zac

I never said she wasn't wrong. I completely agree that she should have asked an FA.

Regardless, he did not “have to” stow his bag and then not keep an eye on it (it was two rows back). As our planes devolve more and more into the Greyhounds of the sky no one should take their eyes of their stowed bags until the plane is away from the gate (unless they don't care about the contents).

Green Dragon

So where would he stow it then? He was in a bulkhead seat (no space under a seat in front of him) and he said there was safety equipment in the overheads of the first couple of rows. Therefore the only place to stow his bag would have been back a couple rows. Surely you are not suggesting he CHECK computer equipment???? Or take First class's compartments? (presuming he wasn't already in FC)

PTravel

You just made everyone in this club room I'm in look up when I laughed as I read that.

zac

I'm just saying I would keep an eye on my laptop bag until the plane door was closed, no more, no less.

PTravel

I'm curious -- how would you have accomplished this? Boarding started 40 minutes before departure. I boarded first because I needed to assure overhead space, the first available was 3 rows behind me. Should I have knelt on my seat for 40 minutes staring at the bin?

Jaimito Cartero

You must have phenomenal eyesight, to be able to see in the back!

zac

If your bag is that important then you should figure it out. The first thing I would do it put it across the aisle so I could more easily look at it (I don't mean directly across since that doesn't sound like it was an option but over the middle seats a couple of rows back).

You didn't watch your bag, someone moved it. You were lucky, it could have been stolen. Regardless of it the woman was in the wrong or not (she was) you're taking a chance leaving a laptop out of sight.

PTravel

In other words, you have no idea. Got it.

As I said in my original post, this was a 767, which has even more limited overhead bin space for the middle sections than for outside aisles. I didn't do this because it would have been rude to those people seated in the middle.

I don't know how much you travel but, for some seats on some planes, it is impossible to keep an eye on stowed carry-ons. When I don't have bulkhead seats, my bag is under the seat in front of me. When I do, it's in the overhead bin near me. The configuration of this particular plane made either impossible.

zac

You said you could keep an eye on your bag but it would have been uncomfortable. Sounds like you had an idea.

I know this. It still doesn't change the fact that leaving a laptop out of sight is a bad idea. If you choose to do it (you did choose) then bad things can happen.

PaulKarl

A wonderful idea -- in theory. Unfortunately, our reality is that "causing a scene" is often considered a greater trespass than the underlying offense.

There is a funny bit in the film "Friends With Money" in which Frances McDormand's character calls out a couple who rudely cuts in front of her in line. _She_ is the one asked to leave.

Which means more people will become ruder and more self-absorbed . . . .

birdstrike

I would never move another persons bag, though I've had mine moved.

Curious though, what makes this a felony?

ucsf_med

It sounds like your personal reaction to the elite line checker doing his job protecting the elite line for you, was more severe than the lip you gave this passenger for asportating(? learning to use this new word) your laptop bag.

alanwar

Perhaps this was a setup for a theft. She moves the bag and hopes that the owner won't go looking for it during the flight. When the flight lands she (or an accomplice) grabs the bag and heads off the plane while the bag's owner is busy freaking out looking for his bag. Not the smartest way to steal but pretty low risk as the only chance to get caught is walking off the plane. And even then the thief could play the "oops I got the wrong bag" card. With the seat and baggage bin locations properly aligned that risk can be minimized. All the more reason to keep an eye out for your bag and/or check in on it during the flight.

Alan

craz

a very interesting topic to say the least, and I thought about what would I hav edone.

I can see it going BOTH ways. Heck I dont care why someone cant put their things above or near their seat I WANT my things to be above my seat, where theres a decal saying 32a/b. If the bin above someone else is already Full or there is none or cant be used, thats their Problem NOT mine. I dont care if the person knew or didnt know that they wouldnt have any bin space above their seat. Reserve a seat w/o a bin thats not my problem. Putting your things in teh bin above my seat is MY problem and will become Yours (not you personally PT). Before moving anything I would ask whose it is no reply and away it goes. All too often I see people who are sitting in the back stow there things in the 1st bins in coach so that they dont need to drag it to the back or back up front when landing.

The otherside, is if its NOT yours dont touch it! why should I be penalized since Im sitting where there isnt any bin or one that is filled with safety equipment that is for Everyones concern. Get on early and you wouldnt have had a problem, no bin is for just 1 person, and the seat #s on them is Not the Law but a guide.

AsI said it can be viewed BOTH ways.

Personally I go with Way #1, I want my stuff above me or if its filled next to me. Its a good thing that the vast majority of the people wouldnt say Boo and would find the next available bin as close to them as possible. Now if Johnny come lately boards just before the door closes and expects that everyone should accomadate him, Forget It, but if a person boards opens the bin and its full and wants to put their stuff in their so called bin, I have no problem with them telling me and Ill try to accomadate them. In other words if its a FULL flight then that means there isnt gonna be any bin anywhere and I wont move my stuff. If I know the res empty rows at the back then I will move my stuff to a bin where there should be no problem.

As planes are flying more and more Completely Full, its less and less that I will be willing to move my stuff.

Its really a Catch 22.

BamaVol

I think the best way to deal with the situation is to ask a FA what the airline's policy is. Then, whatever it is, ask that it be enforced, I had to take that approach when a couple tried to move my computer bag from the only space in the cabin where it would fit - in the bin over their seats. They insisted that the space above their seats was theirs. I insisted otherwise. I asked an FA, and I was initially worried that her approach would be that the space goes to Dutch people first and Americans were free to fight over what was left over (KLM flight). But, ultimately, she admitted it was first come first served (within reason: no Y bags in F, no 36E bags over 11B).