You're allowed one bag in the overhead. He'd be able to put the smaller one up above him. I've done this more times than I can count.

What he's trying to say is that he should be able to put two bags up front and that because he's 6'3 and purchased his ticket that it entitles him to this. The guy has flown 2 million miles on Delta and is in the second tier on United. He knows better and I'm guessing is one of these elites who assume that rules don't apply to him. They do.

He said he purchased the foot area. Actually, he purchased the ticket knowing full well what the rules are in terms of carry-ons and chose to refuse to follow them. Whatever argument he was trying to make that he is entitled to not put his second item under the seat in front of him is wrong. You don't get extra storage because you are tall.

He put his two pieces in the overhead. There are other people in the thread who noted that they continually don't get any overhead space because elites check multiple bags up there. The OP is such a person. People who fly a lot somehow think they're special and the rules don't apply to them. They do. The OP should know better.

He also assumes that people here are all his friends. They're not.