What gets priority in overhead wardrobe?
Nov 17, 2022, 12:03 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 565
What gets priority in overhead wardrobe?
Flying from Madrid to Heath Row this week on a "completely full" (sic.) flight, the hostess asked me to remove a coat I had put in the overseat wardrobe (or "bin", if you must) and keep it on my lap, before disappearing and providing no further guidance on what to do with it even when later asked.
But what particularly got my goat was her repeated officious insistence that "luggage has priority" in said wardrobes. Is this in fact the case on BA or was she just expressing an opinion as a fact?
But what particularly got my goat was her repeated officious insistence that "luggage has priority" in said wardrobes. Is this in fact the case on BA or was she just expressing an opinion as a fact?
Nov 17, 2022, 12:18 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2010
Location: Las Vegas
Programs: BA Gold; Hilton Honors Diamond
Posts: 3,228
Isn't there a coat hook on the back of the seat for hanging one's coat?
In terms of the "completely full" flight statement I have to admit that I find this irksome too. The flight is either full or it's not.
In terms of the "completely full" flight statement I have to admit that I find this irksome too. The flight is either full or it's not.
Nov 17, 2022, 12:24 pm
#6
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: BAEC GGL/CR; Hilton Diamond; Mucci des Puccis
Posts: 5,610
Has overhead space angst been leaked into the water supply or something? This is at least the third thread on the subject in recent days.
Someone will be along to suggest a coloured tag scheme shortly I expect.
Someone will be along to suggest a coloured tag scheme shortly I expect.
Nov 17, 2022, 12:42 pm
#9
Join Date: Oct 2015
Location: London, UK
Programs: BAEC GGL/GFl, HH Diamond, BW Diamond, Virgin Voyages Deep Blue Extra, Blue Peter Badge Holder
Posts: 3,937
The overhead bins are for hand luggage, of which you are entitled to one piece. In addition you are entitled to a personal item, which could be a coat, to go under the seat in front unless you are in an exit or bulkhead row. Pragmatically, coats are unofficially allowed, but should be placed in bins if space only after luggage. In most cases this will be the case. The CC may hang in the wardrobe if fitted and space is available but this can’t be guaranteed either. CC appears to have been correct in their actions with you IMHO. It may be worth being a bag in your pocket that you can place your coat in to go under the seat if you don’t want to put it on the coat hook for your seat.
Last edited by navylad; Nov 17, 2022 at 12:47 pm
Nov 17, 2022, 12:43 pm
#10
Moderator, Iberia Airlines, Airport Lounges, and Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Feb 2010
Programs: BA Lifetime Gold; Flying Blue Life Platinum; LH Sen.; Hilton Diamond; Kemal Kebabs Prized Customer
Posts: 63,818
I have to say there is often a PA message to this effect during boarding. There is always space for a coat, even in a full bin, so long as it is in last. That said, the bins are so rarely cleaned, you really are best to use the hook on seats other than the exit rows. Bags have a journey to an aircraft, which can include being placed on footpaths, drive ways, floors of tube carriages, and some of this ends up in the overheads for a long time.....
Nov 17, 2022, 12:55 pm
#12
FlyerTalk Evangelist, Ambassador, British Airways Executive Club
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Somewhere between 0 and 13,000 metres high
Programs: AF/KL Life Plat, BA GGL+GfL, ALL Plat, Hilton Diam, Marriott Gold, blablablah, etc
Posts: 30,536
In the unlikely case that this is not obvious, large bags and suitcases get lockers priority over everything else, simply because there is nowhere else they can be put in the cabin. You (literally) can put a small bag under the seat in front (unless you are sat in row 1 or an exit row), you (literally) can keep your coat on your lap, but there is (still literally) no place in the cabin where you can put a cabin suitcase if there is no locker space left, meaning that it would then have to be checked in the hold.
That said, in literally thousands and thousands of flights I have taken over the years, I don't think that there has been a single case on a regular commercial aircraft where it would not have been possible to fit a coat "somewhere" in the lockers after suitcases have been put in, but on a busy flight, that will simply need to be on top of large bags/suitcases or in between them where it is more likely to be crushed.
That said, in literally thousands and thousands of flights I have taken over the years, I don't think that there has been a single case on a regular commercial aircraft where it would not have been possible to fit a coat "somewhere" in the lockers after suitcases have been put in, but on a busy flight, that will simply need to be on top of large bags/suitcases or in between them where it is more likely to be crushed.
Nov 17, 2022, 3:25 pm
#13
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: LON, between FAB and EGTD
Programs: OWS - AA Lifetime Platinum, BA nobody (blue)
Posts: 864
In the unlikely case that this is not obvious, large bags and suitcases get lockers priority over everything else, simply because there is nowhere else they can be put in the cabin. You (literally) can put a small bag under the seat in front (unless you are sat in row 1 or an exit row), you (literally) can keep your coat on your lap, but there is (still literally) no place in the cabin where you can put a cabin suitcase if there is no locker space left, meaning that it would then have to be checked in the hold.
That said, in literally thousands and thousands of flights I have taken over the years, I don't think that there has been a single case on a regular commercial aircraft where it would not have been possible to fit a coat "somewhere" in the lockers after suitcases have been put in, but on a busy flight, that will simply need to be on top of large bags/suitcases or in between them where it is more likely to be crushed.
That said, in literally thousands and thousands of flights I have taken over the years, I don't think that there has been a single case on a regular commercial aircraft where it would not have been possible to fit a coat "somewhere" in the lockers after suitcases have been put in, but on a busy flight, that will simply need to be on top of large bags/suitcases or in between them where it is more likely to be crushed.
Nov 17, 2022, 4:00 pm
#14
Join Date: Jan 2017
Location: London
Programs: BA Gold
Posts: 847
Nope, the allowance is two bags, one small laptop bag / handbag (to go under the seat in front) and a larger cabin bag (which is not guaranteed, if there is no space). BA does not restrict whether you can take a coat, hat, scarf or any other clothing in addition to your two bags. Of course you should store things sensibly which involves not taking up locker space with coats.
