EWR Gateway personnel - Poor cust. service
 

So I was traveling this weekend, and while trying to get through security at Newark was stopped by a Gateway agent and told that my 26" overnight bag was too big to be a carry on. After explaining that it doesn't matter how tall a carry on is when you take an RJ - it's still going to get tagged and put in the baggage compartment - I was told that this was an airline policy. I explained that this wasn't the airline's policy in CVG, and I have only had this problem in Newark. (Never mind the fact that this guy didn't actually work for the airline). I spoke to a supervisor who was only concerned with getting me to check the bag. The only answer these people seemed to be able to give was "No". When I got to CVG, I had to hunt the bag down since someone failed to put the carousel number on the board.

My question is this:

1. Is the traveling public actually required to listen to what these people say? They're not airline employees and not TSA. They're just there. If they were ticket/gate agents or flight crew I could see them having real authority. Isn't it the ticket/gate agent's job to determine whether a bag should be checked?

2. Is this what we want the traveling public (read: Airline CUSTOMERS) to have to deal with? There is already a severe lack of customer service in this country, and people don't want to get more of the same when they travel. Do we really need another barrier to decent service? The employee in question turned away another 4 people while I was checking my bag.

Now, I understand that I travel free. That's really not the point. Imagine how mad I'd be if I was a paying customer and had to pay $15 to check a bag that didn't really need to be checked. It's a huge inconvenience to have to unpack and repack your bag on the floor of a busy airport so that your important items will fit into the one bag you're allowed to have because some guy that should be saying "would you like fries with that" can't use his head when you explain to him how this stuff works. (Nevermind that you shouldn't have to explain it, he works there, he should know.)

And yes, I am irritated by this on a personal level. That doesn't make the above any less valid.

Here's the bottom line - the less a person knows, the more rules and regulations they will try and create to overcome that lack of knowledge and justify their existance. I've seen it so many times while attempting to jumpseat. An agent with 6 days of experience once told me, "we only take jumpseaters on weekends. Next customer please!"

Which US airline allows more than a 22" carry-on as a matter of policy, no not what you can get away with, policy?

Especially as a non-rev, you should be aware of and comply with said airline's policy. If you don't know, ask a ticket agent for a printout of the airline's carry-on policy.

The industry practice is that flight crew generally get a pass on oversized carry-ons...because their luggage is usually designed to fit in a bin. It might be long, but width/depth will be good.

I have never had TSA or anyone else hassle me about a 26" high bag. Even when traveling on a paid ticket, I use my crew badge as ID for that reason (in case they don't notice all the crew tags).

The point is that it doesn't make a difference. The 26" bag that I had to check is going to be sitting right next to my wife's pink tagged bag in the baggage compartment. Why not let me keep my things with me while I'm waiting for a flight? That way no one has to worry about tagging it as a standby bag, and where it's going to end up at the end of the day, and I don't need to worry about anything disappearing or getting broken. That's the point. Why make things harder than they have to be? It's just a case of someone who has no idea what's going on having too much power - which brings me back to my question: do these people have any authority whatsoever, or would it be permissible to tell them you're bringing the bag through whether they like it or not? After all they're NOT the airline and they're NOT TSA....

TSA use to let me get away with the 4oz rule all the time non-reving...lol

You will if you travel on a foreign carrier very often. SwissAir, out of JFK, made me check my 26 rollerboard and I was in uniform headed to work.

The airlines contract with these companies. It sounds like your issue may be with Continental airlines. They likely are the one who sets the rules in EWR. In CVG, Delta runs the show, and give the 'rent a cop' their marching orders. While you and I might question how much they know, they do know more than the traveling public, on average. Airline's do not want massive bags (such as 26" carry-ons) to get all the way to the gate. It creates extra work for the gate agent to tag them - and if you haven't noticed yet, gate agent staffing is typically 1 agent for each 200 passengers. Stop the bag while it's still close to the main ticket counter.

Do you dispute that the airline has a rule about the maximum size of a carry-on bag, and your 26" bag is in violation of the airline's policy? You, as a professional, and as someone who's not paying their way should be the LAST person to get upset about this - you knew the rules, you intended to break them, and you were stopped.

I understand the logic of 26" bags on RJ's will go to the bin anyway, but . . . what if you had a HUGE bag, the kind that a family of 4 checks when they put all of their stuff into 1 MASSIVE bag? Clearly, this beast doesn't comply with the carry-on size restrictions of the airline, but, if it's going to go into the bin of the RJ anyway . . . see the point?

26" bags are checked bags. When you're working, there are rules that are not applicable to you (3-2-1 rules, etc). The 'bag that's too big to fit be a carry-on' seems to be one of them (though I can't find where this exemption actually is). As a passenger, if you need to use a bag that's too big to be a carry-on, don't be upset when someone contracted by the airline specifically to monitor the size of carry-on luggage stops you. They did their job.

Did I just write a defense of the airport 'rent a cop'?:eek:

I have done several european carriers without getting it checked, but I was aware that it was a possibility.

I understand your point, but I suppose what bothers me about this is that it's never been a problem anywhere else. If everywhere I went I was told to check my 26" bag, I wouldn't care. When Newark is the only place I've ever run into this issue, it leads me to believe it's not me. Are the RJ's in EWR smaller than the ones in CVG? I never noticed that. Also, I'm not that upset. Yes, it's annoying. Yes, it's stupid. But you are correct that I was trying to get by with something that is not exactly kosher. And as for the family of 4 with one giant bag, that's a bag that's obviously meant to be checked. You can barely tell the difference between a 22 and 26" bag, even if you're not really looking. The funny thing is I've never been stopped when I was to be flying on an airplane where the height of the bag would actually make a difference on a full flight - Mad Dog, 737, etc. In that case I would be more understanding of the "you need to check this" idea, that's all.

I see what your saying, a little 'industry common courtesy' since we live in airports and airplanes. I had a situation last week J/S on AA-80, packed flight had the cockpit J/S. I boarded late (wasn't offered pre-board to meet the crew and find a place for my bag al-la southwest/airtran, ect) when I got to the entrance of the aircraft, I promptly introduced myself to the "# 1 FA" with a smile and hello and was greeted in return without even the offer of a handshake. By the time I showed the crew my credentials (15 seconds) I proceeded to find a 'place for my bag' as the Capt. requested. As I attempted to enter the cabin to do so, the FA steeped in front of me and said no more room for overheads, I need to gate check it. Really!?! I could see many bins still open and wasn't allowed to even attempt to find a spot/rearrange bags. Then, to make a point, she even called the back where the conversation went something like this " yeah, uh-huh, ok, thanks" then promptly told me their was no room for my bag (standard 22' steel side) Thankfully the Capt realized what was going on and personally took my bag down, and retrieved it at destination so I didn't have to go to Bag calim. (I was in full uniform mind you) Thanks Capt! those crusty FA's suck! no need for that!

I jumpseat on RJ's to mexico and back almost every week and Continental and Delta do not care as long as it fits in the overhead. As far as carry on bags are concerned, if you go through crew pass you can take ANY size bag. Skis, golf clubs, if you can drag it, you can take it. Last week I took one of those giant travel pro bags that you visit europe for a month as a carry on.. just pink tagged it so I didnt have to chase it down at my location....

I had a very similar problem to the original poster in SFO, except the argument was that I had three bags (laptop, overnight bag, flight kit). Supervisor had to explain that I was exempt because I was crew. When I got to the gate the gate agent wouldn't let me on and told me that I was in violation of my passrider TOS. When I told him I was crew he said it didn't matter because I was not in uniform. Had to check my bags, and wait four hours for a flight I barely got on.

Bottom line is the employee at EWR is correct. We are often if not usually given a pass as crew on carry on rules however we can't ***** if they choose to enforce the rules. If we get a bunch of incidents where crews make a scene then you can soon expect to have the rules enforced 100 percent for all crew members. That would not be good. If they ask you to check it take it back and check it or get a legal bag.

Anybody who tries to tell us what bags we can and cannot carry through the airport is on a seriously dangerous powertrip. I do wish they would slap some of these toolbox F.O.s who choose to wear Oakleys, backpacks and I-Pods. So embarrassing.