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A quick note on that. These credit cards allowing "group 1 boarding" are the biggest rip off that I know. "Group 1" is actually group 4 or 5. First it's "those that need added time" - disabilities and families with babies, then first and business class, then frequent flyers (and, on Delta when you leave from a main hub on a Monday or Friday - it seems 75% of the flyers are frequent flyers), they may further divide it up into high level and low level FFs...only after all that does "group one" board. Gives me a kick each time when these guys flash there credit cards and think they are entitled to board first. Still I guess - it's better than group seven or something. I feel sorry for those guys. Nowadays, with all the full flights., doesn't matter the size of your carry-one - if it doesn't fit under the seat its "gate check" time.
No, the cards actually insures that I get on the plane while there's still plenty of room for carryons. Believe me, I've tested it. The only time I've had to gate check a bag while having Group 1 boarding is either on a regional jet where's there's simply no room for anything in the bins larger than a box of Kleenex, or if a connection is extremely tight (like the ten-minute connection I had earlier this week at O'Hare). Obviously nothing works in those cases.
I check all bags on Southwest. It makes my walks through airports a lot more easily and have never in 30+ years lost a bag. I would NEVER place anything of value in a checked bag.
While I've never lost a bag on airline, it was Southwest where I had my first - and last - instance of TSA opening my bag, leaving everything in a state of disarray, and tossing a note on top saying my bag was checked.
Since then, just take my carry on. But I haven't gone on any trips longer than a week at the outside anyway.
Gate checked bags go onward to the final destination where they are picked up at baggage claim. Valeted bags are brought back to the jet way. Big difference. By the way, on smaller regional's all carry on's that won't fit under the seat are required to be checked. You leave them on the tarmac as you board the plane and then retrieve them from the tarmac when you get off. It's actually a fast and convenient method.
Most airlines no long pre-board children unless they are UM's. My home airport is MCO and they stopped doing this years ago because that is 90% of the plane.
I have never seen anyone flash a credit card in my million plus miles of flying. It's automatic when they pay with that card, it's printed on the boarding pass. The only place I've seen a credit card shown is the AmEx Centurian for lounge access.
I stand corrected then regarding checked to your destination, I've never gate checked, I just see all these passengers waiting at the ramp. This is all Delta. A previous poster then declared the danger of no electronic monitoring as in regularly checked bags. Regional jets - yeah I see that but my laptop has never been gate checked, it's small enough.
Children - I said babies. Up to about a year ago I saw people abusing the pre-boarding process. Family with kids - then you see like a family with a teenager board, LOL. Delta is now enforcing this to limit to families with babies at least. Not sure about other airlines.
In my two million miles of flying (registerd Delta million miler) to be frank I don't see people flashing credit cards either, but that really wasn't the point. The point is that people think that is a "get on first" card, which it is absolutely not. It's a topic in the FlyerTalk forum however, with anticdotes of some of the "gate lice" being these credit card holders. Not sure how they know.
No, the cards actually insures that I get on the plane while there's still plenty of room for carryons. Believe me, I've tested it. The only time I've had to gate check a bag while having Group 1 boarding is either on a regional jet where's there's simply no room for anything in the bins larger than a box of Kleenex, or if a connection is extremely tight (like the ten-minute connection I had earlier this week at O'Hare). Obviously nothing works in those cases.
Hence my "better then group seven or something" comment.
I stand corrected then regarding checked to your destination, I've never gate checked, I just see all these passengers waiting at the ramp. This is all Delta. A previous poster then declared the danger of no electronic monitoring as in regularly checked bags.
Children - I said babies. Up to about a year ago I saw people abusing the pre-boarding process. Family with kids - then you see like a family with a teenager board, LOL. Delta is now enforcing this to limit to families with babies at least. Not sure about other airlines.
In my two million miles of flying (registerd Delta million miler) to be frank I don't see people flashing credit cards either, but that really wasn't the point. The point is that people think that is a "get on first" card, which it is absolutely not. It's a topic in the FlyerTalk forum however, with anticdotes of some of the "gate lice" being these credit card holders. Not sure how they know.
US/AA does no family preboard, hasn't for about three years. I've flown UA a few times lately and they haven't offered it either. SW got smart and put it so far back that it's wiser to just check in on time or pay for the early check in.
I have seen US allow a family pre-board once in the past few years, it was a lady traveling with twins and two car seats. That was simple logic. She was near the back and they sent her down the jet way before the wheelchairs.
Kind of meaningless as nowadays as many peoples definition of "carry-on" is anything smaller then an elephant. In fact is kind of irritating when I come in with my laptop case that I can quickly flip up into a bin or under my seat and then I see Joe New Traveler and his family, each with a "carry-on", taking five minutes to maneuver their kitchen-sinks or whatever they are carrying into an empty bin. Many of these carry-ons end up getting gate checked since flights are almost always full nowadays.
I find it just the opposite, my luggage is not huge, I could carry it on. But I like checking it in because of the nuisance of carrying it around in the airport (particularly if you are changing flights) and then finding room in the plane bins (and that's even with my getting on first and/or with first class upgrades where I have my choice of bin space).
Yup. Carry-on is now anything you want. Everyone takes it as a source of pride that they only carry on. Even when they have 2 rolling bags.
I prefer checking in now. Why bother hauling around stuff? I carry a tablet, extra shirt, toiletries and that's it.
Even better if check in luggage is misplaced on the way home. I don't have to drag my luggage around and they'll deliver it to my door.
Everyone takes it as a source of pride that they only carry on.
Yup. Just another way that they try to establish superiority over other travelers.
Check, carry on ... it matters not. Being able to pack for a trip around the world in a tiny bag doesn't make you any better a human being than anyone else.
All that matters is that no matter how much stuff you travel with, you are capable of handling your stuff on your own. Nothing bugs me more than people who carry on more than they can carry or lift, and then expect other passengers to help them with their belongings.
(I carry on the scope itself because it's fragile, but the tripod is dismantled and packed in the checked baggage).
I'm married to a photo guy and since he uses pictures he takes on trips as part of his classroom lectures, he's always bringing the full rig on vacation. Not only will we be checking a bag because of the tripod (TSA doesn't like the pointy feet of it) he'll also use up his whole carry-on as camera bag because he can't seem to go anywhere that might be scenic without at least four different large lenses in their carefully padded cozies and assorted camera accessories.
His 48 hours of emergency clothing actually ends up in my carry-on because he doesn't have room in the camera bag.
And if I'm already going to have to check a suitcase, then it's like 'Screw it! I'm going to fill up the space around the tripod and take three whole pairs of pants on a one week trip!'
And if I'm already going to have to check a suitcase, then it's like 'Screw it! I'm going to fill up the space around the tripod and take three whole pairs of pants on a one week trip!'
Yes, if you're going to check a bag, there's no point in being stingy about what you pack (so long as it doesn't make the bag overweight). Cram away! Bring LOTS of shoes! And real toiletries!
And I empathize with your fella - traveling with camera gear (or electronics) is hard these days. You really can't do carryon only AND travel with a full DSLR kit. It's one of the reasons I switched over to m4/3s, and even so I can't usually carry as much gear as I'd like to.
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