Carry-on luggage charged extra?

[Trisha]

Airlines allow one personal item, one carry-on, and one check-in for economy tickets, and they must meet the airlines weight/size limits or excess fees are charged -- got it.
But what if I'm told at the airport that my carry-on bag must be checked in?

In other words, I've met the 40 lb/22-inch limits, but there is no room in the overhead storage, or some other "not my fault" reason. Will I be fighting a battle that, no, I did not intend to bring two check-in bags... no, I should not pay extra... yes, this is part of my terms of carriage....
I may include enough room in my personal item (as large a purse as I can get away with) for my computer, maybe my regs. I really hate the idea of shoehorning as much diving gear into my carry-on, then being forced to send it into that great, black void that is the luggage hold.:drejnd:

 

[sasscuba]

I have been told I had to check my carry-on once and I told them it contained very breakable items and they let me keep it with me.

 

[Diver Dennis]

Which airline? Most allow two 50lb check in bags.

 

[Cacia]

Often, they run out of room and have you gate check it. You see them load it and they hand it back when the plane lands, first thing.

yes, tell them it's fragile. You should definetly not have to pay.

 

[miketsp]

I have occasionally come across situations where there has been a weighing scale in the line before getting to the check-in position and they even weighed the hand luggage. Many airlines have a 5kg or 6kg hand luggage limit so even though you're within the hand-luggage measurements you pay extra. In my case this hits hard as I have one small case with laptop, two reg sets, spare reg & spg, 5 dive lights (2 large & 3 small) plus various other pieces of metal so just this one small bag weighs about 15kg.

 

[alcina]

40lbs for a carryon?

In Australia they are cracking down and no item of carryon can weigh more than 10kgs (7kgs some places). That's about half of the 40 you mention...

 

[Diver Dennis]

I know Australia is very strict alcina. I fly Cathay and although they only allow one 15lb carry on I have always taken two with no problem.

 

[alcina]

I've not had a problem with two pieces in Australia. In fact this last trip I was told to take 2 instead of 1 as 1 was "overweight"...it's the weight per piece they seem stressed about...and that's cool as I don't want to be bonked on the head by a 40lb piece of luggage

And there is a notice out there that photographers get three pieces: one personal, one carryon and one photo bag. A lot of the sports shooters are printing a copy and taking it with them when they travel so there is no problem at the gate. Airline has the right to refuse, though, so be nice about it

Back to Trish's question: everytime I have checked a piece in at the gate it's been great. It goes on the plane at the same time I do and it off waiting for me before I get to the ramp. It doesn't get treated like checked luggage - they know you didn't mean to check it and they do take care of it YMMV I make sure to take just what I need on the flight - book, neck pillow, mp3 player - and the rest they deal with. No lifting into the bin, no dragging it down the aisle, nothing by my feet. Fabulous.

 

[Diver Dennis]

I've heard something about that alcina. Do you know where a person could download a copy?

 

[alcina]

http://www.tsa.dot.gov/public/interapp/editorial/editorial_1248.xml