Overhead bin etiquette
 

I was wondering if any of you think that an announcement by the GA during boarding along the lines of "kindly stow purses, briefcases and fragile knick-knacks under the seats in front of you" ...so much time and FA aggravation could be saved, no?

Welcome to FT.

Most FAs do ask folks to put "smaller items" under the seat in front of them, saving the bins for rollaboards. Sometimes works; sometimes doesn't. But it is usually said.

Cheers.

if needed, ill attempt to enforce this rule/request myself!

Overhead bin and etiquette do not belong in the same sentence!

I believe the unsaid, but universally accepted rules of engagement re overhead bins are "free-for-all"...which is why elite boarding is such a great perk, regardless of ticketed cabin.

(yeah, yeah...I know I'm stating the obvious, but it just needed to be said, no?)

cheers!

I find the behavior of my fellow elites to be at its worst when taking over bin space. Sure, they put their rollaboards up there, but then they put their computer case/purses/small items/overcoats/foodstuffs and other things up there. And they are in first and want to stretch out. And then, while the flight takes off and the seat belt light is still on , they go up there to get something. Elites are mot a whole bunch better than regular pax in my short tenure as EXP

Now you just take that back!!! We ARE TOO better... ;)

My preferred seat in F on the Mad Dog is 3E/F, which means all my stuff goes in the overhead...anywhere else and I'll stuff something under the seat (the one IN FRONT of me). If the plane is lightly loaded, as it often is into and out of COS, I'll put it all up there and move the smaller bag if it looks like things are getting tight. I've never left all my stuff in the overhead if there's someone about to have a bag gate-checked...perhaps that's uncommon courtesy among elites, but I think not.

cheers!

If your coat or laptop bag is in the overhead and I need room for my rollaboard then your coat and/or laptop bag is coming down...sorry

I have to agree that WE are not BETTER, but we deserve better treatment since we spend so much money with AA. Additionally we ARE better travelers since we do it so often. Before I get flamed, the majority of my travel is personal, not paid for by my employer.

BTW: I do follow the overhead bin requests. Briefcase under the seat, Rollaboard in the DEF bin wheels first.

While it is rather disturbing to see other pax disregard the announcements about stowing bags below their seats, there are other policies I'd like to see AA crack down on before this one. For example, doesn't it drive every EXP, PLT, or GLD on this board crazy to see regular pax use the new Priority AAcess line or disregard the announcements about not using the F or J lavs and to use the lavs in their ticketed cabin??

As a GLD, I board in Group 1 and must admit that I do occasionally sneak all my items above before the other pax board. Simply put, I think the FA's and GA's need to be more firm about enforcing the policies and procedures.

That is the whole issue. With so much in the overheads there is no way to make everyone happy. IF all I have is a small carry on why should I be penalized and forced to lose my legroom? Overall the new baggage fees have created some headaches.

Put your laptop bag or coat up in the overhead AFTER the rollaboards have been stowed. I've never had a problem finding room for a coat and/or laptop bag after everyone is on board. Everyone is happy then, people with rollaboards have their space and you have your legroom.

Fair enough...whither the bulkhead pax?

Your right to that space is not superior to my right or that of anybody else, and you have no more right to remove my carryon (just because it is smaller than yours) than I have to take your rollaboard and toss it onto the tarmac.

If overhead bin space is so important to you, then you should board early to make sure it is available to you.

Not if that is my only carry on. We will come to blows.

If a coat is your only carry-on you can't wait until everyone with bigger bags has stowed theirs first?? It's not a difficult concept

Get a room!

On my flights I would say sometimes it works, but most of the time it does not. Often I hear people mutter that they are entitled, and sadly many just have the "ME Syndrome."

If I have a jacket I would like to put away in the overhead bin, I put it on top of my own bag.

I'm sure that will turn out well.

It might work IF you ask nicely. :)

Just remember to put yourself into the other person's shoes. What goes around comes around. ;)

it is very easy to stow coats on top of rollaboards after they are all in the overhead bins.

Fights over overhead space would probably be reduced if people put their stuff in the overheads space efficiently. For example, rollaboards wheels in or wheels out (there are four possible orientations to try for a marginal rollaboard), and put your own coat or small items on top of your own rollaboard in the overhead.

The request is often made in the announcement, but may not be always followed by travelers. As you can see, a very sticky subject for some.

On all UA flights, they announce multiple times that your under seat storage is your primary storage and you are to use it first, only if you have an item that does not fit there can you put it in the bin. They then state that all briefcases, coats, and small bags must be placed in the under seat storage and can only be placed in the bin after every one is on board and all roller bags have been loaded.

Sadly, no one listens. Its a free for all.

But when I have a small bag, I put under my seat (in front). There are always people who end up gate checking. So I agree with Pilot. If that's all you have, put it under your seat, the overhead is for Roller boards.

I'm 6'3 and I need every inch of space "under the seat in front of me."

If I've checked my rollaboard and the only thing in the overhead bin space is my laptop bag and my coat then it's staying up there. Go find some other place for your steamer trunk :)

How do I do this from the window seat? I put my laptop bag and coat "efficiently" up there then I get in my window seat, put my iPod and paperback in the seat pocket and put on my seatbelt. I'm now good to go.

i always get on board early enough to ensure my stuff is where i want it

I have rarely seen flights where there wasn't enough overhead space for everyone

I'm always in "zone 4" or "group 4" (last to board) and fight for overhead space.

I've been on 20-ish segments since summer... Every single one of them had overloaded bins with some bags requiring a gate-check.

The problem, of course, the airlines created for themselves....by charging for checked baggage and then losing it all the ....ing time, all the bags that belong in the belly now come up to the overheads. handle bags properly and I'm sure this problem will likely go away. ;)

Often my only carry on is a shoulder bag that is very similar to a laptop bag. It always goes into the overhead. I don't mind rearranging it to accommodate a roll a board but I wont put it under my seat....I want my legroom.

If I choose to check a roll a board / suitcase to save overhead space (or guarantee my one small shoulder bag can go in the overhead) I'm not sure why someone who didn't want to check a roll a board is somehow entitled to that same space just because their bag is bigger.

For almost every flight I've been on (I fly US), the GAs announce that smaller items must go under the seat AND everyone should hold onto their coats until the overhead bins are filled. Personally, I hold onto my coat... I'm not big into having my expensive coat smashed under someones dirty rollerboard wheels.

That being said, I would never dare to remove someones item from the bin, even if it looked like it could fit under their seat. Maybe I have too much faith in humanity, but I would just assume that they had a valid reason for doing so.

If someone removes my carryon from overhead bin to store theirs without asking, that bag is going to be gate checked.

The one thing I've learnt from this thread is that if I am travelling with just a laptop and want my legroom I should also bring along a much larger rollaboard to put the laptop in and then put the rollaboard in the overhead.

It's a combination of (a) airlines charging for the first checked bag; and (b) the distance between rows is getting smaller.

it has...many times :)

I do hear the announcement and I ignore it. I almost always check my luggage, and I've found that if I put my computer baga and stuff under the seat in front of me I can't stretch out my legs.

I'm not going to ruin my trip because other people refuse to check their bags.

Everyone could check their rollerboards and then we wont have an issue (infact, we may even have some spare room to store some extra pillows :)). Since thats not going to happen I like the free for all. It takes into account people who paid more typically or travel more (business folks), and are more likely to carry both pieces of luggage as well as so they get to their client locations on time.

The airlines could fix it all and give us all first class seats.

How bout first and foremost handling bags properly? i.e. don't lose them, don't break them, make baggage handlers and airlines personally liable for any damage or loss to checked in luggage.

My rollaboard always has medicine I'm not about to check.