Boarding an NWA flight - no wheels!

[ozone]

I recently crossed the US/Canadian border into Michigan and caught a flight from Detroit to Las Vegas for a friend's wedding and to see my brother. I was delayed at the border, but thankfully, didn't have any luggage to check. I rushed through security, scrambled to the gate... and had to wait. Whew!

As the flight started to board, I was expecting the usual first class, business class, and the coach boarding instructions by row number. However... after all the first class/business class fliers boarded, the gate agent announced, "Any passengers with carry-on bags with NO wheels may now board." Excellent! I was, of course, only carrying my Aeronaut and ID bags with me.

Yet another reason for no wheels. I'm guessing airlines are getting fed up with passengers that haul barely-passable wheeled carry-ons that take up too much room in overhead bins.

[timothy]

That's great -- I hope I hear that same thing the next time I fly! Whether it's more the fault of the airlines rounding up, bag makers rounding down, or passengers figuring that their bag is "pretty close" (color me guilty of that, in the past), not to mention the price pressure on travelers now *not* to check any luggage, there's a lot of creative bin-squeezing.

That's why it's nice to have (please forgive me) an overhead Bihn.

timothy

[pretzelb]

Oh, I would very much love it more airlines did that. It might help me convince the better half to finally get an Aeronaut.

[Darcy]

Very interesting! Thanks for posting that.

[mruseless]

Do you mind sharing which airline?
I'd love to know...

[trip]

"Only people with bags that fit under the seat may board"

While not the same, but new to me on a recent NWA flight, this was the announcement after first class had boarded. My Smart Alec fit nicely with 5 very casual days worth of clothing.

[TeresTala]

This is understandable, but a little disturbing for disabled or elderly fliers. Just last week I had a bad flare-up of plantar fasciitis and had to dig out my old wheeled carry-on for a flight. There's no way I could have carried the weight of a full bag through the airport.

[backpack]

Elderly or disabled fliers should board first along with passengers with small children.

I am extremely happy with the passengers without wheeled luggage boarding first.

I know that most of the airline bin are cluttered by wheelies stuffed to capacity.

I came to loathe wheelies the day I was the last person on a connecting flight from one Canadian airline to a regional jet operated by a partner U.S airline.
The tiny overhead bins were overstuffed with wheelies and so the flight attendant could not find the space for my carryon. She wanted me to check it, I said do it yourself so I flew with the carryon in the space under my feet and the seat.

Thankfully, the flight was very short.

[merlyn]

After over a year of being "wheels up" with my Aeronaut and Brain Bag, I'm very happy for moves like this.