Travelers and their carry-on bags

Last week I was at Logan International in Boston bound for Denver for a PRSA conference when an agent affiliated with United Airlines stopped me just prior to the security checkpoint. Apparently her sole job is to monitor carry-on luggage.

I was told I would need to return to the ticket counter to check my back. I had just bought this carry-on bag specifically for its TSA-approved size (certainly not its awful orange color). I used it the month prior to travel to San Diego and encountered no problems at LAX either.

Lucky for me I had arrived with plenty of time to spare and dutifully returned and paid the required $25 fee to check it. Now I understand that the airline industry is looking to squeeze travelers of every dollar they can in fees, but shouldn’t there be some commonality across all airlines and gateways? What makes my orange roll-aboard fine for one flight but not another?

Perhaps next time I will pack a tape measure and copy of luggage instructions from the Transportation Security Administration in case I need to take a stand on getting my bag on the plane. Ironically, on the return leg of my trip, there was no question that I could carry on my bag.

If my orange back doesn’t cut it on my next trip, I guess I will resort to an even smaller bag. If that happens, I may need some packing tips. 

Have you encountered this dilemma where your carry-on makes it on the plane in some instances and not others? I’d love to hear from you. Packing tips are always encouraged as well.

Tags: 2010, Collette, Travel Tips, Traveling Well, United Airlines