US carry-on luggage regulation before congress

[msk2193]

Anything that will stop the theft from baggage is welcome. TSA(thousands standing around) is a joke. They won't let you lock your luggage. They go through it and identify valuables and steal the stuff. You get to the other end and your baggage is trashed, rumpled, broken and you have items missing.

Stopping baggage thieves who hide behind government authority should be a priority.

I only fly an average of 400,000 miles per year and have NEVER had a valuable item, or for that matter any item, stolen from my checked baggage. I do agree that when they go through the bags they make a mess, but again NEVER has anything been stolen. I am sure there are others here who fly more than I do, but I doubt you will see them agree with your observations.

[Ron Marshall]

I only fly an average of 400,000 miles per year and have NEVER had a valuable item, or for that matter any item, stolen from my checked baggage. I do agree that when they go through the bags they make a mess, but again NEVER has anything been stolen. I am sure there are others here who fly more than I do, but I doubt you will see them agree with your observations.

I'm not trying to be combative, just curious how well they are able to resist temptation. What valuable items do you usually carry in your checked luggage?

[msk2193]

As far as lenses go, the most valuable items usually in checked bags are the Nikon 500mm, 200-400mm, and all lighting gear. A few times my D700, and on every busienss trip some pricey shoes and clothes!

[Bob Salomon]

There was legislation past by the EU a couple of years ago regulating the IATA (International Air Travel Association) standard size for a carry-on case. Before it went into effect it was modified and still is not in effect.
If you want to know everything you ever wanted to know about the "official" rules for carry-on bags you can find a very current one on the Travel Goods Association (TGA) web site. This is the association for luggage goods manufactures, dealers, rebs and suppliers in the USA.

But in the USA the exact sizes enforced are up to the airline and not TSA so for any given trip you should always check the policies of your specific carrier. And note that within a given airline the sizes allowed can vary with the equipment being used for that flight and ailrlines are not unknown to change the type of aircraft for a specific flight segment. Also make sure that if you are flying on a regional carrier who operates under a major carrier's name that the sizes allowed on that regional can be different then the size the major carrier allows. So if you are flying EWR to PDX via SEA on Continental the carry on allowed on the 737-900 from EWR to SEA might have to go as checked at gate baggage on the regioanl that flys under th e CO name from SEA to PDX.

[msk2193]

This website is pretty up-to-date, and yes security and airline staff at most European airports do enforce the size limits.

http://www.luggageonline.com/about_airlines.cfm

[Darren H]

Never had a problem taking my Arca-Swiss 4x5 on board. It does usually get opened but always gets through. One TSA guy even knew enough to ask what brand of 4x5 I had.

I think Bruce is right that the current size limites are fine. Having to downsize to another smaller bag would not be fun and not make airline travel any better.

Actually, the overall state of air travel is such a pain I prefer to drive most of the time.

[goamules]

It's not just expensive cameras people want to carry onboard. I have flown with an expensive mandolin. I doubt traveling musicians want to check their rare violins and other small rarities.

But the answer to all this is right under our noses in this thread! "People like to fly because it's fast and cheap" but "planes can't carry much cargo". Then some mentioned bullet trains. I just had an epiphany: Let the people fly with NO luggage. In every terminal is a "bullet train" for just the baggage! It would be like a giant pneumatic tube at the bank teller. You roll your baggage to the correct tube, put a RFID tag on it, and Woosh! it's gone. Overseas would be more difficult....I'll go get more coffee....

[Allen in Montreal]

I only fly an average of 400,000 miles per year and have NEVER had a valuable item, or for that matter any item, stolen from my checked baggage. I do agree that when they go through the bags they make a mess, but again NEVER has anything been stolen. I am sure there are others here who fly more than I do, but I doubt you will see them agree with your observations.

You have a golden horseshoe somewhere!!
Consider yourself not lucky, but blessed!

It is a huge problem for Reuters, who has lost so much gear it is sick.

In Montreal, a half dozen airport staff were arrested this year for marking bags that contain "goods" to be removed. They took the goods or the entire bag.
Very high end golf clubs are a known risk to check here. It happens everywhere.

The only way to stop it is for the airport admin to put video cameras over every baggage check area and police the police (they are rent-a-cop and rent-a-guard but you know what I mean) !

[Ivan J. Eberle]

Checking bags with film in them results in the irradiation of your film so this recommendation is clearly not for someone who travels with film.

[eddie]

As for the TSA, I have to chime in here and state that since the TSA was implemented, my experience with airline security people has improved tremendously. I have been flying internationally several times a year for the last 22 years, and previous to TSA commonly encountered impolite, badly-trained security personnel who often could only speak rudimentary English (if any at all!). My bags got lost en route 50% or more of the time.

Now, I am treated professionally, politely and often in a friendly manner by clean, uniformed, well-trained and generally competent TSA employees who speak English and usually a few other languages as well among the team. My luggage has been opened occasionally, and sometimes my meticulous packing messed up, but never have I had anything stolen. My luggage arriving with me rate has increased to well over 80%. I'm much happier with the situation as it now stands.

Best,

Doremus Scudder

well said.

i have had very pleasant dealings with security people all over the world...blessed allen would say.

i got frisked leaving the USA on tues. and then again arriving in amsterdam on wed. never been felt up quite that way in public by a male security person.......i almost asked if i could get the woman guard.....so i would fell more comfortable....

made it in the end. no problem with my checked bag or my carry on.

keep teh current size i say....i already have a bag!

eddie