In message , at 11:04:38 on Sun, 22
Feb 2009, pete remarked:
From my observations at EMA, the gate gauges are used primarily to
extract some extra revenue from passengers whose bags are half an inch
too big, rather than to trap those people with hugely oversize bags.

Some pax really do take the **** with what they try to drag onto a plane.

The person in front of me today had a trolley-bag that was clearly
larger than the allowance (as well as a handbag). But the security
people didn't turn a hair; but then neither did they when what looked
like two off-duty immigration officials jumped the queue, set off the
metal detectors, and didn't even stop walking.

I thought airside personnel were supposed to "go through security" in
the sense of being checked out in the same way as passengers, not just
"that's the door they have to go through, but no checks made".

Since the cheapo airlines charge a lot (in comparison to the cost of a
seat) for hold baggage, as you can't use the online checkins, there are
a lot of people who will squeeze *everything* into carry-on.

Easyjet seems to cope.

I'll report back on my Easyjet flight today. Last week's Ryanair flight
was about 80% full (as per their average loading) and there was plenty
of room in the overheads, and almost nothing under any seats. [iirc the
official maximum size of a carry-on is also supposed to fit under a
seat, although that won't leave much room for feet.]

Didn't Ryanair announce recently that even your shopping has to fit in
the "one bag" in order to try to reduce this issue?

I noticed such a rule, didn't know how new it was.

It's certainly being enforced now. I came back from Murcia recently
and I saw three women who's bags were too big. They were being told
they had to go in the hold (the bags, not the women)

I thought you were onto something there...

and were not happy, as a result.

One lady on my Ryanair flight had to pack her handbag inside her
rollerbag, to prove it would fit. Again, not happy, but if I couldn't
read, I think I'd be unhappy most of the time.
--
Roland Perry