United’s New Bag Policy Gets Mixed Reviews

In a recent post on United’s newly strict enforcement of its carry-on bag restrictions, I posed the mostly rhetorical question: Did anyone seriously oppose United’s policy?

According to the many comments posted in response, there’s much less unanimity on the subject than I’d assumed. The comments ran the gamut, from “Hell, yes” to “Hell, no.” And there was no clear consensus.

A recent survey by YouGov.com querying adult travelers on their feelings about United’s new policy reinforces the conclusion that the matter remains a divisive one.

Among the survey findings:

• United’s crackdown is supported by 32 percent of respondents, with 24 percent opposed
• 50 percent of those who traveled within the past year felt the airlines’ high fees exacerbated the problem
• 30 percent wanted to keep their bags with them due to fears of theft or mishandling
• 45 percent suspected United’s new policy was enacted solely to generate more fees
• 41 percent felt that the new policy would “take some of the stress out of boarding”
• 44 percent agreed that “people bring too much onto the plane”

So, to sum up: very mixed feelings. Although there’s appreciation for the new policy’s stress reduction, there’s also fear that checked bags will be looted or lost. And although there’s acknowledgement that flyers routinely carry on more than they should, there’s also widespread suspicion that United’s motives are exclusively self-serving.

Reader Reality Check

Strictly enforced carry-on restrictions: Hell, yes; or hell, no?

This article originally appeared on FrequentFlier.com.