I agree. It is completely ridiculous that crew should use the front lockers. I frequently pay 700 to 900 quid return in CE and on boarding first find rollaboards with white CREW tags above rows 1 and 2. I actually have to board first to be sure to get a space - which is not the way things should be in CE

I should add that I generally check in a bag too on any trip longer than 2-4 days. My carry on simply can not be checked as it invariably contains fragile and sensitive hard drives - and no, before you ask I am not a Guardian journalist (although in full disclosure, I have written for that newspaper)