Airlines get tough on ‘personal items,’ and it could cost you
If you’re stopped before boarding, it can come as a costly surprise: Your “personal item” is too big to bring on the plane.
For Sergio Diaz, it was a projector he used for his keynote presentations. “It’s not much bigger than a laptop,” said Diaz, a professional speaker from Los Angeles. But on a recent flight from Los Angeles to New York, an American Airlines gate agent declared the projector was too large to fit under his seat, and he had to pay $50 to check it.
Airlines are usually clear about what is – and what isn’t – a personal item. For example, American defines it as a purse or small handbag that must fit under the seat in front of you. The bag’s dimensions should not exceed 18by-14-by-8 inches.
Diaz was disappointed that the airline forced him to check his projector. “I thought it would be fine,” he says.
But increasingly, it is not fine. Airlines are cracking down on carry-on luggage.
American Airlines, for instance, generated a record $7.42 per passenger in baggage revenue in 2021, raking in $1.22 billion systemwide, according to a recent study by IdeaWorks and CarTrawler. I’ve been hearing from many passengers who say they have experienced tougher enforcement of carry-on and checked baggage rules, which would be consistent with the revenue gains.
Other airlines, notably the ultra-low-cost carriers, have built their business around a la carte fees for items such as carry-on luggage. And the type of luggage they’re scrutinizing the most, according to passengers, is the personal item.
What is a ‘personal item’ to an airline? Airlines have different, and sometimes confusing, definitions of a personal item.
At American Airlines, in addition to the strict size limits, there are exclusions. Diaper bags, breast pumps, small breast
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