The Luggage Police Are Watching! #CarryOnShame
Time to stop abusing carry-on restrictions. (Thinkstock)
The airlines may be cracking down on carry-on bags, as Yahoo Travel reported earlier this week in a story on new baggage restrictions from Airfare Watchdog.
But one traveler, Spud Hilton, is so tired of inconsiderate air travelers who overstuff their bags that he’s taking matters into his own hands. The San Francisco Chronicle travel editor has launched a hashtag campaign #CarryOnShame, which has gone viral. He is encouraging fellow fed-up flyers to take pictures and video and out the offenders across social media.
As someone who follows the rules (and usually checks her bags), I applaud Hilton’s campaign and chimed in on Good Morning America, which ran a report on his clever campaign. You can watch the video here.
If you’re looking for tips on how to avoid fees and make your carry-on life easier, follow these tips:
• Be sure to check out your airline’s rules. Some carriers will charge you at the gate if they deem your bag too large. Some (JetBlue, Southwest) have more generous size allowances for carry-ons and don’t charge for checked bags.
• Look into airline credit cards, which generally waive fees for checked bags. We’ve got a handy list of cards, here.
• Don’t fly Spirit or Allegiant, which charge to carry on — in some cases, up to $100. (Talk about #CarryOnShame.)
• Avoid the long lines to check your bag by using the curbside check-in. Many airlines don’t charge for the service; just leave a nice tip, please.
