please can frequent/experienced flyers explain this to me? Re hand luggage

[ScattyCharly]

So I thought nearly all airlines have rules along the lines of “take one piece of hand luggage measuring 56x45x25cm” or whatever, then if you have a bigger case for your main luggage you check that in.

So we go on holiday, we take one piece of appropriately sized hand luggage each and have to pay to check our actual big cases (a big hmmm at that really for a start, thought it was fairly basic to take luggage on holiday?). Then I see other people getting into the plane with about 5 pieces of hand luggage. Wheeled case, hold-all on top of it, various carrier bags . So how to they get away with a) checking in none of their luggage (and not paying the associated fee)and b)taking up a massive amount of cabin space (way more than allocated, not caring which row it belongs to) and then other people with just one ordinary sized bag (but further back in the boarding queue) get it taken off them as no more space in cabin. Then if you’re last to board, you can’t even keep your own hand luggage with you

How do people get away with this? Feel like a mug for paying for my luggage to be checked in. Also wondering about the overhead lockers breaking as nobody’s bag got weighed and the whole thing was literally swaying and creeking during take off

What have I missed?

Oh and just to add, I thought that if you had a handbag with you, that was your hand luggage or had to go inside it?

Some airlines sell different classes of tickets that allow different amounts of hand luggage.

Some people are cheeky fuckers who think the rules don't apply to them and then moan when asked to cough up for extra luggage. Note however that you are allowed to buy things in the airport to take on the plane, which could account for the 'various carrier bags'.

All airlines have different size limits for hand luggage from 5 kg/tiny bag to any weight/bag sized as you have said.

Some airlines allow a separate handbag, some don't.

Some airlines include hold luggage on the ticket, some don't. If flying with Jet2, the plane will have Jet2 flight only customers on and Jet2holidays customers on, who have got hold luggage included, while the flight only people haven't unless they have paid extra.

Many people, when faced with paying £50+ to check in a suitcase, quite reasonably decide that they can make do with hand luggage only especially for a week/10 days beach holiday - if you pack carefully, a checked in case is simply unnecessay in a lot of cases.

What you have to do is read the airline's rules carefully and follow them, and you will be OK. Let other people sort themselves out .

If the actions of other people bother you so much, you could always do what they do and queue at the gate in an attempt to be first on. I never do this and am always amongst the last half dozen on. I've never had any problems finding space for my bag, but am always prepared to let them take my wheelie case if I have one for free to put in the hold - just keep any valuables, delicates or things I need for the flight separately so I can split them easily if necessary,.

Every airline has different rules, and different ticket types that may attract greater flexibility. You shouldn't assume anything, you should check the rules before travelling.

I'm not sure it is the norm to take a big case on holiday any longer. I haven't done so for years. It's a choice, if you don't want to them you pay the base fare fare, if you do then you pay base fare + bag.

Different airlines, different rules.

Most are pretty strict now. Quite often see people being asked/made to put bags into the hold as they board the plane.