Air Canada new size measuring device for carry on luggage

[em-sk]

2 hours ago, snow bunny said:

I am wondering if the laser measuring is only in Canadian airports?  Seems that the ones flying in from elsewhere are not reporting this issue.  A bit concerned as my handle causes my carry on to exceed the 21.5” requirement.

 

snow bunny

 

They currently only have the machines in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal.   They have them pre-security.  I can see them working in Toronto, it is a hopeless at virtually any other airport (including Vancouver and Montreal).  Most people in the line at T1 in Toronto are AC passengers.  In most other airports the passengers in line are for a broad mix of airlines.  

 

This comes down to aircraft type.  The 777 aircraft have a lot of bin space.  The worse AC aircraft I have ever been on for bin space are the Q400 that PAL airlines operates for Air Canada in Atlantic Canada.  There is zero change of getting a wheeled bag into those bin.  Everything has to be checked.  Even the Q400 that Air Canada Jazz, WestJet Encore or Porter use have more space and can accommodate those larger bags.   

 

The checkin agent at Air Canada based on aircraft type has a target for the number of passengers that need to have checked bags so they have a chance of not running out bin space.  It is not unusual for them to make an announcement, "I need 4 people to check their bags before boarding, and it is free".  They try to get to that target before they even start the boarding process.  To their credit it usually works. 

 

 

 

 

[TheHawk1]

On 10/17/2023 at 1:28 PM, lx200gps said:

Therein lies a big part of the current problem. Many folks board an airplane with the two "legal" items, a carry-on bag and a so-called personal item, then proceed to put BOTH items in the overhead bin when the rule is that the personal item is supposed to go under the seat in front. I routinely see people shove even three items in the bins rather than face losing the miniscule amount of legroom in regular economy class.

That "rule" of putting one item under the seat in front of you doesn't apply if you are sitting in a bulkhead seat or sometimes even in an exit row aisle, as there are no seats directly in front of you. In those cases, these people (usually me since I always pay more for an exit row) are instructed by the crew to put both of their carry on items in the overhead bin. So it's not always a choice to use up extra overhead storage space.

[lx200gps]

1 hour ago, TheHawk1 said:

That "rule" of putting one item under the seat in front of you doesn't apply if you are sitting in a bulkhead seat or sometimes even in an exit row aisle, as there are no seats directly in front of you. In those cases, these people (usually me since I always pay more for an exit row) are instructed by the crew to put both of their carry on items in the overhead bin. So it's not always a choice to use up extra overhead storage space.

Very true, except that only a small fraction of pax are in bulkhead or exit rows. We always buy the preferred seats with the extra leg room but never on an exit row as my wife insists that the seats on exit rows are colder due to the removable plug doors not being as well insulated as the rest of the cabin.

[Fairgarth]

Here's another approach that we had not seen before.  We had a very unfortunate experience on British Airways last week.  We were flying from Heathrow to Venice on an A320.  As we waited in the departure lounge, a smiling agent approached and asked us what group we were.  We were group 4.  Would you like advance boarding?  Come with me.  So we did and only then realized we had been mightily conned.  Oh dear, such naivety and innocence for world travellers!  They absolutely insisted on taking away and checking our carry-ons.  Too big, they said.  Outright lie.  They have been on aircraft all over the world and you could see what all other travellers were carrying.  But, but, we said, they are full of valuables, medications, essential documents, lithium batteries and enough stuff for us to survive 48 hours if our checked bag got lost.  So what if they now lost our carry-ons as well as our checked bag?  See if they cared.  So if you are caught in that situation, my advice is to lie in your teeth.  If asked, of course you are Group 1.  Get lost, sunshine.

[CDNPolar]

7 hours ago, Fairgarth said:

Here's another approach that we had not seen before.  We had a very unfortunate experience on British Airways last week.  We were flying from Heathrow to Venice on an A320.  As we waited in the departure lounge, a smiling agent approached and asked us what group we were.  We were group 4.  Would you like advance boarding?  Come with me.  So we did and only then realized we had been mightily conned.  Oh dear, such naivety and innocence for world travellers!  They absolutely insisted on taking away and checking our carry-ons.  Too big, they said.  Outright lie.  They have been on aircraft all over the world and you could see what all other travellers were carrying.  But, but, we said, they are full of valuables, medications, essential documents, lithium batteries and enough stuff for us to survive 48 hours if our checked bag got lost.  So what if they now lost our carry-ons as well as our checked bag?  See if they cared.  So if you are caught in that situation, my advice is to lie in your teeth.  If asked, of course you are Group 1.  Get lost, sunshine.

 

This should be something that you report higher up the ranks.  I thought that it was unacceptable to check laptops or lithium batteries... not that some don't get into the hold innocently or on purpose, but to my knowledge a crew member should not be knowingly allowing this to happen?

 

Also with medications, they should not as well...

[Fairgarth]

6 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

 I thought that it was unacceptable to check laptops or lithium batteries... not that some don't get into the hold innocently or on purpose

 

Sorry, my bad, incomplete reporting.  Yes, our carry-ons contained laptops, meds etc as required by the airlines.  We had to take those out and hand carry on board.  In what, exactly?  And for years now, we never board an aircraft without carrying enough essentials to keep us going for 48 hours if our checked baggage gets lost.  That's what worried me.

[CDNPolar]

3 hours ago, Fairgarth said:

 

Sorry, my bad, incomplete reporting.  Yes, our carry-ons contained laptops, meds etc as required by the airlines.  We had to take those out and hand carry on board.  In what, exactly?  And for years now, we never board an aircraft without carrying enough essentials to keep us going for 48 hours if our checked baggage gets lost.  That's what worried me.

Gotcha!  Thanks for the update