Originally Posted by
NYTA
My view is that any item smaller than a rollaboard should go under the seat. Frankly I have seen just as many leisure travelers putting small bags (and duty free bags!) in the overheads that should be under their seats - taking space in the bins away that could be used for rollaboards. It's all a matter of incentives and priority etc. When I'm traveling for work, they'll have to pry my rollaboard out of my cold, dead hand to get it away from me. On low-cost airlines like Ryanair/Easyjet (which I fly several times a year within Europe), I pay extra for priority boarding and the ability to take a roller + personal item. Having airline status is the equivalent of having "paid extra" by having my butt in one of their seats (instead of those of their competitors) for 50,000+ miles a year. The airlines themselves want the business of "road warriors" much more than they do of the family of four going to Disney World once every few years.
NYTA, while you are entitled to your opinion, it is only one person's viewpoint and not necessarily the 'right' one.
I no longer need to travel on business, all my travel is personal travel. Now I pay for my seat every time, in whatever class I fly in and guess what, my right to use an overhead bin is just the same as your right to do so. Or would you disagree with that? The overhead bin space is NOT there just for rollaboards, it is there for whatever a passenger wishes to put in it. It is sheer arrogance to try and suggest that your rollaboard should receive preferential treatment over anything I choose to put in an overhead bin.
You are exhibiting classic DYKWIA behaviour in thinking that somehow your needs are greater than someone else's needs. You have no more entitlement to use overhead space than that family of 4 going to Disneyland. When I travel, I check one bag and carry on only a briefcase size bag and perhaps a coat. If I choose to put my bag and coat in the overhead bin, I am as entitled to do so as you with your rollaboard. And while you are 'looking down' on those non-business travellers, I am 'looking down' on those business travellers like yourself who think they are entitled to more than I am. After all, you're just working class, I've moved beyond that into the leisure class.
