United and bag-size limits

This item appears on page 4 of the May 2014 issue.

Enacting a stricter policy regarding carry-on luggage, in February United Airlines instructed its employees, and even security checkpoint workers, to check the sizes of carry-on bags before passengers try to board the plane with them. Passengers caught with oversized bags are being asked to return to the ticket counter to check them for a fee.

United said these measures were enacted due to late-boarding passengers often being left with no room for carry-ons in the overhead compartments, despite their luggage being within the size limits.