tyberius

I was on a flight recently with full economy, too many people bringing on too much / oversized hand luggage which wasn't being regulated.

Everything reasonably close to my seat was completely full in the overhead bins (on a 777) while nobody had bothered to use under-seat storage.

I moved one piece that was directly above my seat, belonging to the guy across the aisle who had filled the space above himself.

He squawked. But after dealing with line cutting, people walking up and interrupting when I was asking questions already with desk agents, and other BS like this I wasn't in any mood other than to get my own chunk of real estate back. I figure he could easily put this piece in the under-seat if necessary and I had no choice and didn't want to fight the flow on landing.

I figure I am entitled to one space reasonably close to my seat, and I use the under seat storage for my computer bag so I'm not a space pig. My carryon is legit authorized size so is never an overhead storage issue.

The airlines request us to use under seat storage so that the overhead space can be shared, and I think it also speeds up boarding and deplaning to not have people going contrary to passenger flow trying to find a place to store their bag, so there is a real benefit to everyone on the plane if people use space in a reasonable manner.

Stuff under foot can also be moved under leg for the majority of the journey and let you use the foot space for times other than takeoff and landing.

How do you feel about overhead space?

Free-for-all or share it out?

If shut out by people who won't use their under foot storage, would you do the same as I did or take your lumps and move your carry-on 10 rows back and fight the flow on landing to retrieve it?

ffsim

I think using multiple overhead spaces while leaving the space under the seat in front free of you is one of the most despicable, selfish things you can do on a plane.

I'm not sure I'd have moved someone else's bag myself, but I definitely would've asked for a FA's help, especially if it's clear that people haven't used the available under seat space.

Full disclosure: I'm nearly 6'2" and value the space under the seat in front of me as much as, maybe even more than, the next person. However, I can't remember the last time I didn't have my laptop bag at my feet (unless of course I was at a bulkhead).

Often1

It's up to the crew, not the pax, to enforce the rules. If there's a bag which can fit under the seat in front of a pax and it's occupying OH space which is needed for bags which are compliant but don't fit under the seat, it's up to the FA's to deal with.

Ring the bell and let them deal with it. Stand in the aisle if need be.

canadiancow

I've begun travelling with the largest legal carry-on I can, as well as a backpack, which has a laptop or two, a tablet or two, and some other stuff like that.

But I always sit in a bulkhead seat. I also always board first, so there's plenty of space available.

I think the only time I've needed to put my backpack under my seat, and had the ability to, is flying J in an E190. In the A319/20/21, there's always enough overhead in J, and as I said for Y, I'm always at a bulkhead.

One of the benefits of status is being able to board first to get first choice at storage space. I take advantage of this.

HerpaYvr

BINGO - As do I also! +^

I bring my man purse (small light suitcase) with me on board, so I place my bag sideways (efficent use of space) and fold my jacket ontop my bag and place my ball cap ontop of that. This screams DO NOT TOUCH. If you choose to bring onboard everything you own because you are cheap to pay for a real ticket, baggage or any of the many legitimate or BS reasons, I DONT CARE. I am on ahead of you, I pack light, DO NOT PUNISH ME for being smart and for following the rules.....and yes I do stand up and protect my pieace of real estate even thought I cant spell today

Darkumbra

I'll shift someone's stuff to the left or right to make space for my stuff.

I would not move someone's stuff to another bin without their permission, and would take exception to anyone who moved my stuff to another bin.

If I can't store my stuff in the overheads? Page the FA to do the dirty.

canadiancow

So there are two reasons I don't check luggage any more (unless absolutely necessary):

1. It takes time. With carry-on, I print my BP at home, go to the airport, and head straight to security. With checked luggage, I have to get in a line (even if my status makes it a small line, it's still a line). And then I have to wait after landing for it to be offloaded. And since I'm not currently *G, I don't get priority tags, which is even worse, although once I'm *G, my behavior won't change.

2. Since joining FT, I've been doing more interesting routings. Going to Toronto for a weekend? My ideal flights are SFO-YVR-YUL-YOW-YYZ and YYZ-YUL-YVR-SFO. I do not want to deal with checked luggage in that situation

But I'd still argue that I'm entitled to put my legal-sized carry-on in the overhead bin. I've been considering travelling with either:
a) No backpack
or b) Backpack inside carry-on (easier during warmer months)
To further reduce my space requirements.

I don't want to be a dick, but sometimes it just happens. My carry-on in E190 J is horrible. It can't go in wheels first on the starboard bin, so it ends up taking half the damn bin space. And the port side bin is useless. for everything but a purse (I tried to put my backpack in there once - not even close).

tyberius

Oh he definitely took exception to me moving his stuff.

I don't think I would have done this in Canada.

But in some areas of the world, if you act Canadian you will just be eaten.

If you're in line in Russia for example, if you show a sign of weakness at all, it's an invitation for someone else to push in. If there is a one foot gap between you and the person in front, don't be surprised if a few people duck under the corral to jump into that spot.

I've been walking in line in Thailand, behind an Australian, and an Indian guy made a sideways beeline to jump into the gap he left ahead of him... Australian guy started yelling at the Indian guy, Indian guy just looked at the Aussie like he was crazy.

In Dubai, lining up in the business class passport control exit or entry is a joke if there's a flight in or out of Russia. I've had an hour wait because the business class line was filled with Russian economy class passengers. They can read the signs OK, just where North Americans see the sign and go stand in the correct line, the Russians are headed to the place where there is no lineup.

In Malaysia, before this flight, I was standing and talking to the desk agent at the lounge and six guys just walked up, shoved in and started yapping away at him. Acting Canadian in this instance means you're going to get dealt with seventh even though you were already there and started.

In all of these situations if you depend on the "staff" to "sort it out" you're just going to get screwed. The staff is generally not going to do anything... too underpaid... too bored... to "I really don't care"... too "so what"... too "screw you"... too "how I am I going to tell 300 Russians who are going to pretend they don't know how to speak English what to do."

One time trying to get out of Moscow, I arrived four hours before my flight, was not allowed to check in until 2 hours before, dealt with queue jumpers and card waving yelling people shoving in, finally got checked in after 30 mins. Went to passport control, did the Canadian thing and went to the appropriate line for foreigners. Endured 500 dudes from Turkmenistan pushing and shoving for 90 minutes, jammed in chest to back trying to defend my spot. Figured out too late that everyone was ignoring the nationality signs and taking the shortest line possible, and only got to position #3 against horizontal shovers (basically one big funnel formation) and shouted at a passing immigration official that my flight was leaving in 3 minutes. Got pulled through, and then yelled at as I ran to the gate by everyone involved with the airline for "being late" all the way until I got on the plane.

In the case of the bag, I boarded right after a few conflicts with people from cultures where you have to stick up for yourself, politeness is weakness, and you take what you want before someone else does.

And that's just what happened as I boarded that flight. All the space over my seat was gone, nobody cares, they just took what they wanted.

So I took what I wanted. Doing the Canadian thing, the agent at best would have waved me to the bin towards the back. If everyone had been sharing space politely I'd have gone and put my bag wherever it would fit. But that was definitely not the case.

Eat or be eaten. It's the law of the jungle once you get out of North America.

We get ticked off at the gate lice. It's such a miniscule problem. In a lot of places they don't even bother with boarding announcements. They know that the passengers are going to rush the gate and ignore all staff attempts to manage the situation. I've had it twice in the last few months that they just open the door without a word, get in position to take the tickets and everyone rushes it.

Beginning to end without a word from the staff. There's no point, it will be ignored.

So... knowing the context, I just moved the dude's bag and took my space.

jarusoba

Just reading your OP, I thought you were on an AC flight. And this is the AC forum.

But AC doesn't fly to Thailand, or Moscow, or Dubai, or Malaysia, or Russia, or Turkmenistan,... Where were you?

Vaclav

+1 Bravo, nicely said and how true.

Talking about Russians - a while ago I was returning to Canada from FRA on a AC 877which used to be almost always full and even oversold. A middle-aged Russian woman who looked like someone building dams in Siberia took a sip of vodka form a bottle in her purse, gave me a dirty look, got up and proceeded to close my air vent across the aisle. It was hot like hell during the summer and we were still on the ground. I am also very polite and respectful, however often you have no choice. So I told her off, turned the vent back on and was ready to shove her back to her seat should she try again. She cursed me, took a couple of more sips of her vodka and fell quickly asleep. Then we had to listen to her loud snoring all the way to Toronto.

DaveObee

True in most places. My favorite: In Berlin a few years ago, I was budged by a priest.

But some countries are ahead of North America. For a reminder of what courtesy is all about, go to Japan.

supatight80

dupl. post

supatight80

Unfortunately I have to agree. Comes to the point where I wouldn't hesitate to 'elbow' someone who abruptly cuts in line or has waaay too many carry-on that not only do they consume half of the overhead space allocated per row, but also the space under their seat and thus have their foot in my little space if travelling in economy.

Speaking of overheads, GA's and FA's should strictly enforce the carry-on rule respective of class travelled. Unfortunately, a lot of people would go beyond the limit BECAUSE they have gotten away with it on their previous travels.

Numerous times on TPAC routes on AC, people just carry 1 too many carry-ons and they are not strictly enforced...To the point where a lot of Y class passengers have to put their carry-on luggage on J class...I personally don't mind this if there's a lot of overhead space on J..What I do not appreciate is when my carry-on luggage gets squashed because of the overflow in Y.

That's why I just made it a rule that I would never sit on the last row of J TPAC, even if it offers more privacy than other pods...Unless I don't have a choice due to op-ups.

This is one of a very few instances where I wouldn't mind watching/hearing an airline staff to berate a passenger if they don't get it.

ffsim

I'm 1 week into a 3 week stint in Moscow, and I already know I'll be a bigger a$$ when I leave for home

Snow Goose

Tyberius, I can't believe you interfered with the other pax intrinsic right to stow his bag. If you wanted space, you either should have boarded first or purchased a first class ticket... Wait... This isn't the seat recline thread is it? My bad.

I have done the same thing on occasion but being careful to always utilize the space under my seat first. The problem is that everyone feels entitled... I've had a fellow pax in J refuse to put a laptop under his seat to accommodate a roller board because as he put it "I organize my time to ensure that I am first on the plane, perhaps you should manage your time better". The plane is a community and anyone who feels a strong sense of intrinsic entitlement will eventually have conflict with their neighbors.

SG