What does "checking" mean in here?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
The word "checking" on its own means to inspect; to examine. However, when combined, "checking bags" at the airport means to pay for your luggage to be transported and stored underneath the plane you will be flying on. "Checked bags" are typically too large to be brought on to the plane because of weight and size restrictions of the airline. You may already know this, but when you "check" a bag, you are paying a small fee for the airline to register and transport your bag to your flight. They usually place a sticker with a bar-code on the luggage that indicates what plane it needs to go on and where it will be traveling to. This makes it easier for the passengers to get onto the plane without having to carry a large bag. It also saves space on the plane. The stewardess in this video is asking the couple if they have any bags that are too large that need to be transported to and stored underneath the plane. Ex: The family checked one large suitcase. Ex: My bag was too large so I had to check it.
