Baggage claim, timing and security

We have plans to meet friends at Hobby Airport in Houston, with flights about 40 minutes apart. We're now eligible for a flight change, and could arrive 2.5 hours earlier.

My question is, will all hell break loose with security, if we don't go straight to baggage claim, and retrieve our bags? I know in the old days it was no big deal, they'd just take the bags to the office. In this post-9/11 world, I don't know if that is still the case.

The earlier flight arrives too early to check-in at the hotel, so waiting at the airport makes the most sense. The only reason I'm even considering it, is because of an equipment charge, that I'm less than thrilled with.

No, all hell will not break loose. People arrive separately from their bags all the time. Sometimes the bags get put on an earlier flight, sometimes the flight is oversold and the pax is rebooked on the next flight etc. When your bags aren't claimed off the baggage carousel they'll be taken to your airline's baggage office to be claimed. Be sure to keep your claim stubs.

I guess the question is...what would you be doing in the secured airside area that you wouldn't be doing in the landside area? There is a Pappas BBQ landside - the rest of the HOU restaurants are airside.

If the answer is that you want to meet them at the gate, my suggestion is to just arrange to meet at Baggage Claim.

Finally, the unspoken risk is that someone may see your bag running around and around on the carousel and decide they want to take it. Either a crime of opportunity or of malice aforethought. I don't believe that there is anyone checking bag tags, so it is up to you to evaluate that risk.

I personally would not leave my bag. It's just not a good idea. Anyone may walk off with it.

I guess the question is...what would you be doing in the secured airside area that you wouldn't be doing in the landside area? There is a Pappas BBQ landside - the rest of the HOU restaurants are airside.

 

If the answer is that you want to meet them at the gate, my suggestion is to just arrange to meet at Baggage Claim.

 

Finally, the unspoken risk is that someone may see your bag running around and around on the carousel and decide they want to take it. Either a crime of opportunity or of malice aforethought. I don't believe that there is anyone checking bag tags, so it is up to you to evaluate that risk.

Grabbing lunch was the thinking, not meeting them at the gate. When I was checking the terminal map, it looked that the only option was a coffee shop. Now I see the BBQ joint.

It's all academic now anyway. After talking it over with the wife, she doesn't like the idea at all of not claiming our bags right away. Nor is she put out with the change of equipment by the airline.

Happy wife, is a happy life.

Thanks for the replies.

As others have said all hell will not break loose, but your bag could be spinning for a while and could present a crime of opportunity. I personally would rather head to the hotel and cool my heels there as hotel lobbies are considerably quieter with more comfortable seating. Many hotels will also allow early check in and at a minimum will hold your luggage till check in so you can enjoy some of the hotel facilities or something in the surrounding area.

As others have said all hell will not break loose, but your bag could be spinning for a while and could present a crime of opportunity. I personally would rather head to the hotel and cool my heels there as hotel lobbies are considerably quieter with more comfortable seating. Many hotels will also allow early check in and at a minimum will hold your luggage till check in so you can enjoy some of the hotel facilities or something in the surrounding area.

Especially Hobby airport. There is a loooooooong list of airports I would rather hang out in before I would get to that dump.

Yes, I now think going to the hotel would be the preferable choice if we took the earlier flight

We were originally on a Delta 717-200 and have been switched to a CRJ-900. That's what I'm less than thrilled with. Still time to make a final decision.

Thanks for the input.

Yes, I now think going to the hotel would be the preferable choice if we took the earlier flight

 

We were originally on a Delta 717-200 and have been switched to a CRJ-900. That's what I'm less than thrilled with. Still time to make a final decision.

 

Thanks for the input.

I love the CRJ. I like that it is 2x2 and feels pretty roomy.

I love the CRJ. I like that it is 2x2 and feels pretty roomy.

After having had a few flights on Embraer 175’s, I thought the RJ-900 would be ok. I was wrong. It felt very cramped to me. The bumping of my head wasn't so bad. It was that I was too tall to stand fully erect in the lav, and could barely close the door, that was more than a little awkward. So yeah, not a fan of that aircraft.