I've wondered about this for a while...how come some airlines suggest/require storing larger items underneath the seat in front of you (AC) while others the exact opposite (DL)?

I have honestly never heard any airline employee recommend putting the larger item under the seat in front of me.... and I have flown many; including Air Canada.

It might be a general advisory message during boarding - likely to help avoid passengers dropping bulky items on those already seated. I've heard this mentioned over the pa a number of times. Also stowing under the seat is often overlooked by passengers in favour of using the overheads, which most naturally migrate to. With larger carrys ons, the under seat storage is frequently under utilised.

It's part of AC's standard safety video. You can google it if you'd like.

I guess I'm just surprised there is no generally accepted rule/wisdom in terms of which practice is better for safety.

My wife and I flew AC for the first time in quite a few years 2 weeks ago and we both immediately noticed this. It is indeed the reverse of what most U.S. carriers state.

I think the idea is this: they want you to at least try to put your larger item underneath, smaller one up top, thus increasing the chance that everybody gets to stow their bags and nobody has to gate-check. Reality is that for a lot of people it simply won't work - my rollaboard isn't going under the seat no matter what they say. But maybe for a few it does, and that frees up a little room for others and less gate-checking has to be done.

From a safety perspective, I didn't notice any difference. FA's are still going to make sure the bag actually does fit under your seat, and they're still going to make sure all bins are fully closed.

The area below the seat in front of me is for my feet, not luggage. I never put anything there.

Maybe it's a question of weight. Large often equals heavy.

While never hearing the AC announcement, I have heard announcements requesting that heavy items are placed beneath the seat in front of you.

I assume this is to avoid possible injury, should a heavy item fall on a passenger. I seem to remember the case of a musician injured by some falling, heavy item from the overhead - it made the headlines at the time, but it was a while ago.

My carry-on is a soft day pack. It always goes under the seat. (I'm 5' 8", so leg room isn't a big issue, even in steerage.)

I thus have access to all the stuff in my carry-on without getting up, removing seat belt, etc. Plus I can pack stuff away while rolling to the gate, so ready to deplane at the bong. Now if I can only get past the jerks repacking their carry-on while standing in the aisle.

Actually, listening to the AC announcement again, it turns out it in fact refers to heavier items. I guess I just always associated heavier weight with larger size. Nevertheless, I find it interesting that different airlines seem to advocate opposite policies on this matter.

LH has a similar announcement. I can't remember if it says heavier or larger, but the video animation clearly shows a passenger storing his roll-aboard under the seat in front of him and a smaller item in the bin.

I actually started laughing when I saw that, imagining how that would work on UA/AA.

I've heard airlines say that duty free must be stored under the seat in front of you as well (I assume a safety thing, avoiding bottles of vodka showering down on passengers!).

Big/heavy down below is probably best for safety, but less good for comfort. As planes do not crash very often, nor do they encounter turbulence of the kind that damages the lockers very often, I will go for the comfort option and stow it in the overhead.

You're right about AC though - the sizers at GVA show it as well. They appear to be the only airline with it that way round. Indeed, EZY won't let you leave it below if it won't fit *fully* under the seat.

Neil

The only aircraft where I would place larger bags under the seat are the E135/40/45, and then only if I'm in row 12.

In theory that would be essentially meaningless, as LH has a max. mass of 8kg per cabin bag.

Duty free bottles are not as much of a problem as opened soft drink bottles. I recall at least one incident where someone's water (thankfully) bottle leaked onto pax from the overhead.

A voice of reason. ^

I was also very surprised when I first heard that (don't remember what airline or flight). Your explanation seems very reasonable to me, as I was wondering the same thing as the OP.

For me, it makes perfect sense to put those items that will never fit under the seat on top right away AND to give those items priority. Meaning, if some moron on a super full flight stows his briefcase there or a lady puts her purse there, knowing that these easily fit under the seat in front of them, they should be made to take it back out by the FA.

On a couple of occasions I have actually told people to take their small cases down so that a bigger one can fit. It's a matter of efficiency. They always begrudgingly understood.

Till

Perhaps that "moron" needs his limited legroom for his legs/feet, and that is his only carry-on?

If you told me to do anything with my luggage, I would tell you to get lost (assuming you are not an FA). If you asked me nicely, I might comply. Try understanding others' motivations instead of "telling" people what to do or referring to them as "morons".

Neil