I was at Tampa airport recently when I spotted this couple who had just arrived from wherever. Whether they had more luggage coming off on the Arrivals belt I don’t know, but this was the ‘carry on’ that they carried off. If you think I’m ‘luggage shaming’ I am! But not the couple – the airline. How do you let two people take six pieces of luggage (not including the baby) on board.

And that pack on the guy’s back, it was massive.

And this is not a one-off. You know that. People take oversized bags on planes all the time. Usually right after the gate announcement, “this flight is very full you can check your carry on here at no charge.”

Then you get on board and the flight attendant advises you to put your regulation sized wheely bag under the seat in front and your laptop in the bin. Not a chance. My wheely goes on top and the laptop under the seat. But I never argue, just vaguely nod and go ahead and stash my stuff as I choose. Meanwhile oversized backpacks (they’re usually backpacks and they are inevitably accompanied by various other bags) are brought on without a murmur from the gate agent and stuffed into the overhead bins. Why?

The answer to that is (I’m pretty sure) because they don’t want an argument, so they pass the buck to the flight attendant. And they don’t want an argument either so they hope for some easygoing wimp to move their bag when told to do so.

That’s just not fair.  We pay the same price for the same seats and shouldn’t be penalized for playing by the rules. A polite but firm, “I’d rather leave it where it is,” has worked.

Now, while I’m on the subject … my nephew and his fiancée for whom I was waiting at TPA, brought a gift. A fabulous gift – and one already in much use – a cast iron frypan. But, here’s the thing, I’ve had to divest myself of three inch long nail scissors, but a 7.8 lb (3.5 kg) cast iron frypan as carry on was just fine. Apparently, security did not bat an eye.

And for me, that was a good thing!