Mike Jacoubowsky

Last nights weather-delayed UA 225, IAD-SFO, was further delayed during boarding by something I haven't seen before-

Early-boarding passengers with seats towards the back of the plane (which doesn't make sense, does it?) placing their rollaboards in the first-available compartment they come to.

It was nuts; I've never seen anything like it, but I watched as several people boarding in front of me snagged the first-available overhead bin and kept on walking... even though the bins were empty at the back. I was in row 6, boarding in front of seating group #1, and had to use bins above row 13. It got worse for those boarding after me, and having to swim against the oncoming tide of passengers to get back to our seats made the boarding process painfully long.

We also had a number of people with obviously-too-large bags they were placing in lengthwise. No announcements were made about overhead protocol until the aisle was filled with people unable to find room for their bags. FAs were making comments about how "security" should have spotted the oversized bags, but they made no announcements about overhead bin issues until it was far too late, and they were definitely in a position to see passengers putting their gear in bins up front and walking back.

So I'm curious, why would people do this (put their gear up front when they're sitting in back and it's obvious there's space there), and wouldn't it make sense to enforce bin policies early on rather than waiting until it's a too-late issue?

Or was this a very strange flight and nobody's ever seen this happen before? If bins in F were full, sure, I can see overflow F baggage heading into Y, but that wasn't the case.

As for those who have to place a bag sideways in a 757 or any other properly-designed overhead (not the 767 obviously!), I say throw 'em off the plane.

Mark_K

Within your own seating class, bin space is shared storage, putting items in a bin near your seat is an option (a courteous one) not a requirement.

As far as why you would, if you're sure you won't need it, it's the most convenient place to put it.

Also, IME, possibly because they're the ones with the opportunity, fliers with elite status are the most likely "offenders".

WineCountryUA

pissed off (from no upgrades) 1Ks/1Ps??

let the flames begin
IMHO -- you need to use your assigned cabin bins

Ancien Maestro

What's the unwritten rule regarding storage on bins above?

Seems to make a lot more sense if one should store their belongings in the vicinity.

Doug 1029

I have observed this often and it really never bothered me. In most cases it is FF not the causual flyer. Now the over size bags are another thing, gate check the dxxx bag.

TheBagman

General Public + Anonymity = %$#@
Happens on the Internet, happens on the airplanes.
I don't like it.

Mike Jacoubowsky

You might feel otherwise if you had to stuff your bags to the rear of the plane and then fight traffic back to your seat, and watch the process repeated by many others, on a flight already delayed 90 minutes and now arriving at SFO at 2:30am. And then have to wait until the entire plane has finished exiting before you can retrieve your own bag... and you were in row 6.

If you're in the first third of those boarding, and you're in the middle to rear of the plane, there's no need to grab the first-available overhead bin for your luggage.

I appreciate the humor, but think this is a serious issue on a packed plane. If it becomes routine practice, the boarding process is going to be slowed down significantly, to whose advantage? I used to think much of the complaining about bin space was ridiculous, but not anymore. If a bag has to fit in sideways in a "normal" overhead bin, it should be checked, and this announcement should be made prior to boarding.

So you're saying people want to get rid of their luggage as soon as possible? That sounds like a good reason to check your baggage! The check-in counter is invariably much closer to the airport's entrance than the plane; same thing for the baggage carousel. If people want to avoid carrying their luggage another 50 feet in the plane, I'm all for shortening that distance a whole lot more. And if, as you say (and I have no reason to disbelieve) that it's elites who are the worst offenders, great, they don't even get charged for checked luggage.

cordelli

It's quite common, people get on the plane, and either feel the chance of them getting space in the back is like nothing or don't want to carry the bag all the way back and out again, so they grab the first space they can.

Of course, if enough people do it, the bins in the back stay empty so the people who board last (those sitting up front) have to put their bag all the way in the back, and then wait till everybody gets off to go back and get it.

There's not much you can do about it, it's just how some people are, and I guess it only takes once to get all the way to the back and not have any space and fight the line to get back to the front again to consider it.

Doug 1029

I would suggest you check your bags might help your blood pressure.

dgcpaphd

I agree with you in principle. However, when we are on a 767, the bins are small and it is not possible to put a regulation size bag straight in. It must go on its side.
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Mike Jacoubowsky

Agreed; I mentioned the 767 issue in my original post. Who designed those things? I guess it's obvious they're a lot better made than anything in your kitchen else there would have been plenty of opportunities to update. :-)

Mike Jacoubowsky

Getting home at 3:30am didn't help. :-)

Guess I need to spend another 5 years as a lowly 2p and recalibrate?

Jim055

Twice, I took the offending bag down and had it gate checked. Never saw the offenders because after landing I was already off the plane with my bag.

dgcpaphd

You are joking, I hope.

There are many good reasons passengers carry on their conforming size luggage.

I do not recall reading that the OP "insisted" he bring carry on luggage aboard. I assumed he is like many who fly, he prefers not to check his luggage which is a right of any passenger (cake or no cake).

Even if he selected a seat in the back of the airplane, there is no guaranty that he would find an open space in the overhead bins by the time he got to the back of the plane.

I think the OP assertions are logical and reasonable. However, to advise him to check his luggage or sit in the back of the aircraft is not reasonable.
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rjw242

Don't see how you could do much about it, being stuck 15 rows back in an aisle clogged with passengers