Episode 27 • Travel
Carry-on
Baggage allowance policy
Check (a bag)
Baggage claim
Belt
Story
Last week I had a flight to New Orleans so I put all I needed in what I thought was a small suitcase. I prefer to travel only with a carry-on, it makes things easier. Anyway, when I get to the airport, the lady there tells me their baggage allowance policy has changed and my bag was too big to be considered a carry-on so I had to check it AND pay! Ugh! I told her multiple times to please make sure nothing happened to my bag and she kept saying I didn’t need to worry. Anyway, I finally get to my destination and go straight to baggage claim to get my suitcase. I waited and waited and waited till there were no suitcases left on the belt. I knew it! This is exactly what I didn’t want to happen! They had lost my baggage! Airline Pigeon is the worst! I went immediately to the baggage claim office, which was right there. The man there quickly checked my flight information, then looked up at me and slowly said “That’s the wrong belt, sir. Your suitcase is right there”. Gosh… how embarrassing!
Questions
Airline pigeon is not a thing. I completely made that up but hey, if you want to trademark the name you can contact me, okay?
Carry-on
'I prefer to travel only with a carry-on.'
• Is a carry-on a bag that you can or cannot take with you on the plane?
A carry-on is a bag that you can take with you on the plane.
• Is a carry-on small or big?
I believe the size depends on the airline but it's usually small. Not bigger than a backpack.
• Do you normally travel with a carry-on?
Right now I only travel with a carry-on because I have some valuable stuff like for example my computer in there and other equipment. I want to make sure I don't lose it or that it doesn't get damaged. I always carry my backpack with me on the plane. My backpack is my carry-on.
Baggage allowance policy
'Their baggage allowance policy has changed.'
• Which of these things does the baggage allowance policy NOT tell you? a) How many bags you can carry b) What your bags may contain c) How big /heavy your bags can be
The baggage allowance policy doesn't tell you anything about what your bags can contain. This is something else, all right? It's a different type of policy but the baggage allowance policy simply tells you how many bags you can carry and how big and heavy they can be.
• Do you always check the baggage allowance policy before flying?
I don't and actually, I've paid the price for this because normally the carry-on weight is 10 kilograms. That's what they allow you to carry with you on the plane. I was already over that limit because I think my backpack at the time I was flying was probably 11 or 12 kilograms. I was already over that. Then I think that particular time we're flying Thai Airways I believe. We noticed when we were already at the airport that the baggage allowance policy said 7 kilograms maximum. I was like 5 kilograms over the weight limit but luckily nobody checked. We got through without problems but that was a scary time.
Check (a bag)
'My bag was too big [...] so I had to check it.'
• If you check a bag, do you take it with you on the plane or not?
No this is the opposite of a carry-on. A checked bag can be bigger in size and you do not take them with you on the plane but go inside the plane. I believe underneath the plane.
• Can you check your bags for free?
Again like most things, it really depends on the airline. Some will let you check one or two bags for free but low-cost airlines, they usually charge you for checked bags.
• How many bags do you normally check when flying?
Right now I'm not checking any bags because I'm only traveling with a carry-on but normally I try not to check more than one bag because I'm a teeny tiny person and I cannot physically carry more than one big bag. One, two tops.
Baggage claim
'I go straight to baggage claim.'
• When do you go to baggage claim? Before or after your flight?
You go to baggage claim after flying
• Why do you need to go to baggage claim?
Now, you go to baggage claim because you want to collect your checked bags. You know--The bag that you didn't carry with on the plane? Well, you got to pick it up somewhere. Right? That's where you do it. A baggage claim.
• Do all passengers have to go to baggage claim?
Well, no. If you haven't checked any bags if you only have a carry-on, then you don't need to go to baggage claim. You're free to leave the airport right away.
• Do you usually sit or stand while waiting at baggage claim?
I have to admit that at baggage claim, not only do I stand but I weighed right next to the hole, the one where the suitcases come out from. I'm standing right next to that ready to grab my bag as soon as I see it.
Belt
'There were no suitcases left on the belt.'
• What can you find on top of a belt at the airport? Passengers or bags?
The type of belt we're talking about has bags on it. There's another type of belt but we're not talking about that.
• And what kind? Checked bags or carry-ons?
We already said it. We're talking about the belts that you can find a baggage claim. It's only checked bags.
• Do the belts stay still or do they move?
They move, they go round and round and round until there are no suitcases left on the belt.
• Have you ever not seen your suitcase on the belt? What did you do?
I think waiting for your suitcase at the belt is terrifying because you always feel like they never get there soon enough and you're always constantly wondering, "Oh my gosh, do you think they've lost it? Oh my gosh, what happened to my bag?" It's only happened to me once where I checked my guitar and I couldn't see it. In the end, I went and asked someone and I was really scared because I thought I'd lost it or they had lost it but they told me that it wasn't a different section because it was a fragile object, so they had put it in a different place. I found it but it was like a terrifying 10 minute moment. I would say.
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