hear about how there is only a couple of minutes difference between row 4 and row 25. Sorry I've timed it the difference is about 10 minutes. The difference between catch a train in SYD or waiting for the next train.

Now here is no compromise.

The difference between row 4 and row 8 is ~5 minutes once you get out the aerobridge.

The difference between row 4 and row 25 is at least 10 minutes.

I am usually patient but I am not waiting around for people to locate and retrieve their excessive carry-on items.

 

[simongr]

I like how people feel fine to determine whether and how I spend my time is worthy.

Nick has it right on the money - I spend a lot of time travelling so the amount I can spend not waiting for things unnecessarily is a boon to me. It frees me up to enjoy the rest of what I am doing.

As long as the sizes and numbers (weight is a non-issue for me) are enforced then why should anyone else care?

I am more concerned about constantly being hit on the shoulder and head by people's personal items (handbags) and rucksacks as hey blindly stroll down the aisle. That actually has an impact on me - other people's luggage does not. If fact the more people that have carry on is better for people that check luggage.

On the times that I have checked luggage - 1 hour at ATL, 45 mins (min) at WLG, 90 mins at LHR... you will forgive me if that is time I would rather not waste.

 

[medhead]

I guess I am lucky that I commute SYD-BNE as both airports are very effecient in delivering luggage to carousels.

My last luggage check in attempt was at SYD and it was 25 minutes between arriving at the carousel and the carousel being turned on. Obviously a sample size of 1 gives really bad statistics. As you have much better experience with SYD I might give it another try.

Agree BNE has been consistently good and that is where I pick up luggage the most a I'm usually with the family.

I am more concerned about constantly being hit on the shoulder and head by people's personal items (handbags) and rucksacks as hey blindly stroll down the aisle. That actually has an impact on me - other people's luggage does not.

I hate that as well. I now try to take the hit and be a solid object in the hope that it twists those people around or something, and they learn a lesson. Passive resistance style.

 

[Justchecking]

I've said it before and I say it again a 7 kg bag hitting your head is going to do just as much damage as a 15 kg bag.

You can say it as many times as you like but the law of physics disagrees with you. A heavier object when subject to gravity gathers greater velocity than a iighter object and hits a stationary object with greater force.

But who knows, maybe one day you'll get hit in the head with a 15kg bag onboard and you can tell us then if the extra 8kgs makes a difference or not.

 

[nlagalle]

You can say it as many times as you like but the law of physics disagrees with you. A heavier object when subject to gravity gathers greater velocity than a iighter object and hits a stationary object with greater force.

But who knows, maybe one day you'll get hit in the head with a 15kg bag onboard and you can tell us then if the extra 8kgs makes a difference or not.

At the "speed" it would be travelling at and the distance, wouldn't make much difference. Assuming we are talking about it "falling" from the overhead locker. It'll travel less than 1 metre before it hits someone not enough time for the laws of Physics to take effect.

 

[medhead]

You can say it as many times as you like but the law of physics disagrees with you. A heavier object when subject to gravity gathers greater velocity than a iighter object and hits a stationary object with greater force.

But who knows, maybe one day you'll get hit in the head with a 15kg bag onboard and you can tell us then if the extra 8kgs makes a difference or not.

Thank you professor of physics.

For a start it is not the velocity that is important but the momentum and force. Secondly the movement of the aircraft is going increase or decrease the force applied, passenger and bag accelerating in the same direction decreases the force. But if acceleration is towards each other (aircraft climbing and bag falling) the force can be greatly increased such that a 7kg bag could do the damage of a much heavier weight. The weight of the luggage becomes irrelevant and you hopefully can now see that the laws if physics do agree with me. In other words neither object is stationary. (3 physics degrees and 10 years of study you'd hope I picked something up along the way)

(aside there is this thing called terminal velocity all objects of varying mass will fall with the same velocity. It was Galileo who first realise this point)

But the important thing is the damage that force does when it hits your head. my point is that a 7kg bag hitting you on the head is going to do significant damage. The neck is not exactly a robust structure, potential of broken bones, fractured vertebrae and skull, knocked out, compression of the spinal column, etc.

If a 7kg bag is going to stuff you up it is if little consolation that it was within the weight limit. It also makes no difference if the bag was heavier as 7kg is enough to wreck your year.

At the "speed" it would be travelling at and the distance, wouldn't make much difference. Assuming we are talking about it "falling" from the overhead locker. It'll travel less than 1 metre before it hits someone not enough time for the laws of Physics to take effect.

I would suggest the laws of physics will always take effect. Perhaps not enough time to see much difference?

 

[m_ratt]

A heavier object when subject to gravity gathers greater velocity than a iighter object

Ummmmm.. No

A heavier object when subject to gravity will gather exactly the same velocity as a lighter object.

Momentum is another matter - the heavier object will gather more momentum, which will do more damage. You are correct however, that the heavier bag will (other factors being equal) have a greater impulse and force exerted when decellerated by someone's head/neck/spine.

Both a 7kg and a 15kg have potential to do large amounts of damage. 15kg bag does have a head start however.

 

[simongr]

15kg bag does have a head start however.

I see what you did there

 

[medhead]

Both a 7kg and a 15kg have potential to do large amounts of damage. 15kg bag does have a head start however.

That was good. perhaps I should have followed my inclination and put it more crudely. Either way U B F.....

 

[simongr]

What would be the [insert appropriate physics term here] of the impact of a 7KG bag falling in the following circumstances?

Level flight (no upward/downward movement)
Steep dive 30m/s
Impact travelling at 30 m/s to abrupt halt

Been 18 years since I did these calcs so a tad rusty here...

 

[medhead]

What would be the [insert appropriate physics term here] of the impact of a 7KG bag falling in the following circumstances?

Level flight (no upward/downward movement)
Steep dive 30m/s
Impact travelling at 30 m/s to abrupt halt

Been 18 years since I did these calcs so a tad rusty here...

I'd need a bit of paper for that one not possible right now.
Domestic Arrivals Rd, Mascot New South Wales 2020, Australia

To clarify. Are you saying level flight follow by the dive and at which point the bag "falls" out of the overhead. Then dive stops and bag then hits head shortly afterwards?