Above seat carry on space in first class if late arrival and/or row 1
 

So for the second time in three days, I go to my seat 1A to find there is no room for my carryon until the very end of first class. At least there is room. Yes, late connecting flight so unable to get to the gate before BG 3, but at least I made the connection.

I remove what I need during the flight, but trying to swim upstream at the end of the flight is a nightmare as obviously everyone else wants to get off.

It is not as if the FAs are unable to see there is no one seated yet in 1A and there is obviously no room for carryon and you are not permitted to put anything in front of you (as there is no seat) and I then try to hide my purse behind my legs as my purse being four or five rows from where I am seated is a no go.

I know I am not the only person in First Class who has these issues as I see it happen to others who board after me.

United should really look at this issue.

Not much they can do IMO. Sure they can police it, but on most aircraft, part of the overhead bins over row 1 are taken up by safety/FA equipment. That already gets rid of some space. Then theres space for about 2-3 bags for the 4 people in row 1, not including the personal items that also need to fit somewhere. I've recently only been sitting in row 1 as I prefer the bulkhead, and I always make sure I'm first in line to board so I find space. Even then, with GS boarding before, etc, I still have to put one of my items above row 2. Not the end of the world, but it is a negative about row 1.

Agree, although the problem is broader.

United should do two things:

1) Instruct FAs that their baggage should go at the back of the cabin, if there's not separate storage, not the front of the cabin.
2) Install signs in the bins above bulkhead seats stating "this bin for bulkhead passengers only". Of course, if that space goes unused after boarding is complete, the FA could use it, but not before then.

The problem is not just First class but also economy bulkhead.

Unfortunately, the solution is to board early, which is why many of us in bulkhead do.

It's a widely documented issue that bulkheads don't have enough seating since everything must go aboard. What do you suggest the FA's do? Stop someone in 2A/B from using the bin? Make them move their stuff back and leave the first overhead bin exclusively for 1A? What if it's full because of 1B? Tell them they have to put their stuff back as they have to leave room? There's just too many scenarios.

Aren't the bins in the front also smaller / used for a fire extinguisher also limiting their size?

OP needs to be proactive here. When I'm in 1ABDF I know the bin will fill quick as the flight attendants sometimes throw their bags there. That being said I always make a conscious effort to be the 1st person in line always to capture that overhead space.

Perhaps you missed the OP?
As long as we have shared space, there will be issues. There is no magic bullet solution.

I've never seen mainline FAs put their personal bags over row 1. I have seen pilots do it, though. There are some united equipment bags (blankets, inflight kit) that usually get put in those bins by the cleaners (occasionally right before/during the boarding process).

The tiny bins over row 1 on a 737 will not fit a roller unless it's exactly the max dimensions for a carry on (and most people's are oversized). If you do manage to fit one roller on each side, where do the other two passengers put their rollers? Not to mention personal items. On a 739 at the Y bulkhead, there's a raft on a/c right and a lav and emergency equipment on a/c left, leaving even less room.

It's definitely a problem, but I can't think of a solution that works across the fleet. Placards don't work - You wouldn't believe the amount of times I've seen people storing stuff in front/on top of emergency equipment.

A FA can’t sit there policing every space above every seat. Coach passengers face the same thing. My observation is the problem is hardly big enough to warrant some huge effort by UA. I’ve only had to swim upstream once in my last 50 segments or so. At worst, my bag is only one row back and fellow passengers are overwhelmingly helpful in passing it forward.

There are far more important things UA “ought to look at”.

I think the simple answer is book 2A or 3A... I actively avoid 1A if I think I may not be there first. The lack of space in the overhead is legendary. Known factor, so nothing to worry about.

I see this all the time, especially with flights to Canada on mainline. I agree with others that FAs should put stuff further back in the cabin if there is not a closet -- they are the last to deplane after all.

I've seen other carriers put placards in place as an attempt to reserve space. Some FAs will also proactively close the first two bins if they notice the bulkhead pax are not boarded and there is still space; this often helps save the space.

I'm both empathic to OP and understand what others are saying ... the space fills up and sometimes sitting bulkhead in F means you either swim upstream or check your luggage. Sometimes I don't have the patience to swim upstream and, if I know I have time to hit the baggage claim, I will just gate check if I'm running late to board.

The WORST are the DYKWIA moments or those who board late and throw a hissy fit and blame the FA ... it's not the FA's fault.

I will agree that if I'm worried about getting to the gate on time, I would try to avoid being in Row 1. I don't think there's a lot anyone can do about it; as fezzington mentioned the first bin set is usually slightly too narrow to fit a standard rollaboard but there is frequently emergency equipment up there as well. The space bins on the new aircraft are probably a sufficient fix though; with the bags upright there is a ton of space at F density.

I should add though.. I continually worry about overhead space in F. However, in ~80 segments over the last two years, I have never been forced to gate-check a bag (except on green-tag flights). This included a number of flights where I boarded late (sometimes literally the last pax on the plane). In the most stressful cases, I've had to stare down the FA in F until they moved around some bags for me (once they evicted a Y bag from an F bin and gate checked it). I've definitely had to swim upstream a couple rows, but that's no big deal. (I suppose I'm well-trained from snagging the bulkhead on WN..)

A
 

One thing you can do is see if the bin above row 1 is taken up by a bag of blankets. I don't hesitate to pull the bag out and hand it to the FA's who will put it in the closet. Or actually distribute them.

1) It's not every seat - it's bulkheads in F and Y (at least on single aisle planes).
2) Addressing it wouldn't require a "huge" effort, just a modest one.

FWIW, I have seen pax in F throw their bag in the first available bin even if they're in row 3 or 4. Why? Because no one says "hey, could you leave that space for the bulkhead seat"?

A very simple thing to do would be to instruct the FAs to close the bin above the first row until the 1st row folk appear. I've actually had a couple times when the FA does this on their own accord. Many pax then just go past as a closed bin is generally a sign that it is full, but in this case it can be quickly opened when a seat occupant appears.

I agree with the issue flying to Canada after a Mel-lax flight where you have a carry on for the long flight

i usually take row 3or 4just to avoid to OP problem. It is bad for folks that don’t know and book row 1amd board late, they are in a bad way and usually end up gate checked after grabbing a few things out

small airplane, big problem

I usually ask the FAs if they can cram my bag in the closet. As an added benefit, they even hand you your bag after the plane lands ^

Well United can first of all start with what Swiss and many other airlines do and put a sign up saying that the bins are for First Class. Second, but far less likely to happen is for the FA's to not let coach passengers put their bags up in the premium cabin bins, again like they do on Swiss. On my flight to Copenhagen, the FA made the coach passenger remove his bag and take it to the back. He tried to insist that there may be no room and the FA told him that they will cross that bridge when they come to it and made him remove it.
https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4226/...6e395bc9_c.jpg by B H, on Flickr

I don't carry on a roller if I've selected row 1.

I remember a decade ago, the US Air Shuttle FA's were actually very good about policing the F bins and making sure that only F passengers used them. Usually, a male FA would stand in the space between the two cabins, and he would be vocal as needed. One of the good things about the US Air Shuttle that was lost in the merger. So it goes...

I don't understand...if you book row 3 and board late, there is room overhead? If so, then if you book row 1 and board at the same time, you could put your bag above row 3. I understand that is still "swimming upstream" at landing time, but two rows is usually no big deal.

Or is the problem personal items that would go under the seat with row 3?

The issue was swimming upstream to get my bag from the back of row 4 - fortunately a kind gentleman got my bag down for me but now I am standing in the middle of the first class cabin and blocking the people trying to get out to get their overhead items. The reason I commented is that happened twice in three days. I know it is a first world problem.

I "hid" my purse behind my legs - not a good safety issue I know but what can you do when there is no room in the overhead above you. *shrugs

You'd think they could do that. Or maybe they could educate their own employees: tonight on an AS flight, a 'civilian' with UA badge boards, shoves his rollaboard with crew tags into an F overhead bin and proceeds towards the back of the plane. There were still empty bins in the back.

Row 1 is a bulkhead. Row 3 is not.

Had a late connection one time and I was 1F. No space available. Flight attendant ask 1E what bag was his. Then ask rest of front cabin who the other bag above was. No one claimed it so she gate checked it.

I don't think signs will do anything as Americans seem to take particular pleasure in defying signs. In fact, I rather suspect the problem would be worse as some people would take it as a victim-less challenge to defy "the man" and put their coach carry-ons in the Business class overheads just to show they could.
I like the idea of closing the overheads until the business class section is filling/filled but it will work until they open one overhead for business class to put their things away then it will become chaos.
I think people would start responding if they started making announcements that coach class carry-ons placed in business class overheads would automatically be gate-checked unless claimed and then carried through on the threat but that's about what it would take and you'll still have problems with the F or J neighbor who decided to unload absolutely everything into the overheads and to heck with you.
Honestly, this is why I avoid bulkhead seats and have even turned down CPUs when they put me in row 1.

Won't do much since First/Business usually boards first, and it's the pax that miss their boarding group that usually suffer.

One possible solution would be to have a flight attendant accessible locker/storage space towards the front of the plane that is reserved for bulkhead and first class pax that can't find any overhead space.

Sounds to me like an unattended bag that should have been left behind.;)

While I sympathize with the OP and can see this as an inconvenience, in my experiences I really don't see this as a big problem for first class. In my experiences first class passengers tend to be a bit more accommodating to their fellow first class passengers so I have never had a problem with either dashing back a few rows (the aisle is typically wider so it's easier to "squeeze" past) when the plane parks at the gate or asking someone to pass my bag up to me. Depending on size and weight of bag, I've done both with good success.

Now in coach, its a whole different ballgame, but I will save my thoughts so as not to stray off topic.

Yes I've always been able to do this as well, but IMO it's because the passenger density is lower in F than in Y so fewer pax in the aisle. I really don't agree that F pax are "more accomodating" than Y pax. If anything it's the opposite.

If I understood the post correctly, the complaint was that the OP had to place his bag at the end of the First Cabin because he boarded late. Oh, the horror.

Maybe OP should write the airline for some compensation (and make sure he tells them who he is)

The OP doesn't sound like a DYKWIA. If anything he just sounds a bit irked. And do you blame him? The solution on this thread is to 'board early' yet he can't due to connections.

I usually avoid row 1 on domestic flights for this reason. And I try to board early. I almost always see the last person in F have a problem finding space for their bag. When I can't avoid it and that is me, I ask the FA to help me.
Incidentally, I seem to notice that FA's do try to monitor for any E passengers putting their things above the F seats, more so in recent years, but they are too busy to catch everyone.

I agree with the idea, but at least in that Swiss pic it appears to be the "business class" that is simply the coach cabin with a middle seat blocked. So it's a lot less obvious to many that it's a separate "cabin" (because it's not).

How does an FA gate check a bag without knowing the passenger's destination? What if the person is connecting and the bag comes out on a conveyor belt (unless this was green-tag gate checking).

I've had to check a bag being in the F bulkhead on a UA 319. I was quite steamed. There's just grossly insufficient space and no policing.

As one who usually chooses a bulk head window, I sympathize with the OP. Fortunately, ORD is my home airport and I do not have a lot of connecting flights. Since I am able', I always get in the boarding chute as soon as I notice anyone else doing it. However, even so, I often arrive on board to find that the early borders have filled the space above row 1. I do not like being among the "gate lice", but I also don't want to have to put my bag in an over head bin 3 or 4 rows back either.

On some planes, the problem is worse because sometimes the over head space above row 1 is reserved for airline/FA equipment.

Over the years, I have just learned to deal with it. I like the seat. I deal with the challenges.

In general I would agree, but I once inadvertently set off a fist fight in first class when I tried to go back a few rows to get my bag. A gentleman in the aisle seat on that row was going to let me, but the person in the window next to him didn't want to let me and so literally pushed the guy into the guy across the aisle who then started throwing punches at the gentleman who was just trying to be nice and let me get my bag. An extreme example I know but after that incident I've learned not to expect much courtesy from other passengers.