Wow... FA's treat people like idiots in Y
 

I have flown almost 300,000 miles exclusively with CO/UA over the last 21 months with IAH being my home base. My company pays for coach, but if it isnt a single class cabin (such as UA Express ERJ's) I will generally pay up to F if it doesnt look like my CPU is going to clear. Even on personal trips, I use an RPU or pay for F.

That all being said, I have flown coach a few times this year. Yesterday, my fiance and I took an earlier flight than planned LGA-IAH due to the incoming storm. We were booked on an A fare on our original flight but only Y was available on the earlier flight so we had no problem sitting in Y in order to get home (and not get stuck) in NYC. She and I both were AMAZED at how the flight attendants were talking to and treating passengers during the boarding process. I boarded with 2 bags (a rolling suitcase and a small duffle). I was in group 1 and was sure to be the first coach passenger on the plane in order to secure overhead space. I put my roller bag up and then proceeded to put my duffle up but was told I was only allowed to put one bag up. she told me to put it under my seat and I told her it wouldnt fit. she then informed me that I would have to check the bag. I started to object saying that wasnt a policy.... then I shuffled for a minute and let people by and when she left I put it in a different spot in the overhead and it went unnoticed. Same FA continued to HOUND people and was quite rude and spoke to everyone like they were morons. My point was there was a reason I was in group 1 and overhead space is 1st come 1st serve and I had the legal amount of bags.

During drink service she leaned over and asked me if I fly a lot... she had the manifest in her hand so I assume she knew my status. I ordered 2 drinks for my fiance and I and she said it was on the house. gee.... I wonder why she'd do that?

anyways it was quite a contrast to the (normally) acceptable service in F. This whole scenario seems to happen every time I end up flying Y.

Well, while you're probably technically right, it is a courtesy to only put one (1) bag in the bin.


I do not believe they get a Coach manifest now that they're on CO's systems, so there is no way to recognize coach flyers. She may have remembered you from the pre-boarding.


That was a nice gesture. Maybe she was


Eh, first service isn't that great all the time either. I had an on-time flight the other day with no pre-depart when we had ample time (on-time boarding and departure). Sometimes they sit in the galley and do the minimum. Sometimes they're very attentive and friendly. There can be a huge variance in both cabins.

Maybe the FA did not need to be rude about it, but you are allowed to bring on 1 bag and personal item (backpack, briefcase, purse etc.) that fits under your seat. Might not be a hard fast rule, but it is just the considerate thing to do to other people flying.

Did your fiance also have bag(s) in the overhead or was the duffle considered her bag in the overhead? That would alter my view if it was 2 in the overhead total for the 2 of you.

If it really was a "small" duffle, then it should have fit under the seat. What you have described (larger bag in overhead bin, personal item under your seat) I've heard from FAs time and time again. I usually carry on a truly small duffle (it even fits under the seat in an RJ-145) and my laptop case. Any additional luggage gets checked. I occasionally place both carry on items in the overhead bin and have never heard an FA complain, but that may be because my two pieces combined take up less space than most rollaboards.

"In addition to one carry-on item, you may bring one personal item such as a shoulder bag, backpack, laptop bag or an item of similar size"

All of those items and items of similar size would easily fit under the seat in front of you. So if your bag didn't, then you were indeed not following the rules, and she had every right to check your bag.

"Any item in excess of carry-on baggage size or allowance requirements as listed above will be checked to your final destination and may be subject to applicable checked baggage fees"

Putting your second personal item under the seat in front of you is also common courtesy, so that as many people as possible can get there carry-ons stowed before the bins get full.

She didn't have to be rude, that's for sure. But I can't really say I blame her.

I'd have to agree that if a bag is too big to fit under the seat in front of you, it's too big to count as a "personal item". Quit being selfish, and check your second bag.

Maybe harsh, but seems to have treated you appropriately if you brought two bags, neither of which fit under the seat. You admit you got on first, because you had the intention of hogging as much space as needed.

I agree completely with this. If the personal item doesn't fit under your seat, then it isn't a personal item. It's also common courtesy to only put 1 bag up because there usually isn't even enough space for everyone to put up 1 roll-aboard, much less a roll-aboard + a second bag, especially if that second bag is large.

The FA should remain professional, but I'd probably get fed up too dealing with the overhead space problem in Y on a daily basis.

Perhaps you didn't get treated to your liking, fair enough, but you make a lot of assumptions, exemplified by the title of this thread, which demonstrates some rather low-effort thinking on your part.

I've had the good, bad and ugly in F and Y. But hopefully I don't often have to sit next to someone who consumes more than their fair share of bin space and then cops the attitude that the flight crew is out to get them.

And, no, she didn't know your status, no matter how much you probably wanted her to. As you displayed an obvious lack of knowledge of the basic rules of bin space etiquette, you clearly came across as an amateur!

I admire the FA for offering the free drinks - an act of class you never said you expressed any gratitude for. Seems about par, given the rest of your post.

Oh, and while I hate to sound too skeptical, there are occasional trolls who start threads in the guise of unreasonably DYKWIA passengers (like the guy who flits from forum to forum complaining that his flight was delayed for a broken economy-class lavatory), so I have to ask:

Is it really possible to fly three hundred thousand miles in mostly-F within 21 months and still not make GS? :confused:

friendly skys?
 

A few years back I boarded an early morning UA flight out of Reno (6 a.m.) and was thrilled that the plane was nearly empty. I had the whole row to myself. I was surrounded by empty seats. I tossed my two book bags into the empty overhead bin and was immediately confronted by a FA. I pointed out to her that the aircraft door had just closed and that we were about nine tenths empty. She barked the order again and said I would be responsible for a flight delay until I complied. I brought the two bags down and placed the smaller one in the larger one and put the combined bag in the overhead bin. She thanked me for my cooperation.
I know what the rule is. But isn't common sense allowed to kick sometimes? What a way to start the day.

Some people think UA should do a better job enforcing rules, some think UA is too strict. Some people think UA should be more assertive so the flight can board quicker, some think that's rude.

I'm sure it's a tough job being a FA. If I were one, I know I wouldn't enjoy making the people in group 7 check their bags, and I would probably have a hard time keeping my cool when I see people stuffing two bags in the overhead bin.

But then again, if the flight is mostly empty, enforcing that rule is nuts.

If you're looking for validation, you aren't going to find it from me, or apparently most others - Throwing two bags in the overhead is outrageous.

my fiance had her purse only, which went under her seat.

poor girl was probably tired of being ignored by people who do whatever they want anyway.