I pride myself on being a very un-Karen type person. I don’t tend to give employees anywhere attitude, with one exception I can think of.

On my most recent flight, the person checking tickets at the gate stopped me to examine my carry-on bag. Now, I’ve flown carry-on with this bag dozens of times with no issue. But he stood it up on that little stand, took note of the maaaaaybe extra 1/4″ of fabric over the line, and declared I’d have to check it.

I protested, to no avail. I told him this thing was chalk full of electronic devices that had batteries you can’t put in checked storage. He had me go to the help counter and get literal plastic bags, unpack my entire suitcase and move all the devices into the plastic. I was the last person on the plane by a lot and I’m very sure this delayed the flight. Over a teeny tiny fraction of an inch that would have absolutely fit.

It just keeps getting worse, as testified by this video from TikTok user @tiaconleon:

“This is just a PSA to anybody travelling in the near future, um, if you’re planning on carrying on your bag, and you plan on extending it, do not bring it. They’re not gonna let you carry it on, they changed the rules.”

“We learned it the hard way; even if you’re in first class, even if it fits in the overhead bin above you, they are not gonna let you bring it on unless you can close the extension, which, obviously nobody can do if you’re extending it in the first place.”

“Just don’t bring it; check a bag, they’re gonna make you check it either way, and they’re not gonna allow you to gate check it either, they’re going to actually check it, so, just to let you know.”

@tiaconleon

Travel PSA for carryons❗️No more extended carry-on bags. 😒

♬ original sound – tiaconleon

If a rule is only enforced a tiny fraction of the time, can it really be called a rule?

Debates raged on:

Of course, your air mileage may vary.

Make your checklist.

I don’t know. I’m just mad thinking about Gate Guy again. Grumble mumble.

If you liked that story, check out this video from a former Chipotle employee who reveals how the company cheats customers out of food.