I always check my bag and carry a backpack with me on the flight which I always put it in the overhead bin. More people should check bags and not fight each other to try and store their oversized carry on in a bin. If you bring one item onboard, you should have the option to put it in the bin or under your seat. If you bring two, one should be forced to go under your seat.

First... no one should board with three items. But, that is a GA failing.

As to FC bins... I will confess to often placing both a rollaboard and a laptop case up top. But I maintain a situational awareness of the possible need to move the laptop bag, and the willingness to do so, if the space is needed to avoid being unfair to others.

And, guess what, in my experience there is seldom a problem. In fact, it is not unusual to see an FA use remaining open space in the FC bins for bags brought up from coach.

At 6'2" and with a problematic leg that benefits from stretching out, I am not going to arbitrarily adhere to a "one up and one down" orthodoxy if there is "up" space that would otherwise go unused.

Edited to add: FC OH bin space would be even less problematic if more people were aware of, and practiced the convention of placing, rollaboards wheels-out and in the bins on the 3-seat side of planes (such as the MDs). And, if they were aware that FC FAs really do hang your coat for you. Attribute this newbie naivete to the success of FCM.

I did do that after takeoff. Was still incredibly miserable. :( The 737-900s are torture tubes.

Once boarding has finished I throw my person item in the bin if there's extra space. If I'm up in J on an international widebody I throw both items up there as soon as I board since I know so much of the space will still be unused (and many J seats say you can't place items in the footwell for takeoff and landing anyway).

And you're right about the people who manage to board with more than the allotted carryon limits - that is nothing more or less than a GA failing, and unfortunately, way too many are failing in this regard.

I just wait until the FA starts down the aisle closing bins, by which time I have gotten anything of use during flight out of my small cloth computer bag (man purse). Then, if there is space available, which there always is for this bag, I hop up, stow it, and sit back down. Solves all of the above issues.

Ahahahahahaha

That's not a GA failing. I would be absolutely SHOCKED if GAs are not specifically instructed to look the other way, at least when elites are boarding during PREM and SKY zones).

People should be putting rollaboards wheels out in the back as well, so it's hard to "blame FCM" for the unwashed masses offending you in this case.

And IME I am usually hanging onto my coat for quite a while before a FA offers to hang it, so it's not surprising that people end up putting them up top. Another case where blaming the passenger is misguided.

This!

I am 6'2" and always put my laptop bag under my seat because I have empathy for those who are forced to carry on because of these ridiculous baggage fees. But you are a generous and wonderful human being regardless :rolleyes:

Except one of three things is going to happen to those who brought a roll-a-board as a carryon to avoid a bag fee:
1) they gate check their bag prior to boarding at no cost when the GA makes an announcement asking for people to check their bag
2) their bag gets gate checked during boarding when bin space runs out
3) bin space doesn't run out and they still get to out their bag in the OH bin.

All three of those options result in no bag fee. Those who feel entitled to bin space because they're trying to avoid paying the bag fee are actually the most selfish to those who DID pay the bag fee to check their bag so they could put their laptop case in the OH bin and have the leg space.

Reminds me of the "nice man" who informed me that I was putting my luggage in wrong and Fixed it for me. Of course I put it in that way because it blocks the bin if it goes in the way he knew it should go in the overhead bin won't close. LOL!

(As for the three pieces of carryon Mr DYKWIA had with him I am sure the GA just decided the fit he would have thrown wasn't worth it. Or maybe that's why he was so late boarding. I don't think it was a late connection at MCO :))


I do think Delta is missing a HUGE opportunity. When anyone (including a DM) shows up at the gate with the 25" oversize luggage they should take a page from the el cheapo carriers and charge you about $200. Skip FCM and go for baggage fees. I have seen so many people bringing way bags that are way too big or just too many bags through security in Atlanta because they know Delta will give them a free gate check. It's time to close that loophole!

I have no problem putting a personal item in the bin. Sometimes, all I'm carrying on is a small backpack and a rolling briefcase, which are both personal items. Something has to go in the bin.

Agreed. I sometimes have two personal items as well (either a backpack and camera bag or maybe my backpack and my work laptop case). Regardless of whether both could go under the seat, the smaller one is going under the seat.

Additionally, I have no problem putting my personal item in the OH bin when it's my only carryon because my personal item takes up less volume/space than the roll-a-board I could otherwise bring on and put up in the bin. It's rather amusing to me that the opinion of some on here is that although I choose to check my space consuming roll-a-board and instead put a bag up there that takes up LESS space than said roll-a-board, thus leaving a little more room in the bin for others that I could otherwise take up (and will have to wait at bag claim for it after the flight), that I'm somehow the "selfish" one to those who do bring their roll-a-board as their carryon.

Personally, I would love a world where airlines just got rid of the overhead bins altogether and if you have a big huge bag with wheels you gotta check it. Can you imagine how fast boarding and deboarding would be?

^ Your ideas are intriguing to me, and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter.

This is pretty much what we do on regional jets now. ;) (and yes, it's amazing how much faster boarding and deplaning are on RJs)