I boarded a recent transatlantic flight on AA (traveling alone with a 3.5yr old toddler) and wanted to stow my cabin bags above our bulkhead seats.

The flight attendant snapped at me not to touch the overhead bin because she had completely filled it with her own hand luggage which she said contained fragile breakable items. So I not only had to put my own luggage far away, further back from our seats, but I also had to inconvenience other passengers on many occasions by leaning over them to open the overheads when I went to retrieve items in flight.

She then had the discourtesy to snap at me again at the end of the flight while I was clearing the floor to hurry me to finish stowing my items into the overhead bins when it was her fault that my items had been stored so far from my seat.

Rationale for booking the bulkhead was to give my toddler more space during the flight but also, since I’m an elite member, easy access to overhead space due to early boarding. Children come with more hand baggage than adults and often need access to things in flight regularly, such as diapers, snacks, toys etc.

Of course I would never have had difficulty here if I’d been able to use the overhead bin intended for my seat. Had I been able to use the assigned bins, I wouldn’t have inconvenienced anyone.

I recognize that cabin crew have their own baggage but surely it must come below the priority of providing space for paying passengers bags?

I was surprised that as a parent traveling alone with a small child I received such unhelpful and unsympathetic treatment. The contrast was particularly striking because BA (on the return codeshare) were so unfailingly polite, kind and helpful.

I would never have complained had the bins been filled with oxygen bottles, aircraft-specific safety items or other passengers’ hand luggage: that’s par for the course and I’ve experienced it in the past.

AA’s response to an emailed complaint was merely an apology.

But isn’t there a systemic issue here about valuing the personal convenience of a cabin crew member’s purchased duty free or objets d’art over the hand baggage of paying customers?

You’re right — they are shared space, but shouldn’t that be shared between necessary equipment for the aircraft, and paying passengers’ bags? Also, elite boarding order as a benefit implies some expectation that by getting on early you can expect to find the bin above your seat empty except for other elite passengers’ bags who’ve also boarded then or earlier, and equipment that was already there before anyone boarded the plane.

Some bonus miles would be nice and I’m tempted to ask for them.

But my complaint is actually that this seems to be part of what I sense is an increasing laziness and lackadaisical attitude on the part of AA flight attendants.

On our return BA flight LHR-JFK, the cabin crew not only served drinks and the two meals separately, but came round probably three other times with tea/coffee/water/juice, found us two special meals to make up for the fact that the vegetarian option in economy was all used up, and seemed to be constantly busy but also cheerful.

By contrast, on AA JFK-LHR aside from this disagreeable encounter with the FA, there were no drinks runs and they insisted the shades be lowered even though it was a day flight.

I've discussed that issue on FT in another thread, but my hunch now is that they do that to encourage passengers to sleep so they have to work less hard. I say that because I also often find AA transatlantic flight attendants chatting on their own in the galley, curtain closed, practically bristling when “disturbed” by a passenger for a request.

This all adds up to a feeling that on AA the priority is flight attendant convenience not serving passengers.

Depressing, especially coming from someone who I suspect knows so much about what’s going on inside AA...

You're right about voting with my wallet — but AA miles are a currency that can be spent on AA partners, such as BA :-)

And AA142 is much better timed than BA178.

Lesson learned: Don't book bulkhead seats if you want easy access to overhead bin.
That's always an issue even in domestic First Class.
Regardless of your status or priority boarding, overhead bin space is never guaranteed, much less so in bulkead seats (should be expected that it will be already taken).

As far as the FA snapping at you, that's really frustrating and aggravating. I have also found that FAs like that can repeat the offense (being rude) later in the flight, as it seems was your case.
Telling her off won't get much as FAs can get even more combative.
I am afraid that all you can do is ignore the FA's attitude for the flight duration.

I wouldn't expect miles for the lack of overhead bin space in this case. (Actually, you were able to use the overhead bins. It is just that it was at a very inconvenient location for you)