Good. I'm glad I'm not the only one to feel this way. I was starting to have second thoughts reading this thread.

Unless I am in a bulkhead or exit row, the space under the seat is for my legs. I ALWAYS carry on ONE item, be it a backpack or a 21" roll-aboard (which fits wheels out in the overhead bin). I try and board when elites are called, so I don't have to gate check my bag on a full flight. I've learned my lesson once. If I ever do go back to being a peon (non-elite), I'll make sure to book a row in the back of the plane (last rows board first, among non-elites), so I'll have space in the overhead.

I would like to take this opportunity to formally apologize for all of the following transgressions I have ever committed with regard to the over head bins:

1) Sometime in the early 00's, flying ORD-EWR on UA, with my Dad who is carrying on a rollerboard. We arrive at the gate in the middle of the boarding process, and we are seated near the back. Halfway down the aisle, I notice all of the filled in seats, and closed overheads, and I tell my Dad to just stow his bag in the bin above where we were standing, several rows in front of out seats. He complies.

2) April 07, flying ORD-SEA on AS, trying to make a tight connection in SEA to RNO. My rollerboard, which fits comfortably in the overhead bin, is several rows back. There is an empty middle seat in my row, so shortly before final descent, I remove the bag, and place it on the floor in front of the empty seat so I am able to deplane swiftly and make my connection.

3) April 07, flying SEA-ORD, flying on AS in Y after a screw up regarding my FC reward ticket. I was among the first to board. Even though I was sitting in the last row, I placed my rollerboard in the first coach bin, mostly b/c I was pissed about being in Y through no fault of my own (details are in the AS forum.)

4) Flying ORD-ATL late last year, I personally re-arranged the bins so my rollerboard could fit. This involved pissing off someone who had carefully laid down their jacket before I moved it.

My biggest gripe is those who do not fill in the bin efficiently even though it is empty. There is a ton of room for all the bags, but not if several small bags are placed haphazardly. Vertical storage of jackets, coats and all small items should be SOP.

No need to apologize for this. I would have done the same.

I wonder if the person that got pissed did so because you were moving around their stuff without asking first.

For many its all about approach. If someone were to grab my bag and put it on the floor or handle it roughly then I'm going to say something. But if they were to ask first then I have no problem and will probably either help or stuff it under my seat.

Where else in life do you feel free to handle other people's property without asking (people that you don't know)?


*same thing for swapping seats. I fly mostly short halls so I have no problem swapping seats, even for a middle, so people can sit together. But if they are rude about it, I'm not moving. All about approach.

If I am in coach and choose to put a jacket in the overhead, I fold it and place it on top of my rollaboard. That way, it takes up no extra space and avoids be smashed by the bags of other passengers.

Actually, it hasn't happened to me. The closest I've seen it is 2 rows in front of me, but my stuff was already safely stowed over my head

But I will say something if it happens to me.

Hows this for overhead behavior- on my flight this morning, two gentlemen who were sitting in F boarded about 3/4 of the way through general boarding. F's overhead space was almost gone by the time I got on, and I was the 5th person to board. The two guys had lap top cases and those huge roller garment bags. Naturally, there is no room in the overhead in F for them. The flight attended offers to gate check the bags, or find room for the bags in the back.

Both gentlemen refuse. One starts opening and slamming bins, trying to move around already stacked bins (and we had some impressive tetris type bins going on) all the while complaining there was no overhead room. One guy gave up and put his bag in the back. The other was still complaining and searching for room. Finally, we were ready to take off and he is still standing in the aisle with his garment bag. The flight attendant finally had to tell him to pick the back, the gate check, or he and his bag can wait for the next flight.

He sent it to the back. And wouldn't you know, as soon as we landed, he started fighting to get to the back to get his bag.

That must have been a 735, if four people took up most of the bin space in F (correct?).

Totally explainable. He like most others with this attitude is simply more important then the rest of the people on the plane.

And you think the FA should move his bag in favor of yours? What happens if there isn't any other space....just gate check his and let you put yours up?



As a side note it seems that the overhead bin space is the main bottle neck in getting people on the flight. Its amazing how people will try whatever possible to avoid a gate check.

I was guilty of not asking. In retrospect, I could have been more diplomatic, but I felt lucky to even make the connection, and I also felt a need to demonstrate my bin re-arranging prowess to those of lesser powers who did not foresee my arrival, when they obviously should have a left an empty space in the bin equal to the exact size of my bag.

Once before I was the very first person to get on board during FC pax pre-booarding(it was 73G or 733), but when I stepped in there were 4 non-revs in uniform already sitting in FC cabin, and more than half of overhead bins were already filled by similar black rollerboards.

Yes, but only if there is space elsewhere.

I'm talking about the SIBM who gets on the plane with a seat in back and hogs all the overhead space at the front of the plane leaving no room for those actually sitting in that area. That's just plain rude.

If there isn't any other space, one would assume the plane has nearly fully boarded and any overhead is fair game.

So its a timing issue for you? You'd only do this if you were the first person in the row? Would you first ask if there was another person say 1 or 2 rows away from you? Or does this take you being the only person for many rows?

Or do you have to see the person walk back before you get the FA involed? What if he is going to the restroom?

If the plane is empty in your scenrio why not just put your bag a row forward or back?

Its an interesting subject. (I'm not sure what SIBM stands for).