COSPILOT

zombietooth

"No good deed goes unpunished."

Carl Christensen

You see, the problem is the perspective we bring and the lens we view this situation through.

You seem to be espousing that we should be meek sheep, only do exactly as the airline tells us, that they are always correct in how they describe things and that we aren't able to have an independent mind for ourselves.

I submit that regardless how they announce about being *able* to utilize the under seat area as storage that it is *not* a primary storage area. A person may tell me that a cot is a bed but it doesn't make it the case. It may function like it but it isn't really it.

Consumers and companies have a relationship that is fundamentally at odds. I don't want my feet cramped from not being able to put them under the seat in front of me. I'm not going to put things under that seat in front of me. I will store it in the overhead compartment.

I care enough about this that I am usually first in line of my boarding segment. I often get 1st to minimize dealing with this.

To assert that under the seat is your primary storage area is ridiculous in the ears of most travelers - regardless of what the airline may try to announce over head.

prometa

This thread has every type of passenger I encounter on UA flights. Interesting to see the rationale behind some of the actions around baggage I commonly see. I typically travel with a small briefcase and check my suitcase. Unless I get stuck in E-, I typically put the bag under my seat and will then look for open bin space around me near the end of boarding to store it if space is available. In E-, I will put the bag up right away considering the limited leg room, but will put it back under my seat if requested by an FA (as has happened). I consider that a small act toward a plane where passengers consider each other.

Keep in mind that in some states, recording another party without their consent or knowledge when they would otherwise have an expectation of privacy is a crime. On an commercial airliner, you're probably in the clear, but elsewhere you may not be.

zombietooth

I always put my backpack under the seat because I appreciate it when others have done the same and left me overhead space for my rollaboard, especially when I am late boarding.
Most of us business travelers have suffered "the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune" and appreciate any action by others or the airline that smoothes our path towards our destination and obligations.

zymm

"Once you find your seat on board, place your larger carry-on baggage in the overhead compartment above your row and your smaller personal item under the seat in front of you, which helps everybody have space to store their bags."

I suppose you could make an argument that 'smaller' and 'larger' are making a comparison to the average size of all bags, but that seems like a stretch. Your largest item can go in the overhead, even if it is smaller than the maximum allowed carry-on size. The phrasing really doesn't imply that the under-seat storage should be your primary storage space. It's more of an appeal to only stow one item in the overheads.

Jed

Meola10

StuckinITH

The OP's story makes me not look forward for my next 3 flights in October in seat 1A on an E175.

But I guess that issues with luggage can happen on any airline even when flying First Class. A few years ago, we were flying in First Class on USAirways. To avoid misconnecting, my wife and I had to run the whole length of the PHL airport. We were the last passengers to board just behind a lady who was on standby. Entering the plane was delayed because there was no more space in the bins. The lady in front of us complained to the FA that she was supposed to be in First Class but they could not sit her there so had to travel coach. The FA empathized with her plight and said that she will valet gate her luggage. Hearing that, my wife asked if the FA could valet gate our rollaboard suitcases. Her answer was no. We would have to check our luggage to our final destination. Luckily for us, another FA managed to create space in the First Class bins.

Collierkr

Great point but do you think loose items under seat will not fly around?

Saint4805

Forcing people (often with elite status) with small carry ons to give up legroom to accommodate people (often with no status) who bring large carry-ons is one the biggest flaws in airline travel. Yes I get that bin space is limited and planes need to push back on time but they need to find a solution for this. Those last on with big bags should have them put in the hold or something.

ani90

+1

I abandoned traveling with a rollerboard years ago to avoid the very issues being highlighted within this thread. I travel with a Tom-Bihn bag that can fit everything a rollerboard can but has the option of fitting under a seat if I board late and cannot find overhead room space. But the overhead bin remains the primary storage space. If i board early and place my bad in overhead bin there is absolutely no reason why I should now force it under my seat and have a cramped leg-room simply because someone else decided to have the convenience of rolling his or her luggage (while I am carrying my heavy bag on my shoulder) and yet boards late and thinks he or she merits the overhead compartment more than I do. When I board late, I simply put my big bag under the seat. When OP boards late, he should be prepared to check in that big rollerboard.

sharmaintl

That is my exact point. If not for the passenger stepping in, I would have spent the night in Austin or found a circuitous route home as I was on the last direct flight. If it was limited to verbal abuse, I would have let it pass. I did not even respond to his shouting (which took immense self control, I assure you). I have seen enough FAs get upset with passengers for less. I do not think anything I did or said warranted being threatened with removal. That is the only reason I am even pursuing this with United. I do not wish to end the FAs career. I am sure he was just having a bad day. I did not cause it. It gave him no right to act the way he did and call the Captain. Quite frankly I felt sorry for the Captain. I am sure he does not take deplaning a passenger lightly.

No passenger deserves such treatment on any airline.

LordHamster

I sincerely hope that this is internet bravado and not a true story. You are essentially admitting to assault, which is not tolerated in any state of the union. Furthermore, cornering someone and threatening them can lead to immediate or long-term consequences.

Back on topic, recording such confrontations (in public spaces like this) can be a very good tool to protect one's rights by documenting abuse. Worked out quite well in Dr. Dao's case and countless others.

LASUA1K

My backpack is not my personal item. A personal item is a purse, snack or some other type of bag. My primary carry on is my backpack, and it has every right to go in the overhead, just as a roller carry on. I choose to get my laptop, Ipad and 3 days worth of clothes in one backpack. It's my right to put that bag in the overhead. Someone boarding and basically requesting the FA's to move someone else backpack is just wrong. FA's also can't touch a bag, insurance will not cover them if they get injured moving someone else's bag. If the OP asked and no one replied, they should've just moved on and found a spot, but they chose to make the FA get involved, and got disappointed when they didn't do what they wanted.

FA's are easy targets these days, and especially United Airlines Employee's. The Captain was smart to know that people had the camera phones lined up and ready to post it on youtube, and chose to make the OP feel better and give in, instead of losing his or her job by some youtube video.