Leaving bags unattended at airports...
Oct 17th, 2005, 03:54 PM
#1
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Leaving bags unattended at airports...
Can you believe some people still do that?
Recently, we were on line for the security check at Newart Intl. when a security person noticed a big bag on a corner wall. She asked out loud at least 3 times whose bag it was, no one responded. She brought back another person and we just knew they were going to evacuate the terminal. Everyone around us (including us) started thinking (and saying) bad things about the person who left their bag because we just knew the evacuation would begin. The woman asked one more time whose bag it was and a guy on line finally responded. Oh my god.
I guess he just didn't feel like carrying his bag while on line. It boggles the mind that in this day and age some people still DON'T get the consequences of doing that.
Just felt like sharing.
Recently, we were on line for the security check at Newart Intl. when a security person noticed a big bag on a corner wall. She asked out loud at least 3 times whose bag it was, no one responded. She brought back another person and we just knew they were going to evacuate the terminal. Everyone around us (including us) started thinking (and saying) bad things about the person who left their bag because we just knew the evacuation would begin. The woman asked one more time whose bag it was and a guy on line finally responded. Oh my god.
I guess he just didn't feel like carrying his bag while on line. It boggles the mind that in this day and age some people still DON'T get the consequences of doing that.
Just felt like sharing.
Oct 18th, 2005, 03:30 AM
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OH yeah I've seen this done at Orlando International (MCO).At the Southwest Airlines departure gates they come over and set their bags in whatever line they have been assigned (A,B or C) and then walk away.
We were sitting there and 3 or 4 people put their bags in the 'A' line and left.
Is this a new fangled way of saving your place in line?
These people should have their bags confiscated and denied boarding on the plane. That would teach them not to leave their bag unattended again!
Debbie
We were sitting there and 3 or 4 people put their bags in the 'A' line and left.
Is this a new fangled way of saving your place in line?
These people should have their bags confiscated and denied boarding on the plane. That would teach them not to leave their bag unattended again!
Debbie
Oct 18th, 2005, 08:19 AM
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We now know that terrorists will sacrifice their own lives to blow things up. So whether the bag is attended or not could just as likely kill.
I'd like to see them do away completely with carryon bags, or charge a security fee for those who decide not to check their bags. Problems the o.p. cited would be almost non-existant and we'd get people on and off aircraft much quicker.
I know someone will state the importance of their time requires to carryon. With the long time it takes to get off aircraft these days, it's seldom I beat the luggage to the carousel. Everyone's time is important.
I'd like to see them do away completely with carryon bags, or charge a security fee for those who decide not to check their bags. Problems the o.p. cited would be almost non-existant and we'd get people on and off aircraft much quicker.
I know someone will state the importance of their time requires to carryon. With the long time it takes to get off aircraft these days, it's seldom I beat the luggage to the carousel. Everyone's time is important.
Oct 18th, 2005, 09:17 AM
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I was at LGW a couple of years ago when I spotted an unattended bag. I alerted a store clerk who got security over there on the double. Security picked up the bag and they were taking it away when a woman started chasing the security guards yelling, "Hey, that's my bag." I had to go on and catch my plane, so I don't know if the woman was fined or not. But as I was walking away I could see that they were giving her quite a lecture.
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Oct 18th, 2005, 09:22 AM
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I forgot to mention, this happened in a bookstore near the gates. Is this considered a less dangerous situation since the woman had already gone through security with this bag? I realize that things can get past screeners, but I would be more nervous about a bag that hasn't yet been screened.
Oct 19th, 2005, 06:25 AM
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The frequency with which bags are lost in transit makes the idea of a no-carry-on policy untenable. Not only do we need something in which to keep the books, magazines, MP3 players and maybe lunch needed to pass the time and survive the flight itself, but it's also more than prudent to have the necessities in case luggage is lost -- including medications and maybe a change of unmentionables, etc.
That said, I've never comprehended why some people seem able to leave a bag just standing somewhere -- aside from possible threats to public security, they're risking having someone just pick it up and take off with it either to rummage through for personal acquisition or to blow it up for security purposes. I'd never hesitate to alert officials to an apparently abandoned bag the moment I saw it -- fine with me if they take it away and blow it up.
That said, I've never comprehended why some people seem able to leave a bag just standing somewhere -- aside from possible threats to public security, they're risking having someone just pick it up and take off with it either to rummage through for personal acquisition or to blow it up for security purposes. I'd never hesitate to alert officials to an apparently abandoned bag the moment I saw it -- fine with me if they take it away and blow it up.
Oct 19th, 2005, 02:39 PM
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I have to disagree with you Cassandra about lost luggage (here in the USA). While delivery is often delayed, luggage is generally delivered. Independence Air last summer introduced a guarantee that if your luggage wasn't at your destination then that leg of your flight was free.
<b>NEED</b> MP3s, book, etc.? No, <b>want</b> more correctly describes the situation. Medications are a valid concern -- so lets just say we limit carryon to an article no bigger than 15"x9"x6"
I'll tell you why I would leave a bag unattended: it's only "stuff". If it gets stolen I won't like it, but it is not the end of the world for me. There's nothing of great value or embarassment in it and if someone wants to rummage thru it to gratify some fetish then they can have a ball. I believe that when my time comes, it comes, but I'll not fret over every small thing nor hide under the bed afraid of some boogeyman.
Similary stated in my first post, that bag that appears to be a notebook PC held by the man sitting across from you may be more dangerous than the "unattended" bag I left against the wall only 8 feet from where I sit. It may be only "unattended" in your eyes, but well under my observation & control. Or would you insist all our belongings be tethered to us in all public spaces? With suicidal maniacs things in personal possession cannot be assumed harmless.
<b>NEED</b> MP3s, book, etc.? No, <b>want</b> more correctly describes the situation. Medications are a valid concern -- so lets just say we limit carryon to an article no bigger than 15"x9"x6"
I'll tell you why I would leave a bag unattended: it's only "stuff". If it gets stolen I won't like it, but it is not the end of the world for me. There's nothing of great value or embarassment in it and if someone wants to rummage thru it to gratify some fetish then they can have a ball. I believe that when my time comes, it comes, but I'll not fret over every small thing nor hide under the bed afraid of some boogeyman.
Similary stated in my first post, that bag that appears to be a notebook PC held by the man sitting across from you may be more dangerous than the "unattended" bag I left against the wall only 8 feet from where I sit. It may be only "unattended" in your eyes, but well under my observation & control. Or would you insist all our belongings be tethered to us in all public spaces? With suicidal maniacs things in personal possession cannot be assumed harmless.
Oct 19th, 2005, 03:01 PM
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Wow rb, you really do like to chase me around with negative posts.
And you can disagree on this one all you want, but fortunately it's extremely unlikely that a no-carryon policy will ever go into effect. Besides, we people of the female persuasion are not about to give up handbags, and I can just imagine how many business travelers would give up briefcases and laptops.
Glad you've never had any bag lost in the US -- you must be the only traveler in history to have that luck. (By the way, you do know that Independence is going under?) And glad you can afford to have a laptop stolen. I sure can't.
But mainly, if you find my posts so irritating, don't read them.
And you can disagree on this one all you want, but fortunately it's extremely unlikely that a no-carryon policy will ever go into effect. Besides, we people of the female persuasion are not about to give up handbags, and I can just imagine how many business travelers would give up briefcases and laptops.
Glad you've never had any bag lost in the US -- you must be the only traveler in history to have that luck. (By the way, you do know that Independence is going under?) And glad you can afford to have a laptop stolen. I sure can't.
But mainly, if you find my posts so irritating, don't read them.
Oct 20th, 2005, 08:58 AM
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Cassandra, I don't find your post irritating at all. I might disagree with your position, but respect it.
I don't know where else I must have replied to you ("you really do like to chase me around with negative posts"
but I can assure you it must have been by coincidence. Even tho I'm curious about where I won't find it worthwhile to go back and look.
There's always going to be differences in opinion, which is what makes these forums so interesting.
Yes, I agree, Independence's days are numbered. But I also ask why can't all airlines guarantee the secure delivery of our belongings? If they would do this one thing, so many of our air-travel problems would vanish, don't you think?
I don't know where else I must have replied to you ("you really do like to chase me around with negative posts"
but I can assure you it must have been by coincidence. Even tho I'm curious about where I won't find it worthwhile to go back and look.There's always going to be differences in opinion, which is what makes these forums so interesting.
Yes, I agree, Independence's days are numbered. But I also ask why can't all airlines guarantee the secure delivery of our belongings? If they would do this one thing, so many of our air-travel problems would vanish, don't you think?
Oct 20th, 2005, 09:20 AM
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Not to jinx us, but my wife and I travel a lot and have never lost a checked bag. I don't think there is a legitimate reason to refuse to check baggage, but this question always brings a lot of excuses on why some people cannot check their luggage. I think things would work a lot better if the airlines enforced their carryon rules.
This week we were fortunate enough to fly first class, so we were boarded early and sat in the front of the plane while those in tourist boarded, passing through our cabin.
Having nothing better to do, I kept a loose count of how many people in tourist were, shall we say, overburdened. About a fifth of them had luggage that seemed to me to match or exceed the limits, but of that fifth, a very small number clearly were over the limit. Unfortunately, that very small number of people tied up the boarding process for everyone while they tried to jam their excess luggage in the storage bins. Boarding took almost half an hour because of these few selfish people; without them, it would have taken only minutes. I know the airlines are fighting for every passenger dollar they can get, but I think an airline that rigorously enforced the carryon limits, perhaps even lowering them, would attract far more passengers than it would lose.
This week we were fortunate enough to fly first class, so we were boarded early and sat in the front of the plane while those in tourist boarded, passing through our cabin.
Having nothing better to do, I kept a loose count of how many people in tourist were, shall we say, overburdened. About a fifth of them had luggage that seemed to me to match or exceed the limits, but of that fifth, a very small number clearly were over the limit. Unfortunately, that very small number of people tied up the boarding process for everyone while they tried to jam their excess luggage in the storage bins. Boarding took almost half an hour because of these few selfish people; without them, it would have taken only minutes. I know the airlines are fighting for every passenger dollar they can get, but I think an airline that rigorously enforced the carryon limits, perhaps even lowering them, would attract far more passengers than it would lose.
Oct 26th, 2005, 05:04 PM
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If the airline would guarantee me that my luggage would be with me at the end of the flight I would gladly check everything but a book, some munchies and a bottle of water. If my baggage is lost, I would be willing to accept cash within one hour of arrival to replace everything that I tell them was in my luggage.
Unfortunately, this just ain't gonna happen.
Ron
Unfortunately, this just ain't gonna happen.
Ron
Oct 26th, 2005, 05:37 PM
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Friday I was siting by a gate at Kansas City and heard the woman next to me say "Oh, no!" I looked up to see two sequrity people looking at two unatended bags and a plugged in computer.
After about 30 seconds, security carried the bags over to the gate agent, then the computer, and then they went back to their work.
When the man returned a few minutes later, he looked around until he saw the bags at the gate desk. When he picked them up, nothing was said to him.
Keith
After about 30 seconds, security carried the bags over to the gate agent, then the computer, and then they went back to their work.
When the man returned a few minutes later, he looked around until he saw the bags at the gate desk. When he picked them up, nothing was said to him.
Keith
