Does the Bag Fit? United Agent and Passenger Fight Over Carry-On
Another day, another airport drama gone viral. This time, an Instagram video shows a mother-daughter duo arguing with multiple United Airlines agents over the size of a personal or carry-on item. While it doesn't explicitly state whether the duo had been on board beforehand, the video shows the daughter placing her mother's purse into the space that determines if an item is too large to carry on board. The passengers were traveling from Chicago O'Hare (ORD) to New Jersey, according to the video.
While the bag seems to require some light maneuvering to fit into the space, it still fits in the allotted space. The agents go through their list of rules and regulations — one carry-on per person, size requirements, etc. — the mother and daughter appear to be in compliance with every rule. One minute into the video, the agent shows his badge to the camera and assures the passengers that the bag does not fit.
Moments after the original agent flashed his badge, another agent walks up and attempts to remedy the situation. After he investigates and sees that the bag fits in the space, albeit tightly, he says "that's fine," and the video ends.
In the age of cell phone videos, passengers are quick to turn to hitting record as soon as an argument gets heated. This, of course, is not the first time United has had the spotlight on them for conflicts between passengers and crew.
On the United website, it states its rules and regulations regarding carry-on and checked baggage. For a personal item to be allowed onboard, it must fall within the required 9"x10"x17" size.