Is EVA always so crazy?

[Trvlr 50]

I traveled recently on EVA economy from LAX to Asia, and it is not an experience I will willingly repeat.

The main problem were the goons checking carry on baggage before you could enter the check in line. They were enforcing the 7-kilo limit on carry on luggage (which dates from prehistoric times). Almost no one could meet it, even though they did give a little bit of leeway. Carry on luggage these days itself weighs between 5 and 7 kilos so, unless someone only wants to carry a toothbrush in it, there is no way this rule can be met. Which is why no airline tries to enforce it.

The problem at LAX is that you have to get your check in baggage inspected first and then you cannot touch it. So there is no way you can transfer things to it from your carry on luggage. Anyway, I only had one bag to check in , so I was able to check in my carry on bag too, but I was not at all happy with the arrangement. And I am going to avoid using EVA again. Any airline that tries to enforce such a rule deserves to be cold shouldered.

Those who have bought tickets online should be aware of another EVA practice that sucks. If you do not show them the credit card with which you bought the ticket, they will force you to buy a new ticket at full fare! Even if you bought your ticket two months ago and it has already been charged to your card.

The service wasn't that great either - doesn't compare with Thai or Cathay.

[w3bmast3r 0]

I always fly EVA out of LHR and can not fault them. Occasionally check-in is a little slow, but other than that the service and baggage alowance is pretty good.

 

Perhaps I have just been lucky

[monkeyman 1,604]

I've used EVA many times (though not on this route) and have never encountered anything like this. Is this problem maybe peculiar ro LAX?

 

I've never used an e-ticket, though I think that this business with the credit card isn't confined to EVA.

[Samsonite 181]

I've used EVA many times (though not on this route) and have never encountered anything like this. Is this problem maybe peculiar ro LAX?

No, they do the same thing at SFO, at least the times I've flown EVA. EVA is part of the Evergreen Marine Corporation (Taiwan) Ltd. EVA Air often, at least out of SFO, flies Boeing 747-XXX Combi-s. This plane may look like the passenger version of the 747, but has a large cargo door on the left side and toward the rear of the fuselage. The rear passenger compartment bulkhead (wall) can be moved forward or rearward as necessary to accommodate whatever number of passengers or amount of cargo that will be on any given flight. Since weight and placement of the same is very important on an aircraft I would imagine EVA is trying achieve the best balance possible between passengers, their luggage, the cargo, and fuel weight and consumption. This is the only reason I can think of as to why they would be so strict on limiting the amount of carry-on weight.

As the majority of air freight, something like 60-70%, is carried everyday in the cargo hole of passenger airliners and EVA Air is a primarily a freight company, they may also do this with their regular passenger aircraft to maximize the amount of cargo they can load on any given flight.

Afterall, the money is in hauling freight, not passengers.

Edited January 5, 2006 by Samsonite

[spacebass 0]

If a rule is in existence it seems that you can never rely on it being ignored especially by the more sensible airlines, plus as the $s become tighter they start scratching a buck wherever they can.

[redwood13 56]

Flew LAX-BKK using EVA in late October and did not encounter any problems re weight of carry on luggage nor have I flying out of SFO.

 

I'd thought it was a standard requirement by most airlines that you have the credit card used for the ticket purchase in your possession when checking in.

 

-redwood

[irishman 0]

I have used Eva exclusively for years. Never had a problem with carryon luggage and while I have been asked for the credit card that I charged the e-ticket on, it's not like they haven't told you about the requirement. If you look at the e-ticket, it's stated very clearly right on the ticket that they will ask you to produce said credit card. Is it their fault that you can't follow directions?

 

Cheers

[Eneukman 1]

I've been fortunate enough never to have been asked to weigh my hand luggage as there have been a number of times when I've been over weight there. However, when I see what some people are bringing on as hand luggage, I have to wonder why they haven't been told to put it in the hold! It's not just slightly over the wight limit but 2 or 3 times over. In fact, you can see them struggling to lift it to go in the overhead locker!

 

There obviously has to be some leeway but some of the bags people are taking on board are just ridiculous!

 

Alan

[Trvlr 50]

Running an airline is quite distinct from a military operation. Many airlines have the requirement about showing the credit card with which an e-ticket was purchased. None has asked me yet, except for EVA. So here again EVA differs from the norm.

It is not a question of just reading instructions. Sure I have read the instructions, but what if I forget to take that card? Can easily happen.

Even if another airline asked me to produce the card, and I say I forgot, they will get round it somehow. They will make you sign another receipt, or produce another card or something like that. Because they care about their customers.

Only an airline that has no consideration for its customers, like EVA, will say proudly "Gotcha!" and require you to buy a full fare ticket. It is a lousy attitude and there is no defense for it.

About the carry on luggage, from what I read it seems that EVA cannot even be consistent about enforcing its own rule. So what are passengers supposed to think? Play a guessing game? Today the airline is in a good mood so maybe I can take more than 7 kilos.

Loyalty is a good thing I guess, but I can find no justification for such behavior by an airline.

I agree about some people taking huge amounts of carry on. However I look at it as live and let live. As long as they dont drop it on me, more power to them.

[Samsonite 181]

I've flown EVA 3 or 4 times and each time, leaving both SFO and BKK, they weighed the carry-ons. Usually they have signs posted before you get to the ticket counter advising you of the weight limit.

On other airlines I have to agree with Eneukman, some people's carry-on luggage should be in the baggage ccompartment. On the last trip a couple got onboard with so much luggage I wondered how they ever got past the ticket counter. Each of them had a rolling carry-on with another bag of equal size stacked on top of it and another bag over each shoulder. They were stopped inside the door of the aircraft and were required to put most of what they were carrying into the cargo hole.

Edited January 6, 2006 by Samsonite

[Chivas 0]

Samsonite,

Stopped at the aircraft door with god knows how much and required to put it in the hold.

Thats exactly what they wanted !!

Point being that its way past the point of paying "excess baggage charges" and they know it.

On arrival at check in the excess bags are sitting in left luggage already and are retrieved after check in.

On going to final gate the ground crew may or may not note the outsized bags and if they do query the size "check in said nothing"

 

Two British Airways crew told me of this some 15 years ago and can only confirm its true !! On a multitide of airlines.

 

Just dont drop outsized bags from overhead bins on peoples head by accident !!

They would be quite rightly pissed off.

 

Chivas

[Samsonite 181]

Thanks for pointing that out.

Guess I'm not devious enough nor larcenous enough to have thought of that angle.

Thanks for the "education."

Edited January 6, 2006 by Samsonite

[leemo 0]

Been flying EVA for years (when the upgrade used to be 10k miles, since upped to 15k, now 20k!), and for the first couple of years was always hopelessly overweight LHR-BKK with never a problem - until the day I took the piss...travelling with a friend, we had a combined checkin weight of 150k (you read right, 90kg me, 60kg him), which did not include refugee-style carry-on baggage.

 

At first they thought we were part of a group, but when they discovered the mean truth their backs arched...long story, but they separated our luggage and ended up giving me upgrade and other weight concessions that I was not entitled to, plus a heap of discretionary allowance, leeway, consideration, sympathy (I was booked as wheelchair disabled), plus other pretend allowances to bring me down to a bare minimum of 5kg overweight, for which they charged me the princely sum of £207. Oh yes, they were not amused when I offered to bin 5kg weight in the form of a couple of Marmites and other items of dubious import, to bring me into line.

 

Anyway, it was my fault, not theirs, but aside from this incident, and keeping in mind I've mellowed in LoS a while, their overall service is tolerable and the individual screens in their new planes tend to make the haul easier.

 

As a side note, I think I once read that overweight is generally charged at 1% of the first-class fare per kilo, so this rates the EVA first-class LHR-BKK-LHR fare at around £4140! Sounds a tad dear, as in dear me!

 

 

leemo

[echster 1]

The main problem were the goons checking carry on baggage before you could enter the check in line. They were enforcing the 7-kilo limit on carry on luggage (which dates from prehistoric times). Almost no one could meet it, even though they did give a little bit of leeway. Carry on luggage these days itself weighs between 5 and 7 kilos so, unless someone only wants to carry a toothbrush in it, there is no way this rule can be met. Which is why no airline tries to enforce it.

 

Those who have bought tickets online should be aware of another EVA practice that sucks. If you do not show them the credit card with which you bought the ticket, they will force you to buy a new ticket at full fare! Even if you bought your ticket two months ago and it has already been charged to your card.

I've never experienced the carry-on deal with EVA at LAX and I fly with them 3-4 times a year from LAX. If it happened during the holiday season, it's because all the aircraft were full and weight restricted. Don't forget that the jet stream is more southerly in winter and the aircraft need to carry more fuel. This is why summer flights are 12.5 hours and winter flights are 15.5 hours. More pax + more fuel = more weight. They simply cannot afford to let every person have a loaded carry-on. Also, every airline I can think of limits carry-ons to 15 pounds. Just because they needed to enforce the rule doesn't make them a bad airline.

 

As far as showing a credit card at check-in for an e-ticket, well, when you buy your ticket on the website, a warning pops up and says to expect this. Also, they email you an e-ticket and in plain English, it says, "2. PASSENGER OR ONE OF THE TRAVEL COMPANION MUST BE THE CREDIT CARD HOLDER. YOU ARE REQUIRED TO PRESENT THE CREDIT CARD USED TO PURCHASE THE TICKET DURING CHECK-IN AT AIRPORT. PASSENGER WHO FAILS TO DO SO WILL BE DENIED BOARDING UNLESS THEY PURCHASE A FULL FARE TICKET AT THE AIRPORT TICKET COUNTER."

 

I fly roughly 10-15 times a year from LAX....all on e-tickets. I've needed the credit card I paid for the ticket every time with every airline.

 

If you're so hard-headed as to not be able to follow simple instructions, maybe EVA should dump you instead of you dumping them.

[Chivas 0]

Samsonite,

Next time you depart Don Maung just hang around the left luggage for 10 minutes and you'll spot hordes of the buggers picking back up there oversize bags !!

 

Leemo,

The official rate for excess baggage is 1% of Iata's Published

one way, first class fare, per kilo.

 

Last time I paid on Eva is was £13 a kilo.

 

Chivas

[Gus 97]

Another good point ech.

People would be pretty pissed if the aircraft ran out of fuel en-route and the board of enquiry(NTSB) found the cause of the accident was that 200 pax had carried on too much cabin baggage.

 

In the USA passengers are generally more switched on to not having check-in baggage . I think it is two pieces allowance, maybe no weight limit, some pax walk up the aisle with everything except the kitchen sink

[The Mook 105]

monkeyman, I think you're right. the baggage check-in process is not exclusive to EVA. it's LAX that has wrecked the process. makes a man not want to travel at peak periods. that was my experience in Oct 2005.

[JohnnyK 28]

Many airlines have the requirement about showing the credit card with which an e-ticket was purchased. None has asked me yet, except for EVA. So here again EVA differs from the norm.

So how is EVA responsible if other airlines don't uphold the requirement?

 

It is not a question of just reading instructions. Sure I have read the instructions, but what if I forget to take that card? Can easily happen.

EVA is not responsible if YOU can't remember. Not their job.

 

Even if another airline asked me to produce the card, and I say I forgot, they will get round it somehow.

Really?

They will make you sign another receipt, or produce another card or something like that.

You know this for a fact? Have you experienced this? Imagine, Joe Blow's credit card was billed but somehow Mr. Mohamed Atta shows up at the airport. Connect the dots on that one.

 

Only an airline that has no consideration for its customers, like EVA, will say proudly "Gotcha!" and require you to buy a full fare ticket. It is a lousy attitude and there is no defense for it.

I have never experienced the "Gotcha!" attitude from EVA.

 

Sounds like YOU fucked up and aren't mature enough to take responsibility for it.

[Trvlr 50]

I wish people would read and reflect before frothing at the mouth.

Anyway, I am not going to argue the point. Some people are going to read what I wrote and come to the correct conclusion - stay away from this airline if possible. Others, well it is their choice.

In the first place, I would suggest people read what I wrote. I did not forget my credit card. I did not 'fuck up', to quote someone who obviously has excellent grasp of words. I did not have a problem with a credit card. But I was curious and asked EVA staff what they would do if I did. And their attitude was Gotcha! So what happens when the little old lady who is in a hurry to see her grandchildren forgets her card? She is denied boarding, even though her card has already been charged and the airline has pocketed her money. And the airline says, we will let you on if you pay double, or triple! That is not an airline that is thinking about the people using it. It is only thinking of its profits. The fact that I have heard of no other airline doing it only emphasizes my point. This society is based on trust - still. If there is occasional fraud, they consider it cost of doing business. Businesses should follow commonly accepted practices in their industry. If they dont, well they get postings like mine.

Showing my credit card when boarding? Last year I took six trips from LAX, using seven airlines. All were e-tickets. No one asked me to show a credit card. Except EVA. So if someone is being asked for every trip - well, I guess some people get asked, and others dont. They have to figure out the reason themselves.

Everyone knows LAX is a screwed up airport. But of the six trips I mentioned, three were to Asia on fully booked aircraft. Again, no one asked to weigh my carry on luggage, except EVA.

I posted my experience in an informational spirit, to warn felloow board members of what they may face. I do not wish to get into a word slinging match about EVA. People are mature enough to draw their own conclusions, I hope.

[olyboy 0]

I am flying EVA for the first time next month from LAX. Glad I read this thread. The only thing so far for me that is pissing me off is the constant use of your passport number for ID . I usually fly PAL, but their prices are way out of line now. I guess I will go back a reread the site, but only one carry on allowed ? Hmmmmmm !!!!!!

[JohnnyK 28]

I wish people would read and reflect before frothing at the mouth.

Anyway, I am not going to argue the point. Some people are going to read what I wrote and come to the correct conclusion - stay away from this airline if possible. Others, well it is their choice.

In the first place, I would suggest people read what I wrote. I did not forget my credit card. I did not 'fuck up', to quote someone who obviously has excellent grasp of words. I did not have a problem with a credit card. But I was curious and asked EVA staff what they would do if I did. And their attitude was Gotcha! So what happens when the little old lady who is in a hurry to see her grandchildren forgets her card? She is denied boarding, even though her card has already been charged and the airline has pocketed her money. And the airline says, we will let you on if you pay double, or triple! That is not an airline that is thinking about the people using it. It is only thinking of its profits. The fact that I have heard of no other airline doing it only emphasizes my point. This society is based on trust - still. If there is occasional fraud, they consider it cost of doing business. Businesses should follow commonly accepted practices in their industry. If they dont, well they get postings like mine.

Showing my credit card when boarding? Last year I took six trips from LAX, using seven airlines. All were e-tickets. No one asked me to show a credit card. Except EVA. So if someone is being asked for every trip - well, I guess some people get asked, and others dont. They have to figure out the reason themselves.

Everyone knows LAX is a screwed up airport. But of the six trips I mentioned, three were to Asia on fully booked aircraft. Again, no one asked to weigh my carry on luggage, except EVA.

I posted my experience in an informational spirit, to warn felloow board members of what they may face. I do not wish to get into a word slinging match about EVA. People are mature enough to draw their own conclusions, I hope.

Trvlr,

 

I replied because I thought you were unjustifiably grinding an axe for no substantive reason against a really good airline.

 

I fly EVA exclusively to and from Asia. Never had a problem as you describe.

OK, I should have said "they are not responsible if someone forgets their card". I used 'you' as a pronoun in the general sense of any other person.

 

The rest was a hypothetical "what if"/"even if" rant about EVA based on one flight. The "what ifs" and "even ifs" and "they will get round it" didn't happen, they are speculation. I simply expressed doubt about your hypotheses based on my experience with EVA. Their concern about the credit card holder showing up to get on the plane is real, however, and is not about fraud (reference: Mr. M. Atta).

 

Sorry about saying "sounds like you fucked up", you hadn't.

But it does sound like they were doing what they were supposed to do and you didn't like it so decided to slag them. Bit of a heavy rant for someone who only flew once with them. So the worst that happened was they wanted to see your credit card and weigh your cabin baggage. Happened to the other passengers, too, I bet. They are within their right to do so if its a full flight and most safety-minded airlines would do also.

 

Anyway, I only had one bag to check in, so I was able to check in my carry on bag too, but I was not at all happy with the arrangement.

You had to check in a second bag. You were already going to have to wait for one bag at BKK so what's the big deal?

 

An Eva story: I arrived at the airport 2 years ago, totally fucked out having spent my last satang on the taxi. Guess what?

I didn't have the 500 baht departure fee.

Eva graciously paid it for me, trusting I would send it to them.

Had they not done that I might still be living in a toilet stall at Don Muang.

 

I do not own any shares in EVA.

 

Cheers.

[too_mutt 10]

I'd thought it was a standard requirement by most airlines that you have the credit card used for the ticket purchase in your possession when checking in.

I think that is the case. In theory this might prevent unsavory operatives from enticing someone else to carry out some bad deed. I don't think it is specific to EVA Air.

 

Regards

[spirit1600 1]

I have to use my credit card in every e-ticket that I have used, from American to United and that's just in the States!

[deleted member 0]

Limitations on carry on baggage has little to do with weight and balance for a particular aircraft. Has more to do with the structural integrity of the overhead compartments.

 

I use Cathay exckusively and even though the website says that the credit card may be required at check in, they have never asked for it at SFO.

 

I've never really understood this requirement that the credit card used to make the purchase must be shown at check in.

What happens if your credit card gets stolen after you make the purchase? or for that matter..what happens if your credit card expires after you make the purchase?

[deleted member 0]

I wish people would read and reflect before frothing at the mouth.

Anyway, I am not going to argue the point. Some people are going to read what I wrote and come to the correct conclusion - stay away from this airline if possible. Others, well it is their choice.

In the first place, I would suggest people read what I wrote. I did not forget my credit card. I did not 'fuck up', to quote someone who obviously has excellent grasp of words. I did not have a problem with a credit card. But I was curious and asked EVA staff what they would do if I did. And their attitude was Gotcha! So what happens when the little old lady who is in a hurry to see her grandchildren forgets her card? She is denied boarding, even though her card has already been charged and the airline has pocketed her money. And the airline says, we will let you on if you pay double, or triple! That is not an airline that is thinking about the people using it. It is only thinking of its profits. The fact that I have heard of no other airline doing it only emphasizes my point. This society is based on trust - still. If there is occasional fraud, they consider it cost of doing business.  Businesses should follow commonly accepted practices in their industry. If they dont, well they get postings like mine.

Showing my credit card when boarding? Last year I took six trips from LAX, using seven airlines. All were e-tickets. No one asked me to show a credit card. Except EVA. So if someone is being asked for every trip - well, I guess some people get asked, and others dont. They have to figure out the reason themselves.

Everyone knows LAX is a screwed up airport. But of the six trips I mentioned, three were to Asia on fully booked aircraft. Again, no one asked to weigh my carry on luggage, except EVA.

I posted my experience in an informational spirit, to warn felloow board members of what they may face. I do not wish to get into a word slinging match about EVA. People are mature enough to draw their own conclusions, I hope.

Well. we did read your post, that's why we are responding. Your original post did not say but definately indicated that you were required to purchase a new ticket, at least that's what I thought when I first read it. Apparently you didn't have to purchase one. Is this correct? You were just a bit pissed about EVA air's carry on requirement that you decided to include what the check in agent told you about the credit card vs. the E-ticket.

Check in agents are required to quote rules and regulations. If you presented a valid passport and your identity is confirmed it's doubtful EVA air or any other carrier would force you to purchase a new ticket, regardless of what they say. Perhaps board menbers can share their experiences if that's happened to them.