TheBisch

Yesterday, I flew ATL-CHA on DL 5037... and of course, as usual, the flight was delayed because ASA "rerouted" our flight crew. So, we finally got another crew and then had to sit on the ramp at ATL because it was raining... finally, about an hour after we boarded, we took off and headed up to CHA.

About 40 minutes later, we arrive at the gate at CHA and I get up to get my laptop bag out of the overhead bin to find that it is absolutely SOAKED. At first, I glanced up to see where the leak was that allowed the rainwater to come into the plane. However at that same moment, something caught my eye.... the other bag that was in the overhead bin with mine was one of those plastic drawstring shopping bags... it was open. Inside was a bunch of ice cubes... wrapped in a towel.

I said, quite loudly, "What kind of a-hole would put ice in the overhead bin? My laptop bag is soaking wet!". A bunch of other passengers looked around and finally one dude (now known as "Iceman") started to stutter that it was his bag. I repeated myself and he just looked at me.

I took my bag off the plane and opened it up there on the jetway.... water leaked out of every hole in my laptop... keyboard, DVD drive, airvents, etc... My iPad and various paperwork for my job was wet too. Observing this, one of the other passengers said something about it. At this same moment, Iceman was stepping off the plane. So I said again, "I don't understand why some jacka--- would put ice in the overhead bin... everything is soaked". Iceman just hurried on by.

The iPad and paperwork survived for sure.... the laptop is still questionable.... we'll see. It's had some time to dry out and I'll try it later.

What I want to know is WHO does this???? Why would you wrap up ice cubes in a towel and think that it's okay to put that in an overhead bin?

DLATL777

Why did you let him walk on by?

TheBisch

What am I gonna do, beat him up in the Jetway?

I guess I should have added, I did get a phone number from him when I caught up with him at the rental car counter... no idea if it's legit or not.

He didn't seem to sorry about it....

davetravels

With all of the stories reported on here lately, plus one I heard on MSNBC this morning involving ASA/DL - - I'm surprised that Airport Security wasn't called on YOU!

3Cforme

Who was the poster, just a few days ago, who talked about getting ice in a SkyClub to keep food chilled on board? Lack of a proper container is certainly bad form.

fti

Yeah, but at least he said he put it in a ziploc bag and put that in a small cooler. Not quite the same (though nothing I have ever tried).

james318

Someone placed a half-full Starbucks cup in an overhead today, ATL-MEM... Nothing surprises me, I guess.

CJKatl

You should have taken pictures on the plane, including of the passenger, and asked for the police to meet the plane to take a report. You needed a record of the incident for insurance and/or to get the person responsible to pay for the damage. Let us know if the phone number is real.

TheBisch

Yep... I should have.... I did report the incident to the Delta employees working the ticket counter. The baggage handler was nice about it, gave me Delta's baggage office number in ATL, and told me to document everything. I did want to make sure I got it on record that "Iceman" was sitting in seat 3A on that flight...

Although having the local PD meet the plane? That would have made me the most hated person on the plane... we were already over three hours late getting to CHA and when I discovered the wetness, they had just opened the cabin door.

TheBisch

Yeah, I don't think I said "a-hole" the second time though.... when I called him a "Jacka--", I was already in the Jetway.

Out of my Element

You ever try to get ice in CHA? Didn't think so.

Would've been fine if the flight had been on time.

Orion

A few years ago I was on a UA flight arriving at BWI from DEN. A pax across the aisle complained about water dripping on his head. Once at the gate we discovered that it was melting ice from a fish stowed in the overhead courteousy of the pax ahead of him on the starboard side of the plane in first class. I was on the port side so I was not affected.

sheremetyevo

+1

I would be angry too, but certainly keeping a cooler (no pun intended) head might have ended in a better resolution to this. What makes you think Iceman would want to help you out after being called an a-hole 3 times?

I *never* keep my laptop in the overhead bin --- unless I'm seated at the bulkhead, of course. I'm always afraid that the bag might tumble out of the bin due to items shifting inflight or other PAX shifting said items.

GBadger

I'll be honest, if you repeatedly said a-hole and jack-xxx, I wouldn't be too anxious to apologize either.

Certainly, it was a stupid thing to do, and certainly, he should have apologized. Seems like you could have gone about the situation differently, however.

TheBisch

Good old Flyertalk... Blame the OP, and don't answer the question.

I didn't want advice on what to do... I wanted to know WHY someone might have ice wrapped in a towel in the overhead bin.