A couple months ago, after yet another flight in which I had to plot just how I was going to get my carry-on bag into an overhead bin that was in the same zip code as my seat, I’d had enough. I told my wife that I was going to get “around the system” on my next trip. I would feign ignorance, and then, when my group (I seem to always be in Group 5), was going to finally board, I would request that they just check my wheelie at the gate. I’d noticed others doing the same on past flights.

When you think about it, it’s abeautiful plan: you wander on at your leisure; the airline throws a tag on you bag and it’s last into the plane’s belly (which means first out); and with most commuter flights, you simply wait a moments upon deplaning in the jetway, obtain your bag, and stroll away…all without paying an extra cent!

Well, apparently the airlines are on to my plan, since it seems it wasn’t just my plan. But given the growing frustration of harried travelers (and flight attendants), there’s got to be a better way. Surely the different airlines have the ability to look at this from the customer’s perspective, but the cost pressures override other considerations.

As for me, whether I have excess baggage or not, I check Southwest first. It’s the principle of the thing.