Yeah, I see the 1+1 signs, I hear the announce it, but I still see people coming on with 3 or 4 bags.

I wasn't saying I would bring on two rollers, I would disguise my smaller items as a roller and check my luggage roller.

Ahhh, now I understand, thats a good idea!

Its hit or miss as to when they enforce the 1+1. I have seen FAs boot passengers trying to board with 2+X or even 2 Full Size. But that not very frequently.

Qustion: Are the issues the same for long-haul travel? I have a 20 hour trip coming up this weekend and I plan to carry on 2 small bags, one for items such I'll use frequently such as books that I'll keep uder my seat, and another with a change of clothes etc. that I'll hopefully put in the overhead to avoid too much clutter at my feet. In this situation. I can't imagine this would be such a breach of ettiquette. Am I wrong?

Hi Coffeemom,

You are absolutely correct. Personal items under the seat, other bag in the overhead bin. Just make sure you board early so that you get overhead space.

The problem, that at least I have, is when people just bring small personal items like a small bag or a coat, and insist on putting them in the overhead bin and not using the underseat storage thus forcing others to have to gate check, when the under seat storage should be utilized first in order to accommodate everyone.

I'm in row 1 on my next three bookings (all Dash-8s and CRJs). Luckily I'm travelling back and forth to the same location so I can leave everything in my hotel suite minus my laptop and the clothes I'm wearing, plus a few personal items. I bring with me one laptop bag with my laptop, books, etc, and my coat. Both go into the overhead storage bin, coat on top of bag, because there's no other place to put them.

My usual "with rollaboard" technique is rollaboard in bin, coat on top of it, laptop bag under seat with personal items. Pretty basic, really.

I can't imagine ever putting my nice wool coat under the seat in front of me, it'd get filthy, especially in winter when you're trudging through snow to board your plane (yep, some airplanes are still boarded the old fashioned way, particularly AC Jazz flights).

Smaller bag under the seat? Absolutely. Do it whenever I'm not in the bulkhead.

Coat under the seat? That's just stupid.

But how big are they?

My wife routinely brings 3--but two of the three fit under the seat. She's within the spirit of the rules even though not the letter of them. She's never been challenged on having 3.

I've seen a few posts saying "the folks putting their laptop bags/personal items in the overhead" are "me me me" people.

The odd thing is, the complaint logic seems to be that the laptop folks are depriving the complainers of using even more space themselves, for bigger objects and hence they suggest the laptop folks should sacrifice personal foot well space to fix the problem. How does that "me, me, me" thing work exactly?

I am tall. I want my foot well. I also don't want the hassle of not being able to find overhead space for a roller bag. At the same time, I don't like to check bags, it's an extra delay getting out of the airport, and adds a risk of not having my bag show up. So I have a quandary I need to solve...not by depriving others, but by personal sacrifice.

I recognize that the world does not rotate around me and that I will have to make sacrifices.

So...I check my roller bag. This means that I have the hassle of a delay at the belt. This means I might not get my back for 24 hours (been blessed with this event about 3 times in the past 4 years).

It also means that I won't have to fight for space for a large roller bag on-board. It also means that I don't have 2 bags (one big one for the over head and one laptop bag in my foot well). It means that in lieu of the big roller bag on top, I will put my laptop bag on top. It means I will preserve my foot well space and it means I am sacrificing the convenience and confidence of having my roller bag in my care on the flight to do so.

I made this decision to:
- remove the stress of finding a slot for my roller bag
- preserve my foot well space by putting my smaller laptop up top in lieu of a big roller bag (with an unintentional but real benefit of taking up LESS overhead space from other pax)

Now, for another pax to insist I pull my smaller laptop bag, so that he can use the space for his bigger roller bag, so that he can enjoy the luxury of not having to hang out at the luggage belt with me, so that he can eliminate the risk of lost luggage that I experience, all at the expense of my foot well that I have preserved at the sacrifice of the same conveniences he now demands...

Well...that sounds more like a "me me me" perspective.

I don't like checking bags anymore than most folks. But I do it. I make the concession to make the process simpler for me. I do it to reduce a tiny slice of misery in the business of travel where I am stuck in a flying tube for hours on end with much I cannot control, but where I can secure my foot well (legroom). Not at the sacrifice of others, but by REDUCING my cubic space in the over head by checking my roller bag.

Other folks can make the same sacrifice, or they can choose to carry everything on board. IF they use the carry everything on board approach, there is risk of not finding space. Their choice to make. But, if you use this approach, deal with the risk of not finding a slot for your rolling footlocker. It's the tithe that can occasionally come due. It's why I don't use that approach. For me the climb ain't worth the view.

I have a couple of simple rules:

1. Be there first.
2. Store with consideration.

In the case of 2, if my bigger case will fit on it's side then I will do this and brace th laptop bag against it, taking up relatively little space given the size of the hand luggage. If I have a light jacket, sometimes it will fit above the two (especially on a 747-400).

I really hate it when people put their rolling case in the overhead bin length ways, taking up far more space than they need.

So, by checking my bag, and putting my laptop case in the seat well as the airline rules specify, I am selfish? I am trying to make room for peopel who do have to carry a bag on due to a tight connection, or simply because they cant afford to pay the extortionary fees to check them.

The perspective that PAX should use the seat well is the same perspective I have seen from most of the people on here who do not believe PAX should be putting things in the overhead bin that fit in a seat well.

Again, airline rules are that under seat is primary storage and PAX should not put up personal items until every one is on board unless they are in bulkhead. You don't have to check your bag, you can use the overhead space for what its designated for. I think if every one followed these rules, we would have quick departures and very little gate checking. You can always scoot your seat back and use the seat well for leg room after you take off. Having storage under the seat in front of you is just a part of air travel, and the rule of many airlines.

I was on a flight last week that departed 1 hour and 10 minutes after boarding began due to peopel fighting over bin space. Just suck it up and use your seat well. the "I don't want to use my seat well so I can have more room" is the me me me attitude.

If it boils down to not having a seat well, then I will simply bring my roller bag on board. No need to check it, when the only reason I would check it would be to keep my foot well.

Why in the world would I want to suffer the inconvenience (wait at belt, risk of loss) of a checked bag if I receive no benefit from it?

Net result? I have a laptop in my foot well, and the rest of the pax will have 6 times less space in the overhead (as my roller bag will be there instead of my laptop).

I lose a foot well, the rest of the pax lose 6x the over head space, but all are now happy as the letter or foot well law is being followed.

That's really what you are advocating? You want to see me use more overhead space? Really?

Thats one way to interpret it, but it is not what I am saying. I am not saying, "you should use more overhead space". The way I interpret it, and the airlines state, is that the under-seat storage is your primary storage. What I hear you saying, is you want extra room, so you don't have to follow the rules and will take up space elsewhere.

Well, if you are not explicitly saying it, I am explicitly letting you know that is what will happen.

Checking a bag is damn inconvenient. I would never make that choice if my foot well always needed to hold my laptop. I don't want to wait at the baggage belt anymore than the other folks trying to cram their roller bags on top. I only check my roller bag now, to make a smaller cabin foot print, to take up less space in the overhead, so that my foot well is free.

I guess the concept is more complicated to explain that it is in my head.

I am struggling with understanding why someone would insist I practice a behavior that would harm all.

Laptop in my foot well impairs my foot room, and 6x roller bag in overhead impairs other pax available space. It's a lose - lose proposition.

I travel EVERY week for work. I have seen it all when it comes to overhead bin space as I am sure most of my fellow bloggers have.

If your roller bag ONLY fits in sideways. Its too big. Check it. That is proper etiquette. An average of 5 rollerbags can generally fit into one bin wheels first. Two can only fit if sideways. This is rude.

If a jacket or purse is taking up bin space a flight attendant can ask whomever that purse/jacket belongs to store it under the seat. Will they? No. You can though. I've done it many times. "Excuse me, can you please place this under your seat so I don't have to check my bag?". If they say no, well I am sure you could think of something to say to make them feel 2 feet tall. Especially if you're sitting next to them. Purposely HOG that arm rest! If you are sitting behind them, set the worlds record for opening and closing your tray table!

Elite members board the plane first. So kiss those front bins goodbye if you aren't an elite passenger. I always recommend NOT picking front plane seats unless you are elite because elites will board ahead of you and GOODBYE bin space. Elites (like myself) are the worst people to fly with. We tend to be very demanding without patience because we fly so much.

I, personally, always check one bag and take a backpack on board and push it under my seat. I think everybody should respect that other passengers have stuff too.

I think the soloution to bag space is this..

If it doesn't fit in wheels first..it must be checked unless...
Luggage should take priority. I.E. Wheels first fit > sideways fit > coats/purses/etc.

Why they don't enforce this is beyond me. Flights get delayed b/c people are to busy threatening each other!