Baggage travelling without passenger.....

Jomcc

Just wondering what's the story with baggage on flight. Was to fly with Ryanair yesterday. Arrived with almost 2 hours to spare. As I had checked in online, I dropped off my baggage at checkin desk.
Due to my own fault, I missed the flight. Stupidly, I was sitting at wrong gate. When I realised it, the stairs were being pulled from the plane. My question is that for security reasons, I thought baggage could not travel without a passenger. Previously, I've often heard warnings that if passenger did not turn up, baggage would be removed. Now with online checking, it's obviously difficult to know if passengers are on flight or not. Have these rules changed or am I wrong in thinking they were in force at any time?

*Kol*

Jomcc wrote: »

Just wondering what's the story with baggage on flight. Was to fly with Ryanair yesterday. Arrived with almost 2 hours to spare. As I had checked in online, I dropped off my baggage at checkin desk.
Due to my own fault, I missed the flight. Stupidly, I was sitting at wrong gate. When I realised it, the stairs were being pulled from the plane. My question is that for security reasons, I thought baggage could not travel without a passenger. Previously, I've often heard warnings that if passenger did not turn up, baggage would be removed. Now with online checking, it's obviously difficult to know if passengers are on flight or not. Have these rules changed or am I wrong in thinking they were in force at any time?

Did your bag go on the flight? They should have taken it off. They know who is on the aircraft as they take your boarding card at the gate and check off all the names. Also they do aheadcount on board to confirm that everybody who went through the gate is on the aircraft. The online checkin doesnt make any difference to that procedure.

Alpha Papa

Hi Their

Regardless of method of check in, be it online or desk check in. If you check in a bag to the hold of a aircraft. A bag tag is placed on it which contains all your details etc..

It is illegal for an airline to allow baggage to travel without the person actually on the flight. If they incur delays that just part and parcel of airline business.

Jomcc

Thanks,
That's what I expected.
Bags definitely did travel and were collected at lost baggage in Dublin yesterday. When we realised that we made a cock up and missed the flight, we asked a policeman what would happen with our bags and were told that they would probably be able to be picked up in Dublin. We then went to handling agents who said they would arrange for them to be left at lost baggage. At this stage, the flight still had not taken off.
As it turned out, all worked out fine and we got home with bags. Obviously, I must not look like an Osama but, it certainly doesn't give much confidence in Airline Security.
Lucky they managed to seize my tube of toothpaste, and discovered my camera is not a 007 secret weapon though.:rolleyes:

PILOT

i was working with a Ground Handling in shannon airport for college work experience and the flights often went with extra baggage....with Ryanair it took to long for a bag to be found so it just left with an extra bag.....it was easier for the staff to deal with a difficult passenger then to deal with a delay on a flight!!!........US carriers often went or came to Shannon with extra baggage, for the staff it was no big deal..but for an outsider it was !!!

FlutterinBantam

Alpha Papa wrote: »

Hi Their

Regardless of method of check in, be it online or desk check in. If you check in a bag to the hold of a aircraft. A bag tag is placed on it which contains all your details etc..

It is illegal for an airline to allow baggage to travel without the person actually on the flight. If they incur delays that just part and parcel of airline business.

Correct- The CAA would not be happy with that procedure.

Our man in Havana

It has happened to me loads of times. I have had bags arrive in Dublin long before I have. The bags managed to catch an earlier flight.