Today, Freedom Day, is a most inappropriate occasion for a rant, especially because if I had my way in this matter, people's freedom to drag copious amounts of large sized luggage on board a short flight would be rescinded!
Last week I embarked on a short (90 minute) domestic flight, on a 737-800, packed to capacity with 189 passengers. Seated in 1C, the first aisle seat on the plane was strategic for a quick disembark later. Knowing that I didn't have to fight my way along the aisle to my seat, I delayed boarding until the plane was about 50% boarded.
Wow, what a shock to step through the main door and halt for several minutes, unable to reach the very first seat on the plane - a mouse couldn't have squeezed down the overburdened aisle stacked to the gills with passengers trying desperately to stow unwieldy items into the bulging overhead bins. And another 90 or so pax still to join the fray!
Really guys, it's 90 minutes. The weather at both ends was fine, so no heavy outer garments were cluttering up the space. All you need close to hand - a book or whatever your preferred form of onboard entertainment, your wallet for the snack service and a friendly attitude. Everything else (valuables, laptop and cameras excepted) could be safely checked in and collected less than two hours later.
The large, dreadlocked middle-aged dude in the middle seat next to me, very put out to discover the aisle seat he'd claimed as his own was actually mine, needed FOUR trips up and down that stagnant passage to find niches for his extended hand luggage. The chaos caused by this repeated traverse was mindboggling, and my eyes, level with the luggage piling on board as the rest of the mutts climbed on, popped open wider and wider.
According to the regulations, hand luggage is limited to one piece each (+ a handbag for ladies, goodie for us) of a restricted size. I watched HANDBAGS bigger than the regulated carry on bag dimensions lugged past me. Every single passenger had a minimum of two pieces, and very few of the pieces were less than a roll on bag size.
The overhead bins couldn't cope; the pilot repeatedly requested people find their seats and strap in so that we could leave; the poor cabin crew, squashed between seats, irritated standing people and mountains of baggage, were taking pieces off people and handing them overhead to ground crew to put into the hold.
Yes, we left and arrived late, solely due to the selfish idiocy of the passengers. Besides the 'I couldn't give a damn about what they say, I don't want to check my bag in and have to wait for it on arrival' arrogance, what about the inconvenience to your fellow travellers? And safety?
Guys, those limits are there for a reason and I object to your endangering my life so you can step off and go hell for leather to the terminal exit rather than hang around the carousel. It would really screw my day up to crash land, so please please please can you act like a responsible, considerate adult and think of the well being of the larger body of passengers rather than solely your own?
The airlines deserve a severe smack on the chops as well. You make the rules, damn well enforce them. On the ground. At check in. It's unfair and impractical to leave controlling hand luggage to the minimally staffed cabin crew minutes before take off.
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