Originally Posted by
Karl-MDW
This is also true of E+ and other Y bulk head passengers. Allowing passengers in these seats - no matter their status - to board in group 1 would help at least for those who are able to arrive at the gate before boarding begins. (We all know that there is little hope for any connecting passengers whose incoming flights are late for over head space no matter what their status or boarding group.)
I'm normally a fairly passive gate louse -- see previous comments about wanting to stand before sitting -- but I become somewhat more aggressive when I'm in a bulkhead for exactly that reason (and I was quoted in the WSJ last year because of it
-- it's the only time, aside from my wedding, I ever have anything in the overhead on UA).
This though, I think could more effectively be resolved onboard. I've seen (on both mainline, and UAEX) flight attendants 'protect' the first bin -- particularly in F, occasionally in Y -- until the bulkhead pax are onboard and seated. The level of protection ranges from just closing the bin to closing the bin and politely scolding anyone trying to usurp the space (along the lines of "I need to save this bin for the customers in 1x/y because there's nowhere else for their personal belongings") to physically moving any non-bulkhead bags aft if they still don't listen.
If this was a more formalized policy/procedure, I can see how that would take some of the stress/urgency out of it for bulkhead pax.