So much for keeping critical gear with you on the plane.

[SeaHorse81]

Now that is a problem. Have you ever had a luggage issue where your carry on saved you?

I've been fortunate that my bags have always arrived with me, though I've been on several trips where someone else wasn't as lucky. Until the downsizing of carry-ons a few years ago, I was able to have all the essentials (dive stuff, toothbrush, no clothes) with me at all times, so there was no question of being able to dive at the other end, merely a question of what comforts I'd have when not in the water.

After carry-ons got a bit smaller, I could no longer keep my fins with me but managed everything else that I absolutely needed. I always hoped that if it came down to it, there would be a set of fins on the boat that I could borrow but fortunately, I never had to test that. Crew tend to be extremely accommodating, but they can only give/rent what they have and on a boat, that's necessarily limited.

 

[AdivingBel]

When they started charging for checked bags, People said.. Screw that I'll just bring everything as carry on.. They made this mess... Make checked free or like $5 buck...

Exactly, if they want to generate revenue make checked bags free (to a point, one or two checked bags) and charge for the convenience of carry on. That way the baggage travels with the baggage and the people travel with the people. Seems logical, but with the airlines maybe that's part of the problem. Don't even start on the ticket pricing schemes...jeez.

 

[jameseg]

This is a big part of the reason my wife and I fly with a single airline (Delta in our case) whenever possible. Even their basic Silver status guarantees early boarding and plenty of overhead room. But I recognize that's not possible for many people, depending on where you live and how much you fly each year.

Like others, we check the stuff that's easiest to rent (BCs, fins, etc.) and carry on the stuff that's harder to replace (camera setup, computer that I actually know how to use, mask, etc.).

James

 

[oldschoolto]

I fly United to Bonaire all the time with their Credit card I get the early boarding and a free checked bag.. I just think $25 buck for a bag checked and $40 for the second is just Highway robbery... A handling fee of $ 5 bucks I can understand and I think most people would not bitch... And, They should enforce the size limit of the carry on.. The wife and I have bags that fit in the size check they have at the gates... I would say, 75% of the people have stuff that would not pass the size limits.

Jim....

 

[flyboy08]

US airlines booked 6.16 billion in fees! 3.35b from baggage fees and 2.81b from reservation changes!

2014,numbers!

 

[RyanT]

I admit that Eric and I do the carry-on to the limit

I'm so glad to see that I'm not the only one who looks like that at the airport! I'm always jealous of the well-dressed people who are strolling casually through the airport with a single bag. But then I remind myself...I'm gonna have way more fun than they are!

 

[Nukakola]

Carry-ons are pretty much essential if you dive CCR. Wing/backplate and tanks go in the checked bag and everything else in the carry-on and personal item bag. You simply can't replace that stuff on site if the airline loses it. Even then I'll usually check a second bag with an additional wing setup and some spares. Figure they probably won't lose TWO bags, but you never know.

Not to mention leaving $10k plus worth of dive gear in the hands of baggage handlers and TSA or their equivalents is downright scary. I would imagine serious underwater photographers are in a similar boat.