People who prioritize finding cheap traveloptions, such as cheapairplane tickets, discount hotel rooms, discounttravel deals, and cheap vacation packages, canget frustrated when flying over the holidays and trying to find space for theircarry-on.
Fliers determined to avoid checked baggage fees arebringing ever more and/or larger carry-ons with them, creating increasingdemand for limited overhead bin space on planes. Over the holidays the carry-on madness risesto a new level because of full flights and passengers carrying gifts.
Carry-on madness commenced when U.S. airlines startedcharging passengers to check bags five years ago. Baggage fees have become a revenue bonanzafor airlines, with domestic airlines collecting about $3.5 billion in baggagefees in 2012.
One of the things which makes the carry-on madness all themore intense is the strategies select passengers are willing to employ toensure that their baggage remains in the cabin:
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Liningup before the boarding process starts makes it more difficult for otherpassengers to enter the plane when their boarding zones are called.
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Some flierstry to break the rules and board before their zone is called.
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Passengershave been known to bring as many as five carry-ons although airlines usuallyallow only two: a small bag plus onepersonal item, such as a purse.
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Anotherstrategy is to cram an obviously too large bag into an overhead bin and then walkingaway, fully knowing that the bin will never shut.
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Somepassengers sitting in the back of the plane leave their bags in forward bins sothey do not have to carry them all the way to the back.
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Yetanother approach when flights are full and no overhead space is available isfor passengers to hide bags underneath their legs and then throw their coats ontop of their laps to try to hide them. Airlines require any carry-on left on the floor to fully slide beneaththe seat in front of the passenger.
The following are some suggestions as to how best to dealwith carry-ons:
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Considerpaying a little more to qualify for early boarding. If you fly more than a few times a year, lookinto signing up for an airline branded credit card that offers priority boarding.
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Lookinto shipping your luggage ahead of time. By doing so, you will get a tracking number which will make it morelikely that your luggage will arrive on time.
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Do notbelieve that the overhead space right above your seat belongs to you. Filling overhead space is strictly on a firstcome first serve basis.
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Beprepared to check your bag if overhead space is not available. Make certain that you pack your medications,necessities, and any valuables in a carry-on that will fit underneath the seatin front of you, because this is the only guaranteed space you will have on aplane.
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