Where is the line drawn?

Real situation tonight. Person in 4B had this large bag that was not in any shape or form under the seat in fron of them, they had to bend their legs backwards to have the bag sitting there. At take off it was there. During the flight it was there. During landing it was there. The FA never made any comment. And I can assure you this was not a judgement call. In fact if I had been in 4A I would have told the passenger or FA to get the bag moved as if there was any type of emergency 4A is not likely to be getting out of the plane.

Some of the safety rules are questionable (has a computer being on ever broght a plane down?) but this clearly is a safety issue.

Several options I see:

1. Bring it to the FA attention.
2. Bring it to the passengers attention.
3. Follow up with AA
4. Do nothing.

Thoughts?

It's up to you, of course. IMO the FA theoretically should have noticed and instructed the passenger to secure the bag properly, like monster laptops inthe seatback pocket. Given some turbulence, the object in question can become a lethal missile with lots of force behind it, and of course an obstruction to emergency exit of any kind is frowned upon by the FAA.

Not sure which I would do, but I can eliminate #3. If it's really a problem, do something about it at the time, not days or weeks later.

I guess if I were in 4A, if I thought it was a safety issue for me, I would ask 4B to stow it, and offer to help. I would probably think I could step over it, though, and in that case just do nothing.

some times FAs enforce all rules including bag size and if it dont fit they make you check it,
and some times FAs ignore important rules.

its just like service some times its good and sometimes its not

When I am traveling as a passenger, I usually ask people to put it away properly. I certainly helps that most of my flights as a passenger are commuting to and from work, so I am in my uniform--instant credibility, I suppose.

If the bag doesn't get stowed properly, and I am not in uniform, I would probably flag down the FA as she walks by, saying something like "Ma'am...looks like some help is needed in finding a place for this bag..." or something like that would sound courteous and wouldn't hammer the doofus (oops, did *I* say that??) for not listening/knowing/caring.

Thanks, DCA Blondie, that sounds like just the ticket!

Jet flight is so smooth - most of the time! - and we have so many aids (Doppler radar, etc.) to help avoid dealing with wind shears, etc. people have little experience with nasty bumps in the night, and feel FAs are just carping when they ask people to stow that laptop or big bag.

I've been in landings hard enough to pop all the 02 masks and open some of the bins; I'm glad nothing large went flying inside the cabin. And all it takes is one incident like AF 358 to think of what could have happened if an exit was blocked by a bag, etc.

I think the dilema is that you have the potential (right or wrong) to tick off two people in a matter of seconds (the passenger and the FA).

Obviously when you see a bag there, you think 'oh they'll catch it the next time by' but then the FA is strapped in and it's too late.

In this case another option would have been to mention it to the FA on the way to the lav, at least that way they would have been prepared for it during landing.

I might note this was a night flight and the cabin lighting was not too good, so it was not as obvious as a day light flight.

Not a safety issue, but a related item. On a flight the other day I saw a flight attendant make people remove duffle bags that could fit under a seat so that someone else with a bag that couldn't could have the spot.

If it had been my bag that was involuntarily shoved under my seat when I was only taking one overhead bin space I would have been seriously PO'ed. First come first serve on one bin space per pax should be the rule. I check a bag specifically so I can have my leg room clear and only take up one spot in the overhead for my large briefcase.

If you board too late and want to bring a large bag onboard that can only fit in an overhead and there are no overhead spaces left then it should be gate check for you. No exceptions. It shouldn't be my problem that pax Jones insists on bringing a huge carryon aboard.

I've had one small carryon (my laptop) under the seat in front of me, and the other in the overhead bin. Someone boarding late took my carryon out of the bin and walked it halfway back to jam it in a bin there, so he could cram his giant (way over specs) rollaboard in the bin above me. When I told him "That's my carryon" he just ignored me and kept on going. FA stood there like a statue and watched. In any situation involving 150 people, there will be 15 jerks.

As the bag starts to move - that's when I say "Please leave my bag where I put it!"

I wouldn't hesitate for a second to say just that. Don't mess with my bag 'cause I am always courteous and legal with what I bring on board.

One time, on a rare Southwest flight, a FA asked if I would put my roller bag breifcase under the seat (I always check the suitcase) and I said no way. He said I was uncooperative. I politely replied that I was ultra coperative because I checked my main bag and as such agreed to wait in baggage claim so as not to overload the overhead bins. He moved on and harrassed someone else without comment.

I watched a couple today park their butts at the gate door this morning at ORD waiting to board a flight to MSP. They just had to be first on the plane and I could see why.
Two large bags each

I was in 4B if F cabin, they were in 3E and 3F on the bulkhead. I was the 5th person to board, or was trying to board. I was stuck at the door waiting for Mr. 3E and Mrs. 3F to stuff all of their luggage in two whole overheads on the right side. Even though these bins are deeper, they insisted on putting the rollerboards in sideways. And then 1/2 the second bin was used for the guys hat and scarf.

Talk about inconsiderate bozos. I'm really starting to hate selfish people like that. I was glad I was on the other side of the aisle.

I'm not sure if you were responding to my suggestion or not...I think you were...

If someone asked me, a working FA for help with a bag that needs to be put away, I would not be upset in the least...it is a part of my job--I do it all day long already. If the person sitting next to you gets p*ssed, well, he will just have to sit there and fume. (and let's hope he has a really hard Sudoku puzzle that drives him batty to add to his fuming!)

Sometimes, people just don't know that their bags must be stowed completely under the seat or in an OHB. Others (like a lot of you status holders--BUSTED!!! ) will try to stash their briefcase behind their legs and prevent me from seeing it. And, if you have a coat across your lap, it makes it difficult.

Ultimately, it will be you tripping over that bag if an evacuation is warranted. You really don't want another obstacle in your way when you are trying to get out of an airplane...

We can't get anything over on you... Dang, Blondie, next you'll be working with US Customs and Border Protection!

I'm sure many FA's would not make a big deal about it, but 'reporting' someone else with a bag that needs to be put up is a bit like telling someone they didn't do their job (obviously mistakes happen) and not everyone would take as well as you would.

And I hate to say it, if the person in 4B wants to endanger themself that's one thing but there was a military upgrade in 4A who would have been the inocent victum in an emergency.