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If you put your bag in a bin and its now full do you close it?

If you put your bag in a bin and its now full do you close it?

Old Mar 28, 2021, 9:23 pm
  #16  
 
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No because FAs often reopen them anyway to see if they can fit something in them, or if they can rearrange them to make room for something to avoid it being gate checked. This happens often on the planes I fly (I always fly AA, so can't speak about other airlines, but I would imagine it's common). So I just put my things in and sit. FAs know the best way to move and rearrange. And they always do that final walk-through anyhow, so it's not exactly a lot of extra time to shut a bin.
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Old Mar 28, 2021, 10:52 pm
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As others have said, much better to leave it open (after testing that it will close if you have any doubt) so others can fit smaller items in, or if anything can be rearranged (bags not tightly packed, put in sideways when they could be wheels in, or horizontally in the newest bins that can fit bags vertically).

If I'm an FA (I'm not) I actually want to push them closed myself so I'm sure they're all latched properly.
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Old Mar 29, 2021, 12:42 am
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Several people here have said that bin closing should be left to the FAs. Years ago I was on a NRT-DFW flight where the FAs went around telling the pax to close the bins. I was sitting in my J seat when the FA walked by and said to me, "When you get a chance, please close the overhead bin," and then walked away. Then they made an announcement on the PA asking pax to close the bins. Was a very strange experience, and I've never had another crew like that since.

(Incidentally, I posted about this experience on FT at the time. )
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Old Mar 29, 2021, 12:52 am
  #19  
 
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Originally Posted by enviroian
Common knowledge dictates if the bin is full its closed.
So who decides what is full and what is not ?
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Old Mar 29, 2021, 12:55 am
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Originally Posted by Unimatrix One
Several people here have said that bin closing should be left to the FAs. Years ago I was on a NRT-DFW flight where the FAs went around telling the pax to close the bins. I was sitting in my J seat when the FA walked by and said to me, "When you get a chance, please close the overhead bin," and then walked away. Then they made an announcement on the PA asking pax to close the bins. Was a very strange experience, and I've never had another crew like that since.

(Incidentally, I posted about this experience on FT at the time. )
So it was still left to the FA's ! They decided at a certain time the bind should be closed and asked people to do it.
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Old Mar 29, 2021, 1:15 am
  #21  
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"Everyone knows a closed overhead means a full overhead", except when it doesn't, for a number of reasons already listed. And an open overhead gives an instant, hands-free, visible storage check even if it is lowest common denominator. That photo is from row 1, so on European airlines laptops and larger tablets would have to be stowed during taxi, take-off and landing. And there is plenty of space for a laptop/tablet by the wheels, and probably at the other end too.
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Old Mar 29, 2021, 4:36 am
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Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
"That photo is from row 1, so on European airlines laptops and larger tablets would have to be stowed during taxi, take-off and landing. And there is plenty of space for a laptop/tablet by the wheels, and probably at the other end too.
Laptops, larger tablets, coats, handbags...

Nothing at your feet, everything up above. There's room in that bin for all sorts of stuff.

Looking at the bin next to it, there are two rollaboards in there stowed wheels first, why is the bin pictured a different shape and less capacious?
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Old Mar 29, 2021, 5:23 am
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Originally Posted by DeeGee26.2
Looking at the bin next to it, there are two rollaboards in there stowed wheels first, why is the bin pictured a different shape and less capacious?
I am not sure, but is it the 737-800 new space bins? Which actually take a lot more junk, but the one over row 1 can be cut short due to the airline's choice of galley and storage set-up. So that one is short and the rest are long. It's a pity that someone just got one monster size bag in it but some people seemingly can't travel without their stuff.
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Old Mar 29, 2021, 6:33 am
  #24  
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Yes if the bin is full I close it. Partly so that some moron doesn't try to shove a bag into a bin that it's not going in rather than checking the bag.
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Old Mar 29, 2021, 7:21 am
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Originally Posted by corporate-wage-slave
I am not sure, but is it the 737-800 new space bins? Which actually take a lot more junk, but the one over row 1 can be cut short due to the airline's choice of galley and storage set-up. So that one is short and the rest are long. It's a pity that someone just got one monster size bag in it but some people seemingly can't travel without their stuff.
yes it was a oasis fitted AA 738.

My open bin comment was really more about the small overhead above 1AC. It can only fit one bag and its full. When the woman in 1C plopped it up there she left the bin open.
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Old Mar 29, 2021, 7:52 am
  #26  
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I've opened a closed bin only to find plenty of room still available. I'd rather see a full bin left open than check to find no room available.
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Old Mar 29, 2021, 8:16 am
  #27  
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Originally Posted by enviroian
My open bin comment was really more about the small overhead above 1AC. It can only fit one bag and it’s full. When the woman in 1C plopped it up there she left the bin open.
Thanks for clarifying the aircraft type. My British Airways drawstring bag could easily be stored in that bin, certainly on the left side, maybe on the top or right side too, so to my mind it is not full.
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Old Mar 29, 2021, 9:32 am
  #28  
 
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If you're on FlyerTalk, you probably know how to tell if a bin is really full. If it is not, or you don't, leave it open.

If there's still room for a small bag or purse then I leave the bin open. If it is really full, I close it. I'll wait until boarding is complete then, if there's room, move my under-seat bag to the overhead.

I don't leave a bin open for a possible jacket placed on top of the bags. Someone with a jacket should know that it can fit in an otherwise full bin and will re-open it.

The FAs have enough to do to prepare for departure without having to close every bin the airplane themselves.
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Old Mar 29, 2021, 10:39 am
  #29  
 
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Originally Posted by md80only
Leaving the bins open = faster boarding process. No questions about is there space in that or not. I've seen boarding delayed by people opening up bins and checking all the way to the back of the aircraft. I am all about making life easier for the FA, but it is relatively painless to close at the end of boarding. I do like when the FA closes the F bins when the non F passengers start boarding for the reasons stated above. I also think it is smart to test to make sure it can close and then reopen.
I leave them open for this very reason.

I flew YXJ to YYT yesterday and wondered why people kept closing them. Closed bins = people stopping and opening them looking for space = delayed boarding. I also noticed that not all closed bins were full bins.
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Old Mar 29, 2021, 10:42 am
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Originally Posted by Fortech
I leave them open for this very reason.

I flew YXJ to YYT yesterday and wondered why people kept closing them. Closed bins = people stopping and opening them looking for space = delayed boarding. I also noticed that not all closed bins were full bins.
HOwever some flight attendants will make an over head announcement to the effect of "if the bin is closed it's full"
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