Former American Airlines CEO reveals one thing he tells friends and families to never do on a flight
American Airlines' former CEO Doug Parker has revealed one thing he recommends family and friends not to do on a flight.
When it comes to plane etiquette, we all know the widely accepted advice.
You should arrive at the airport a few hours before your flight, ensure your bags are under the airline’s weight limits and avoid opening peanuts if somebody on the plane has an allergy.
Oh, and make sure everyone in your party is travelling together where you need them to be, or else you might be on the receiving end of social media users' opinions.
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However, Parker's travel advice was a little bit different than what you would expect.
Parker was CEO of American Airlines from 2001 to 2023, so you'd assume the man knows his stuff.
He divulged his words of wisdom whilst appearing on the Airlines Confidential podcast.
Although he admitted that there was no ‘silver bullet’ to smooth travelling, he did have one piece of advice that he often dished out - don’t check in bags.
He explained (via The Independent): "It’s not that airlines don’t know how to get [the bag] there, but it’s just incredibly complex and it makes your experience much more difficult. So that’s my major tip to anybody, just figure out a way, no matter where you’re going, to get it into your carry-on and don’t check a bag."
There’s a possibility Parker might be on to something.
According to the US Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 2 million bags are lost by airlines a year, with unsuccessful baggage being shipped to a warehouse in Scottsboro, Alabama to become part of Unclaimed Baggage, which the company's website says has 'purchasing agreements for unclaimed items with all domestic airlines and other travel and transportation companies'.
The warehouse usually sells about a third of it's intake, while many items are donated or recycled, says The Independent.
A 2024 SITA Baggage IT Insights survey also found that 10 per cent increase in baggage mishandling in 2023, with 77 per cent being delayed while 18 per cent was damaged.
Checking a bag in on an American Airlines domestic flight will also set you back £32 ($40) - or £28 ($35) if you book online - as reported by Metro.
By way of comparison, all carry-on bags are free to take onboard.
A second carry-on bag will hit you in the wallet though, at a cost of £36 ($45) - that’s if your bag weighs under 22kg and has a dimension smaller than 62 inches by 158cm - any bigger than that and you’re looking at a bill which could take you up to $200 (£164).
Things aren’t much cheaper over in the UK, where a 10kg check-in bag with Ryanair can cost anything between £10 and £45, while oversized luggage can lead to a £12 for every additional kilogram.
But it's not just the luggage we need to think about, as Parker also suggests to think about the staff.
"A better tip is just be nice to the people that are out there working. It’s not just pablum. While it’s hard for the traveler, that makes it harder on the people that are out there." he said.
Topics: Travel
Ben Thompson