A Ban on Carry-On Luggage

This is actually the storyline from an opinion article in the New York Times. Heck man, ban all of those carry-on suitcases and bags, please. It makes sense, The waiting line would go faster and yuck, do you really want to see people dumping ookie things into the trash bucket? Ban all laptop computers for that matter - we know some can explode or flame out. And those yackers with cell phones and noisy PDA's, lose 'em, baby, put them in the checked-in luggage.

I didn't mean to cover up some great articles below, but after a few flights this summer I decided heck, you folks are trying to keep your luggage close to you so it isn't re-routed to Newark or Nome, Alaska. That is not fair. Get used to it, baby, these luggage handlers are some real devils and will try the "stomp and mash" on anything at a given moment, and have no regard for the routing tickets no matter if they have colors or say HRL for "Harlingen." We're talking monkeys here.

Plus, there's a growing work force that depends on a steady source of mis-routed airline luggage. Since the airlines downsized, right-sized, and went half bankrupt, well these delivery folks are doing pretty good as independent contractors. Cynthia up there serves a good part of the northern Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine area. She said she's been booking 60 hours a week just off her Continental account. Fuel surcharges are extra and she's bought a second, larger "econo" van.

Cynthia and I had lots of conversations because we were well off the beaten path, and of course the stuff had to be sent to three airports before ending up in her van. "I'm sorry Sam, but I'll get you your stuff." This went on for three days until it mysteriously showed up. "Just be sure to leave me a piece of paper on the door in case you're gone - I have to have a signed thingy before I get paid."

It turns out that my errant luggage delivery cost Incontinental over $100, since it was way up old Route 1 in Maine, not to mention the share in flying the stuff to Nome and Newark. I called Cynthia back to say thanks and ask about that. She said "Sam I don't mean to cut you off, but I have five more drop-offs and have to turn in $8,000 in tickets; I let it get a little out of hand. See you again, honey."