mre2b9

flight attendants always close overheads when they were not full. They let people put coats and purses and small backpacks in overhead and then close the overhead. Flt attendants are often pretty dumb about this very simple point. They should remind people that since a flt is full, the overhead bins are best used for large carryons and the small carryons on should not go in overheads.

And they shouldn't close the overheads prematurely when they are not full! No one should close an overhead until it is actually full, top to bottom side to side with no significant gaps that could hold purses or jackets or crap. Closing prematurely just slows down the boarding process making people open the overhead bins to confirm, that, yes indeed, some fool closed a bin that still has space.

CPRich

Since you seem so certain of yourself, why don't you just walk up to them on every flight and say "you're a dumb fool, I know better, here's what you need to do".

Because reminding passengers to put large items in the overhead and small items under their seat is something these dumb FA's would never think of - we've never, ever heard that announcement.

Often1

Always? Are you sure? Do you have statistics or is this just a flight you were on recently?

Seriously, FA's have a whole series of safety, security and passenger comfort checks to accomplish before the cabin door is closed and the aircraft pushes. One of those things is closing the OH bins.

So, if the OH bins are left open longer, something else has to be done earlier.

Which one of those other things would you have them do earlier since they are fools and you know how they ought to do their job better than they do?

chris19992

The interesting thing about this is that I've never actually seen them go around closing the bins until all passengers are on board (or at least that section), what I have seen plenty of is passengers closing them before full, they put their carry on in and close it thinking it's their own private storage.

MSPeconomist

When I'm in FC, I always close the bin(s) near me after FC has boarded if there are some empty FC seats in order to preserve overhead bin space for FC customers who board later. Usually my seatmate is grateful when I point out that the bin isn't full and I closed it to prevent it getting filled with coach bags.

Efrem

How would you react if a visitor to your workplace, who has never worked in your industry or profession, started to tell you all the things you were doing wrong? You won't get very far telling the cabin crew that they don't know how to do their jobs - even if that were true. In my experience, it usually isn't.

Badenoch

The picayune complaints and accompanying fury that appear on this site are a never ending source of wonder and amusement. When the FAs close the overhead bin is a new one!

BearX220

Unless you're an airline employee, that's out of line. Not your job.

nerd

Hard to fault the OP here.

Closed bins, even when full, only slow down the boarding process as pax stop to open each one to see if there is room inside.

Leave the bins open until boarding is finished.

LondonElite

Too many busy bodies with too much time on their hands here.

justforfun

This. Closing them early actually leads to a less efficient boarding process, even if the bins are truly full, which they often are not.

formeraa

+1 If the OP is finding this practice on a particular airline, a concisely worded email to customer service might be merited. Chances are boarding is being slowed down by this practice.

mike2200

+1 (that's new??)

LondonElite

Sadly not

pinniped

Either that, or no flight in the history of humankind has ever been significantly delayed by this practice.