Valet Checked Carry-on

[Osmosis]

Had a pretty bad J/S day on Friday this past week. One of the things I wanted to run by is the leagality of what happened to me. I was given a seat in the back, with 4 other open seats left in a CRJ. The door re-opened in the front, and the gate agent called me up. She said she did not have time to load me into the computer for the flight. (I was listed for a flight 45 minutes later, but this flight was just starting to board when I arrived to the gates)

As I got off, she had the door reclosed, and told the individual downstairs, to leave my carry-on in the plane because there was not enough time. I told her I needed my carry-on, and was told that I would definitely be put on the next flight, and it would be held(Chicago).

Well the long story short is she did not put me on the next flight, as she put a standby passenger on, and then the plane became weight retricted. I was then instructed that I should expect the rest of the day for the jets to be weight restricted because they were cancelling the next departure, and that I would not get a ride. She then said it was not her problem I had a bag in Chicago.

Without getting into more details... is it even legal for a carry-on to be left on a plane, without the passenger? I didn't think so, but maybe I am wrong.

 

[CA1900]

I don't believe it is. I know that at my company, when we have a "through" flight that makes a scheduled stop and the passenger goes inside for the turn, he cannot leave his carry-on in the cargo hold -- he has to take it inside with him. This was made very clear to us by our fed.

 

[WorldOnTime]

Had a pretty bad J/S day on Friday this past week. One of the things I wanted to run by is the leagality of what happened to me. I was given a seat in the back, with 4 other open seats left in a CRJ. The door re-opened in the front, and the gate agent called me up. She said she did not have time to load me into the computer for the flight. (I was listed for a flight 45 minutes later, but this flight was just starting to board when I arrived to the gates)

As I got off, she had the door reclosed, and told the individual downstairs, to leave my carry-on in the plane because there was not enough time. I told her I needed my carry-on, and was told that I would definitely be put on the next flight, and it would be held(Chicago).

Well the long story short is she did not put me on the next flight, as she put a standby passenger on, and then the plane became weight retricted. I was then instructed that I should expect the rest of the day for the jets to be weight restricted because they were cancelling the next departure, and that I would not get a ride. She then said it was not her problem I had a bag in Chicago.

Without getting into more details... is it even legal for a carry-on to be left on a plane, without the passenger? I didn't think so, but maybe I am wrong.

I don't have a definitive answer for you, but I have been at several Delta gates recently where there were revenue passengers trying to get on an earlier flight. The gate agent always asked them if they had checked bags. If they had, they were told that they had to fly on the flight that contained their bags. Maybe contact the TSA and ask what the rule is? Or call the airline that you used and pretend to be a rev. passenger and see what the policy is. Good luck, sorry that happened to you.

 

[ASApuppy]

I've asked this question myself. The answer I get is that positive bag match is no longer required since ever bag is screened. I've been told NSRA bags go on first available flight.

What makes this wierd is a carry-on being left on. No bag tag as to its destination. What I find funny, is that this gate agent had the time to go the plane, reopen the door, and have you removed from the flight, but did not have the time to enter your name in the computer? Did you ever recover your bag at the destination?

 

[Caveman]

Where was the Captain while all this was going on? There is no way any Captain I know would let this happen to a jumpseater. First of all the gate agent would have a hell of a lot of explaining to do about why you were getting pulled off. The explanation you got would never fly (no pun intended). Second, if there were some weird set of circumstances that convinced me you couldn't go I'm not pushing back until you get your bag. I'm 99% certain most Captains would handle it this way. Something doesn't smell right. I don't think you got the whole story from the gate agent. Something else was in play and the Captain knew what was going on.

 

[Rook]

Where was the Captain while all this was going on? There is no way any Captain I know would let this happen to a jumpseater. First of all the gate agent would have a hell of a lot of explaining to do about why you were getting pulled off. The explanation you got would never fly (no pun intended). Second, if there were some weird set of circumstances that convinced me you couldn't go I'm not pushing back until you get your bag. I'm 99% certain most Captains would handle it this way. Something doesn't smell right. I don't think you got the whole story from the gate agent. Something else was in play and the Captain knew what was going on.

Sounds like another 9E situation where getting the ship out on time is the only priority the gate agent cares about. Sorry Osmosis. I would've gone back there and got your bag myself if I had to.

What's up Cave? That Blue sure looks good on you.

 

[radarlove]

One of the original rules had to do with whether the passenger was being bumped voluntarily or involuntarily. If involuntarily, the bag stayed. If voluntarily (for any reason, like getting off at the last second) the bag had to be found and returned.

Dunno if that's still the way things are.

Sounds like a screwjob to me, maybe she was a furloughed American Airlines customer service agent. Even before 9/11 I remember waving bye-bye to jets as they left with empty seats in the cockpit because the gate agent just got "too busy" during the 75 minutes I was standing in the gate area.

 

[MRYFLYER]

Radar is correct. It depends on intent to travel and whether you and you bag need to stay together. If you were to remove yourself then yes your bags would have been required to be removed. If the flying fickle hand of CSR fate yanks you then no you don't have to have your bags. However, i think I would have used the "there are security sensitive documents" in the flight bag that must not leave my posession.

 

[IB6 UB9]

I would've gone back there and got your bag myself if I had to.

I would have taken a delay and had the agent complete the listing, or got off the a/c and done it myself.

 

[Osmosis]

I could see the captain argueing with the gate agent for a minute before being called to the front. When I got up, he called me up and said he was very sorry but there was nothing he could say to convince the gate agent to let me stay. I am very certain he was not aware she left my bag on the plane.

Because the flight got in late, I am sure this was a time issue. The agent told me it would take her an hour to get me correctly loaded for the flight because I was listed for the next flight. They were pushing about 30 minutes late. Now, an hour to change my listing... no way. 60 seconds... that sounds about right. When she put me on in the first place, she took all of my info, checked it, and told me to take whatever open seats I could fine, and she would load me in a few minutes.

There were some other things that happened after that that points toward the gate agents there doing a pretty good screw job, but I won't go there. But to answer the questions about the Captain, I think he was being pushed to get the flight out, and was told they were going to get me on the next flight. Absolutely no fault to the flight crew. If he was aware they were leaving my bag, my bet is he was the type of guy that would have got out of his seat and done it himself.

Interesting info about the bags issue. Maybe she was allowed to leave it on the plane since in was a non-vol. If that is the case, that is good info for everyone here. I know we all try and keep our flight important stuff in a carry-on. Maybe even doing valet check-in is a no-no in risk of losing it or having it sent without you in a last minute bump off.

 

[Amish RakeFight]

I bet if you stopped a TSA person and informed them that the plane that's at the gate or on the taxiway has a bag without a passenger, it would have gotten turned around or held until this was confirmed. You should have said something to someone other than this idiotic gate agent. Sounds like a nightmare unfolding.

 

[PeanuckleCRJ]

I've had gate agents try to do similar- though the carry-on thing is just rediculous.
I just tell them that the plane doesn't move without the jumpseater. It gets them all riled up and everything...saying they are gonna put the delay on me. I never heard anything further about any of those situations.

 

[Caveman]

Sounds like another 9E situation where getting the ship out on time is the only priority the gate agent cares about. Sorry Osmosis. I would've gone back there and got your bag myself if I had to.

What's up Cave? That Blue sure looks good on you.

Hi Rook. How's it going?