Yes, please, please, please do these things. I would even pay for the first one. The second one seems like basic good customer service to me but since the airlines don't seem to care about that, legislate it. I'm sick of being the person who does pay to check a bag and then can't find a tiny space for my briefcase on board.

Posted By Peg on March 17, 2011, 2:38 PM

No opinion on first proposal. Very much for the second! Limiting carry-on items is a safety issue, not just one of convenience or scheduling!
Thanks!

Posted By Freddie Heitman on March 17, 2011, 3:03 PM

I like the idea of the the first proposal- and would be willing to pay a small fee to get registered (but only a one-time fee).

As for requiring a free checked bag- that's fine, but all that will do is add the $25 fee to every ticket price. That isn't very fair for people that don't check a bag. I never checked a bag even when it was free.

Posted By saney on March 17, 2011, 6:15 PM

I love both of these changes as long as they don't increase my fare.

Posted By Kim Sanders on March 17, 2011, 9:10 PM

I am concerned that people will find ways to cheat on the first proposal, not to mention it will discriminate against people who don't fly very often. Yes, I do think we should all be able to check one bag; it doesn't increase safety to have people overloading their carry-ons.

Posted By Patty on March 18, 2011, 7:48 AM

I absolutely agree with the trusted traveler program idea and the one free checked bag. I think the 50 pound rule is also a bit stringent since some of my suitcases weigh 15 pounds and 35 pounds is not enough for a week - 10 days.

Standardizing carryon luggage shapes is fine for new manufacture but outlawing so much existing luggage is a bit stiff and grandfathering will simply mean that standard luggage won't be a majority of luggage for about 10 years.

Posted By A Shifley on March 21, 2011, 10:04 AM

I quit checking bags whenever possible years ago, simply because the airlines do such a poor job of keeping track of them - they get lost or are delayed too often. And when they do arrive on the right flight, it takes too long for them to get to baggage claim.

The TSA proposal sounds good, but even before implementing that, there needs to be a standardization of procedures at all TSA-operated security areas, along with better training of employees. Then at least we'd always know what to expect when going through security.

Posted By Margaret Smith on March 21, 2011, 10:30 AM

I have a valid Home Land Security ID card that has all my information back to when I was 17 years old. It has no meaning at all to the TSA security at any airport...

Posted By Elliott on March 21, 2011, 1:43 PM

I completely disagree with the first. Any reason to encourage profiling is unattractive to me. Seriously, how are you going to determine a person's "risk." Race, ethnicity, religion, nation of origin? Let's get real. We have homegrown terrorist who have no record.

The second proposal doesn't make sense. Having more people checking bags is going to increase lines at the airport and will cause the airlines to hire more employees. The employees who check bags at security are hired by the TSA, not your airlines. In turn, we will pay higher fares. Having everyone to handle their own bags is free for the airlines, not to mention that it encourages lighter bags. This in turn uses less fuel too, keeping costs lower.

Look at the airlines business model, they have used every possible solution to cut costs and still operate. Ticket prices have not increased at the same level as the airline's costs. Why give them more of a reason to either raise ticket prices or go out of business, giving us less choices for who we fly?

We had government regulation of the airline industry until 1978. People hated it because fares escalated and routes weren't driven by the market. Let's don't go down that road again.

Posted By Becky on March 21, 2011, 1:58 PM

Unless I am going a trip lasting more tan a week, I prefer to cary my bag. It is quicker, easier and sure to arrive when I do. It should be up to the airlines to determine the maximum size of a carryon. At Continental, all are OK as long as the bag fits in the overhead or under the seat. In the Argentine, the first bag is free with a limit of 15 kg (or 33 pounds) with a weight charge above that amount. Prehaps the US carriers would consider that option.

Posted By lawthomas on March 21, 2011, 2:47 PM

There is no way I will fly if I can't take one overhead and one under-the-seat item. The airlines would really upset their business and first class passengers as well. It is bad enough at JFK to wait 30 minutes or more for your bags from an American European flight.

In Zurich from the time the airplane door opens until we are out of the airport and at the airport train station is usually less than 30 minutes. They have countdown timers at the baggage Carousel to tell when your bags will be there.

Posted By Rich on March 21, 2011, 4:10 PM

As a "trusted traveler" the only bennie I would get is not taking my shoes off?? For that I risk my entire identity in a governement computer that is available to $10/hr TSA clerks and probably airline employees as well! Yes, I think there should be a "trusted traveler" program, but why on earth would they need my tax returns or credit report?

Mandating one free checked bag won't make much difference to the short term traveler. My last three flights (with connections); I checked a bag and it went somewhere else. In one case they held it for me at origin, in one case it was gone, gone, gone and in onecase it caught up a day later. The connecting airlines both blamed the other and I have never received any compensation from either one...if you want to make us check bags, make the airlines accountable for on-time delivery of those bags.

Posted By Fred Fowler on March 21, 2011, 4:20 PM

I check my bags and only carry a small carry-on for books, etc. Why isn't there a section with wide-body style headroom (no overhead compartments) for those who pay to check their bags on narrow body jets? Why do carry-on passengers get to use "my headroom" for their bags? I'm tired of crouching to get to the window seat.

Posted By H.L. Todd on March 21, 2011, 5:24 PM

Are you kidding me? Why would anyone be willing to hand over all of that personal information JUST so you can keep your shoes on in the security line up. If it allowed one to bypass the lineup completely - them PERHAPS I'd consider it - CONSIDER it. But just to keep my shoes on? Forget it.

And yes to the second option. Paying for luggage to travel with you is a rip off.

Posted By Sandra on March 21, 2011, 5:35 PM

There was a private company called "Clear" that offered expedited passage through airport security. The company charged an annual fee and performed an extensive background check and fingerprinting.
The service was only available at certain airports. Clear went out of business before the service became widely available. I was a member, but was made to feel uncomfortable when "cutting" to the head of the line. Other passengers were understandably resentful.
As for airline travel, I would be willing to pay a little more for a better experience.

Posted By angela on March 21, 2011, 6:09 PM

With the crowding on today's planes, having one bag checked free will help this. Also a standard size that is ENFORCED would also be a good thing.

Posted By Alan on March 21, 2011, 6:20 PM

DHS already has a "trusted traveler" program. It's called Global Entry and it expedites the immigration and customs process when reentering the U.S. from abroad. You have to fill out a comprehensive questionnaire online, wait for a background check and report to an in-person interview at the airport with a retinal scan and fingerprinting. The fee covers you for the validity of your passport. Why couldn't this same process apply to airport security? It feels like the right hand not knowing what the left hand is doing...

Posted By Carl on March 21, 2011, 7:32 PM

I agree with Sandra and Fred Fowler....why would anyone willingly provide such detailed personal information just to avoid removing their shoes? There's already too much personal information=gathering involved just to buy a ticket...

As for a "free" checked bag....the fares would no doubt go up accordingly. It's time for a major overhaul of the entire industry.

Posted By mensablonde39 on March 21, 2011, 7:32 PM

Here's an idea: You don't need to actually examine the tax forms. Anyone who has filed 1040s for forty years is probably not a terrorist! People who had security clearances for decades are probably not terrorists. The government already knows about these people and could easily start the trusted list with their names, which are legion. I feel sorry for the person who wrote that "35 pounds [not including the 15-pound bag]is not enough for a week to 10 days." My bag is 8 kilos (17 pounds) full and I can travel for months with just that. Put dot com after my name for books that show how to do it. As to maximum allowed size, it was supposed to be 22 by 14 x 9 inches (my bag is a bit smaller) but airlines don't seem to consider that when configuring their seats. That causes more people to use the overhead compartments and slow the boarding. If the seats were not so crammed together, that would solve a lot of the problems.

Posted By Barbara DesChamps on March 21, 2011, 8:11 PM

First proposal: First of all, turning over that information is not really a big issue. The government can easily get its hands on all that personal information even without the individual citizens making its job easier for it by gathering the information themselves and handing it over in a nice, neat package. For example, tax returns are on file with the IRS, a branch of the federal government. Also, anyone who has worked for a police department or many other places dealing with sensitive info or security issues has already had their fingerprints recorded in the system; the same goes for credit reports. My reason for being against the "trusted traveler" proposal is that it's just another way to avoid offending anyone who is sensitive about being labeled a possible terrorist. Just because someone's paperwork is able to pass the criteria for becoming a "trusted traveler" does not mean that that person should indeed be trusted. There are many criminals who "fly under the radar" for a long time before they commit a crime with wide-ranging, disastrous results and are caught. The U.S. government and its society as a whole still haven't learned anything from the whole 9/11 tragedy. Instead of creating "trusted travelers" to pamper people's egos, the TSA needs to apply stringent security measures to ALL travelers.

Second proposal: I disagree with part of this one. One carry-on bag plus a purse or briefcase should be enough luggage for anyone. Those who feel they have to carry more luggage can pay the fees rather than have the airlines increase the ticket prices for everyone. However, standardizing the size of carry-on bags is okay. Some people try to carry on bags the size of check-in luggage and reduce the already limited amount of space available to their fellow passengers.

Posted By Beth on March 22, 2011, 12:10 AM

yes pklease do away with baggage fees. first bag should always be inclluded with price

Posted By sandi on March 22, 2011, 2:16 PM

Yes to both. The first would be optional, so don't do it if you don't want to surrender all that info. And we should all get 1 free bag included in the airfare price.

Posted By luvtobike on March 23, 2011, 9:35 PM

My husband and I travel a lot for business and pleasure. I am always surprized that our great country can't figure out how to take the best ideas from other countries in the world and incorporate them here. In India, you're checked for proper documents before you even set foot in the airport. In Europe, their efficient baggage handling is a wonder to behold. And in many other countries, the waiting lines of people move along at a much faster pace. Finally, I find the hub system here tiresome and stressful to make connections. I try to take direct flights whenever I fly. As far as checked bags, my husband and I have been carrying our bags for years. I've lost too much luggage and belongings and been inconvenienced too many times from baggage handling incompetantcy...

Posted By Debbie on April 4, 2011, 4:55 AM

I think the charge for 1 checked bag is ridiculous. The airlines just keep adding charge after charge. You think the airlines don't make money. Want to know why??? Because the CEO's make too much money as it is all over the country. The more they make, the less there is for the rest of the people who trickle down to the lowest man on the totem pole. So, what do they do? They raise the prices for the public and lay off workers at the bottom of the rung. The people they lay off are the people who need the job. The CEO makes more money in 1 year that he can use in a lifetime. There's something wrong with that!!!

Posted By carol Miller on April 10, 2011, 5:06 PM

I think I have the solution for the baggage pricing . Have freight scales at all airline counters at airports, weigh the passenger and their luggage together and charge them by the pound/kilo on a formula based on flight time and distance. This way a passenger weighing 400 lbs won't beat the system squeezing into one seat ,and the anvil salesman won't get off free putting a 100 lb bag in the overhead bins.

Posted By Glenn Lewis on April 11, 2011, 8:37 PM