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Post by Boop on Oct 8, 2014 16:35:49 GMT
Tassie...Air Canada offers "Sky Check" on regional flights due to limited space in the cabin. These aircraft usually are not gated and customers board the aircraft on the ramp. Customers put their carry-on bag on a cart positioned beside the aircraft as they are boarding, and these bags are loaded into the aircraft hold. Air Canada does not tag these bags and the customers simply pick up their bags off the cart as they exit the aircraft. Customers can still take their smaller carry-on items onboard, and all the baggage must be stowed. It's very convenient, but I only do this on short hops from Seattle to Victoria BC or Vancouver to Victoria BC. If it's a longer flight with connections I always take my carry on (which is smaller than the allowable size) with me on the first flight. My carry on is where I store all my precious shopping items and would only sky check it for the last short hop home.
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Post by chech on Oct 8, 2014 17:17:19 GMT
Yeah, I've never seen this service available on the St. John's - Toronto leg which usually uses Embraer jets. And of course, never on an international leg. Did see it on the Charlottetown to Halifax route...on a tiny prop-job in which the pilot was also the steward...LOL. I heard that people in the US would get around the baggage fee by taking the large carryon, not letting the ticket counter see it and when they would go to board the flight, the crew would tell them they would have to check the bag...no problem they say...and a crewman would come up the stairs, take the bag and stow it under with the rest of the luggage....and no fee charged.
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Post by tiffany on Oct 8, 2014 17:47:04 GMT
I just assumed that sky check was offered by all airlines for domestic flights. I usually fly Air Canada or Porter when flying domestic, and they both offer sky check. I always give them my small suite case, which means I can have another small carry-on bag on the flight with me. I would never use sky check for a long flight, but for short flights it’s very convenient.
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Post by Boop on Oct 8, 2014 18:25:49 GMT
I just assumed that sky check was offered by all airlines for domestic flights. I usually fly Air Canada or Porter when flying domestic, and they both offer sky check. I always give them my small suite case, which means I can have another small carry-on bag on the flight with me. I would never use sky check for a long flight, but for short flights it’s very convenient. Sky check is offered on Alaska and Air Canada flights from Vegas and San Fran to Victoria, but as I mentioned, if I have a connector...the bag stays with me until I get to Seattle or Vancouver
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Post by Tulips on Oct 9, 2014 1:32:35 GMT
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Post by Tulips on Oct 9, 2014 1:33:44 GMT
Like Boop and Chech, I have only seen sky check on prop planes for short haul flights.
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Post by Boop on Oct 9, 2014 5:49:09 GMT
Like Boop and Chech, I have only seen sky check on prop planes for short haul flights. The planes offering Sky check from Vegas and San Fran were quite a bit larger than the props...
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Post by Tulips on Oct 9, 2014 10:06:16 GMT
Perhaps a regional jet. I haven't seen it on anything that can take 100 people or more.
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Post by tiffany on Oct 9, 2014 12:02:09 GMT
Most of the domestic flights I take are smaller flights, holding around 50 people. I’ve never used sky check when traveling on a long flight, so I don’t know if any of those larger flights offer it. I’m actually flying to visit my family tonight, and will be leaving my small suite case with sky check. I’ve never had a problem getting it through security before, so hopefully I won’t have a problem tonight.
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Post by chech on Oct 9, 2014 14:44:16 GMT
Ah, you can be our reporter on the scene...gives us your impressions of any changes you see and all that.
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Post by tiffany on Oct 9, 2014 14:50:18 GMT
I’m flying with Porter, which has been charging for luggage on domestic flights since May, so I’m not too worried. I’m using the same small suitcase I used the last two times I flew with them this summer, so I can’t see why they’d reject it this time.
I will be flying with Air Canada at Christmas, however, I will have a bigger suitcase then, so I’ll have to pay to have it checked. I’m using my aeroplan miles to book this flight though, so it won’t cost me too much. Still, $25 plus tax each way adds up!
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Post by chech on Oct 9, 2014 15:28:50 GMT
Ahh...okay. I'll be flying AC next month and my booking says 1 free bag (St. Johns to Toronto to Bogota and Miami to Toronto to St. John's). It will be interesting to see if they try to charge me. If they do, I have a veteran's card and that should entitle me to free baggage.
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Post by tiffany on Oct 14, 2014 11:51:41 GMT
So I flew with Porter on Thursday, and they did have someone standing at the security entrance checking the size of people’s carry-on bags. The women lifted my bag up and then said it was fine, and put a sticker on the handle. She asked the women behind me to put hers in the sizer, but her luggage was fine as well. I do note that they were not checking the size of people’s carry-on luggage on my return flight. I guess every airline is cracking down on the size fo people’s carry-on luggage now that they have to pay to check their suitcase.
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Post by purvis on Oct 14, 2014 16:27:16 GMT
Tiffany: I went online and checked the measurements for carryon at Air Canada's website and a carryon I was given a few years ago and have never used fits the size regulations. I think it's great that the airlines are coming down on people who abuse the system and bring way too large luggage onto the plane thus taking up overhead space needed by others. Some people really don't care about others as long as they get what they want. If you can afford to fly then pay the price for over the limit baggage or stay home.
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Post by tiffany on Oct 14, 2014 17:24:56 GMT
It’s a good thing your carry-on is the correct size Purvis, as you may make use of it now that you have to pay to check your luggage. My little suitcase is the correct carry-on size for Porter, but apparently Air Canada doesn’t allow the same size carry-on as Porter, so I’ll have to double check their dimensions. I don’t have a problem with people’s carry-on bags being a little over the limit if they are using sky check, but not if they are bringing their bag onto the plane. Of course, as I just realized last week, not every airline offers sky check on their domestic flights.
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Post by chech on Oct 15, 2014 12:41:10 GMT
Now I'm excited to see how different the AC flight will be when I fly out on the 5th.
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Post by Boop on Oct 15, 2014 16:31:53 GMT
Now I'm excited to see how different the AC flight will be when I fly out on the 5th. Nothing much should change for you as far as baggage. You're one of the "lightest" travellers I know. You don't worry about carry ons and only check one bag, right? Sigh.............someday I may incorporate your techniques, but for now, shopping dictates that I take two bags plus a carry on....
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Post by chech on Oct 15, 2014 22:08:19 GMT
Yup, I only check the one bag and as a veteran, I get 3 free bags.
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Post by Boop on Oct 15, 2014 23:57:32 GMT
Yup, I only check the one bag and as a veteran, I get 3 free bags. LOL......and I have to pay executive rates to get 3 free checked bags.....but I'm certainly happy that as a veteran you receive one little perk
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Post by tiffany on Oct 16, 2014 11:35:37 GMT
Now I'm excited to see how different the AC flight will be when I fly out on the 5th. Nothing much should change for you as far as baggage. You're one of the "lightest" travellers I know. You don't worry about carry ons and only check one bag, right? Sigh.............someday I may incorporate your techniques, but for now, shopping dictates that I take two bags plus a carry on.... I like to shop, but I still only check one bag and take one carry-on while traveling overseas. Do you have to pay extra to Trafalgar for your second bag? I’ve been on tours where people have bought a second bag while on tour to fit all of their shopping, and, as there was room below the coach, the tour director let them put their second bag underneath, although they had to bring their second bag to the coach themselves.
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Post by chech on Oct 16, 2014 14:40:13 GMT
Yup, I only check the one bag and as a veteran, I get 3 free bags. LOL......and I have to pay executive rates to get 3 free checked bags.....but I'm certainly happy that as a veteran you receive one little perk LOL...you know, in the 12 years I've been retired, I've yet to haul out my veteran's card to any perk. This would be the first time!
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Post by purvis on Oct 16, 2014 16:41:42 GMT
It’s a good thing your carry-on is the correct size Purvis, as you may make use of it now that you have to pay to check your luggage. My little suitcase is the correct carry-on size for Porter, but apparently Air Canada doesn’t allow the same size carry-on as Porter, so I’ll have to double check their dimensions. I don’t have a problem with people’s carry-on bags being a little over the limit if they are using sky check, but not if they are bringing their bag onto the plane. Of course, as I just realized last week, not every airline offers sky check on their domestic flights.
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Post by purvis on Oct 16, 2014 16:45:48 GMT
Tiffany: I did go online and the measurements for a carryon on the Air Canada site is 23cm X 40cm X 55cm which is 9"x15.5"x21.5" . these measurements include the handle and wheels. Purvis
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Post by tiffany on Oct 16, 2014 16:54:53 GMT
Tiffany: I did go online and the measurements for a carryon on the Air Canada site is 23cm X 40cm X 55cm which is 9"x15.5"x21.5" . these measurements include the handle and wheels. Purvis Thanks Purvis. Good to know.
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Post by Boop on Oct 16, 2014 21:29:12 GMT
Nothing much should change for you as far as baggage. You're one of the "lightest" travellers I know. You don't worry about carry ons and only check one bag, right? Sigh.............someday I may incorporate your techniques, but for now, shopping dictates that I take two bags plus a carry on.... I like to shop, but I still only check one bag and take one carry-on while traveling overseas. Do you have to pay extra to Trafalgar for your second bag? I’ve been on tours where people have bought a second bag while on tour to fit all of their shopping, and, as there was room below the coach, the tour director let them put their second bag underneath, although they had to bring their second bag to the coach themselves. Tiffany, on my 1st tour (to Italy) I took a medium sized piece of luggage into which I put a smaller suitcase w/wheels and, as well, I had a wheeled carry on. Midway through the trip, space in my medium case dictated that I had to utilize the smaller suitcase for shopping, so out of the luggage it came. The wheeled carry on I had on the coach seat beside me. You're right, I was responsible for transporting the smaller suitcase and wheeled carry on up to my room and back, which is fair. The driver and TD never mentioned the extra luggage, in fact the driver asked me at the start of the tour if I wanted to take my carry on onto the coach with me. They really went the extra mile, they must have known I was a newbie to it all. And no..........they didn't charge me any extra.
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Post by tiffany on Oct 17, 2014 11:34:21 GMT
I like to shop, but I still only check one bag and take one carry-on while traveling overseas. Do you have to pay extra to Trafalgar for your second bag? I’ve been on tours where people have bought a second bag while on tour to fit all of their shopping, and, as there was room below the coach, the tour director let them put their second bag underneath, although they had to bring their second bag to the coach themselves. Tiffany, on my 1st tour (to Italy) I took a medium sized piece of luggage into which I put a smaller suitcase w/wheels and, as well, I had a wheeled carry on. Midway through the trip, space in my medium case dictated that I had to utilize the smaller suitcase for shopping, so out of the luggage it came. The wheeled carry on I had on the coach seat beside me. You're right, I was responsible for transporting the smaller suitcase and wheeled carry on up to my room and back, which is fair. The driver and TD never mentioned the extra luggage, in fact the driver asked me at the start of the tour if I wanted to take my carry on onto the coach with me. They really went the extra mile, they must have known I was a newbie to it all. And no..........they didn't charge me any extra. It sounds like you have a good setup, which gives you a lot of extra room for shopping. I tend to buy smaller items, like jewelry, which doesn’t take up much room in my suitcase. On my last tour there was a family who would bring their carryon with wheels on the coach with them, and when Miranda saw it, she asked them to put it below. The coach was quite full though, so I can understand why. If the coach wasn't full, I don’t think it would have been a problem.
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Post by bet on Oct 17, 2014 12:30:22 GMT
I wish I knew the art of how to travel light. I never can despite my best intentions.. I love to shop when on holiday but I always seem to like heavy items like books. My last trip was the best ive ever been and even then I still had to leave stuff behind.
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Post by tiffany on Oct 17, 2014 13:40:16 GMT
I wish I knew the art of how to travel light. I never can despite my best intentions.. I love to shop when on holiday but I always seem to like heavy items like books. My last trip was the best ive ever been and even then I still had to leave stuff behind. I’m not a light packer either Bet, as I like a lot of clothing options while I travel. I don’t buy a lot of big, heavy items while travelling very often, though, so I’m never overweight. Only during my first tour of Italy and in Morocco did I buy some heavier items. Fortunately, both times I was able to put these items in my carry-on, so I didn’t have any issues with my luggage.
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Post by chech on Oct 17, 2014 16:37:31 GMT
I stopped buying books when I realized books I had bought in Italy 20 years ago had not been opened. And I have too many t-shirts, so I keep them to a minimum now. So, it's fridge magnets now. And I've turned them into a work of art by putting them on a magnetic white erase board and putting it on the wall.
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Post by Boop on Oct 17, 2014 16:59:04 GMT
Tiffany, on my 1st tour (to Italy) I took a medium sized piece of luggage into which I put a smaller suitcase w/wheels and, as well, I had a wheeled carry on. Midway through the trip, space in my medium case dictated that I had to utilize the smaller suitcase for shopping, so out of the luggage it came. The wheeled carry on I had on the coach seat beside me. You're right, I was responsible for transporting the smaller suitcase and wheeled carry on up to my room and back, which is fair. The driver and TD never mentioned the extra luggage, in fact the driver asked me at the start of the tour if I wanted to take my carry on onto the coach with me. They really went the extra mile, they must have known I was a newbie to it all. And no..........they didn't charge me any extra. It sounds like you have a good setup, which gives you a lot of extra room for shopping. I tend to buy smaller items, like jewelry, which doesn’t take up much room in my suitcase. On my last tour there was a family who would bring their carryon with wheels on the coach with them, and when Miranda saw it, she asked them to put it below. The coach was quite full though, so I can understand why. If the coach wasn't full, I don’t think it would have been a problem. It's a good thing jewelry isn't my thing or I'd be broke! I'm very fortunate that my BOItaly trip wasn't a loaded coach, all the singles had a full seat to themselves. Same with my BOSwitz tour, the singles has full seats. But on this trip I only took one case and a carry on with me...dragging three suitcases through a terminal is not my idea of a good time!
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