Overhead bins for large items ONLY??
Apr 9, 2019, 2:49 pm
#121
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
This stick it out and duke it out reminds me of road rage. You get cutoff and the chase is on. You are asked to put something under your seat and it’s Game On! I don’t know, my preference is to fly with not so much hyped up fliers ready to battle. I deal with confrontation almost everyday at work - on a plane I’d rather not deal with it (and hotels).
Apr 9, 2019, 2:55 pm
#122
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: NJ, USA
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 671
This stick it out and duke it out reminds me of road rage. You get cutoff and the chase is on. You are asked to put something under your seat and it’s Game On! I don’t know, my preference is to fly with not so much hyped up fliers ready to battle. I deal with confrontation almost everyday at work - on a plane I’d rather not deal with it (and hotels).
Last edited by pindi; Apr 9, 2019 at 5:28 pm Reason: Discuss the issues, not the poster(s)
Apr 9, 2019, 3:02 pm
#123
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: HNL
Programs: UA GS4MM, MR LT Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 6,447
Last edited by WineCountryUA; Apr 9, 2019 at 3:06 pm Reason: Quote update to reflect Moderator edit; removed response to deleted content
Apr 9, 2019, 3:36 pm
#125
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Houston
Programs: UA 1K and Million Miler, *A Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Lifetime Titanium, Hertz Five Star,
Posts: 1,301
Unfortunately they can have your arrested after deplaning. A FA ran over my daughter and called her out and told her to come back and apologize. The next thing I knew she had called a cop and said I was threatening her. Luckily others confirmed my fact and the cop helped me find her supervisor.
Apr 9, 2019, 3:42 pm
#126
Suspended
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Buffalo, but live from suitcase
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Apr 9, 2019, 9:07 pm
#127
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: MCI ** UA Plat, Marriott Lifetime Plat
Posts: 1,249
On the ERJ-175's I fly most weeks, each overhead can fit 2 full-size carry-on (e.g. 20" rollerboard) and 1-2 personal item (e.g. laptop bag), if those can be stacked atop one another. There is simply not enough room between the 2 rollerboards for a third "large" item. I usually just hang out and wait until most of the rollerboards are up, then stash my laptop bag in any of the free "small" spaces nearby. I don't think I'm being discourteous by waiting 'till the end of boarding to do so....
Apr 10, 2019, 1:07 am
#128
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: Danville, CA, USA;
Programs: UA 1MM, WN CP, Marriott LT Plat, Hilton Gold, IC Plat
Posts: 15,722
The announcement seems pretty standard now, with all my planes going out at 100% capacity I expect they have too many bags to check from groups 4&5, which can delay pushoff.
On my outbound flight I delayed putting my backpack in the overhead as GS/1K who boarded before me had taken all the bins over my seat and i had no underseat storage. As it turns out one of the bags was too big to close the bin, so it was removed at which point my bag went into the overhead bin. Some lady then whined about her purse being crushed so they took it and moved it to F. Works for me.
I received a similar lecture by an FA on an SFO-LAS flight. I told her I fly 100k miles on UA and one of the perks is boarding early so I can use the overhead space. She glared at me but did not push it.
Yup, I don't think it's a gender thing. More like FAs have been asked to try to maximize space in this manner. Some are more diplomatic than others.
But honestly I have no sympathy for Group 3-4-5 passengers. My company buys full fare tix and I've earned the privilege of boarding in Group 1. The only reason for me to waste an extra 30m waiting in a cramped seat for everyone else to board is to ensure that my bags go overhead. Otherwise I might as well just enjoy another drink in the lounge, stretch my legs, and board at last call. And I'm sure UA would not prefer that outcome if all its passengers did that.
On my outbound flight I delayed putting my backpack in the overhead as GS/1K who boarded before me had taken all the bins over my seat and i had no underseat storage. As it turns out one of the bags was too big to close the bin, so it was removed at which point my bag went into the overhead bin. Some lady then whined about her purse being crushed so they took it and moved it to F. Works for me.
I boarded with group 1 and placed my laptop bag in the overhead bin, and my purse in the tiny space under the seat in front of me. Towards the end of boarding, an FA came to my row, picked up my laptop bag from the overhead bin and asked whose it was. When I identified it as mine, he put it in my lap and tried to put another passenger’s large duffel bag in the overhead bin. I protested saying there was no place to put my laptop bag. He said I should put smaller items under the seat in front of me as overhead bins were reserved only for large items.
But honestly I have no sympathy for Group 3-4-5 passengers. My company buys full fare tix and I've earned the privilege of boarding in Group 1. The only reason for me to waste an extra 30m waiting in a cramped seat for everyone else to board is to ensure that my bags go overhead. Otherwise I might as well just enjoy another drink in the lounge, stretch my legs, and board at last call. And I'm sure UA would not prefer that outcome if all its passengers did that.
Apr 10, 2019, 1:00 pm
#130
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: MFR
Programs: UA 1K 1.9MM, Hilton Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,885
I received a similar lecture by an FA on an SFO-LAS flight. I told her I fly 100k miles on UA and one of the perks is boarding early so I can use the overhead space. She glared at me but did not push it.
Yup, I don't think it's a gender thing. More like FAs have been asked to try to maximize space in this manner. Some are more diplomatic than others.
Yup, I don't think it's a gender thing. More like FAs have been asked to try to maximize space in this manner. Some are more diplomatic than others.
Or is it possible the FA would have thought twice about saying "You wanna try me?" if the pax was a middle-aged white man in a suit?
That is what the OP is upset about.
Apr 10, 2019, 1:09 pm
#131
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: NJ, USA
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 671
Just wow - just got off the phone with a customer service representative from United. She called to say this incident deserved a personal apology and hence the call. She asked for details again and said United will definitely retrain the FA in question so that this incident does not happen again. We spoke for 10 mins. I am impressed!!
Apr 10, 2019, 1:54 pm
#133
Join Date: Nov 2013
Posts: 4,374
Just wow - just got off the phone with a customer service representative from United. She called to say this incident deserved a personal apology and hence the call. She asked for details again and said United will definitely retrain the FA in question so that this incident does not happen again. We spoke for 10 mins. I am impressed!!
Apr 10, 2019, 1:56 pm
#134
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NYC (LGA, JFK), CT
Programs: Delta Platinum, American Gold, JetBlue Mosaic 4, Marriott Platinum, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Diamond,
Posts: 4,897
I was on UA 2239 yesterday from SFO-EWR. I had seat 20C. I had checked my bags and only had a laptop bag and a small purse with me. I knew that 20C, being an exit row aisle, had half the storage in front of the seat when compared to normal seats - even that half is further reduced due to the inbuilt box under seat 12C. I knew I could not put anything more than a small purse under the seat in front of me.
I boarded with group 1 and placed my laptop bag in the overhead bin, and my purse in the tiny space under the seat in front of me. Towards the end of boarding, an FA came to my row, picked up my laptop bag from the overhead bin and asked whose it was. When I identified it as mine, he put it in my lap and tried to put another passenger’s large duffel bag in the overhead bin. I protested saying there was no place to put my laptop bag. He said I should put smaller items under the seat in front of me as overhead bins were reserved only for large items. I showed him the space in front of my seat, so he knew there was no way to fit a laptop bag there. He then said he would find space for my laptop bag and went to the front of the plane. In the meantime, I went ahead and placed my bag in the overhead bin, preempting the other passenger from placing his large duffel there. Several minutes later, the FA returned and told the other passenger he would need to check his bag.
I thought that was the end of it. The FA came back to my row later and said:
FA – “We are all good now. But for your information, the overhead bins are only for the large carry-ons”
Me – “I thought passengers are supposed to put THEIR large carry-on in the overhead bin and the smaller item in front of them”
FA – “No, the overhead bins are reserved for large carry-ons only”
Me – “What would you have me do? Check my laptop bag even when that is my large item?”
FA – “Well yes. Other flight attendants would probably have made you do that but since I am nice, I won’t do it”
Me – “You can’t do that !!!”
FA – “You want to try me?”
At this point, I was beyond stunned. I’m close to hitting a million miles on UA soon. For an FA to try to bully me into checking my one single laptop bag to fit a late arriving passenger’s large duffel is beyond unprofessional. And to taunt a passenger with that last statement – I have no words!!! Had I not been in a rush to get back home, I would have escalated the issue to the purser/captain of the flight. I chose to remain quiet and let the FA have his power trip. I have written to UA customer care but I highly doubt anything will come of it. I am still seething nearly a day later. I did describe the FA in my email to customer service - hopefully they can identify him and re-train him. Sigh!!!
I boarded with group 1 and placed my laptop bag in the overhead bin, and my purse in the tiny space under the seat in front of me. Towards the end of boarding, an FA came to my row, picked up my laptop bag from the overhead bin and asked whose it was. When I identified it as mine, he put it in my lap and tried to put another passenger’s large duffel bag in the overhead bin. I protested saying there was no place to put my laptop bag. He said I should put smaller items under the seat in front of me as overhead bins were reserved only for large items. I showed him the space in front of my seat, so he knew there was no way to fit a laptop bag there. He then said he would find space for my laptop bag and went to the front of the plane. In the meantime, I went ahead and placed my bag in the overhead bin, preempting the other passenger from placing his large duffel there. Several minutes later, the FA returned and told the other passenger he would need to check his bag.
I thought that was the end of it. The FA came back to my row later and said:
FA – “We are all good now. But for your information, the overhead bins are only for the large carry-ons”
Me – “I thought passengers are supposed to put THEIR large carry-on in the overhead bin and the smaller item in front of them”
FA – “No, the overhead bins are reserved for large carry-ons only”
Me – “What would you have me do? Check my laptop bag even when that is my large item?”
FA – “Well yes. Other flight attendants would probably have made you do that but since I am nice, I won’t do it”
Me – “You can’t do that !!!”
FA – “You want to try me?”
At this point, I was beyond stunned. I’m close to hitting a million miles on UA soon. For an FA to try to bully me into checking my one single laptop bag to fit a late arriving passenger’s large duffel is beyond unprofessional. And to taunt a passenger with that last statement – I have no words!!! Had I not been in a rush to get back home, I would have escalated the issue to the purser/captain of the flight. I chose to remain quiet and let the FA have his power trip. I have written to UA customer care but I highly doubt anything will come of it. I am still seething nearly a day later. I did describe the FA in my email to customer service - hopefully they can identify him and re-train him. Sigh!!!
Apr 10, 2019, 2:04 pm
#135
Original Poster
Join Date: Aug 2001
Location: NJ, USA
Programs: UA MM
Posts: 671