Backpack Rant
 

Just got back from Rome via AMS and ATL. I spent two extra days in an airport hotel due to being rescheduled by Hurricane Sandy. Ergo, I shall admit to crankiness, but I have to post the following somewhere:

Dear Everyone Who Carries On A Backpack:
Hi! Yesterday in my 24 hours of travel I was conked in the head or body checked by a backpack more times than I can count. If you are going to wear a backpack, be aware that IT EXTENDS OUT FROM YOUR BACK (duh!) and when you turn, people minding their own business are hit, whether you're in line or moving down the aisle of an airplane. Please be more considerate. Thanks.

Okay, I feel better.

I was standing in a crowd at the ferry terminal in Buenos Aires when a fellow (who looked of a certain age and did not appear to be a seasoned backpacker) turned around striking a woman in a wheelchair and me in turn. I said, "Sir, please be careful with your backpack. You just struck this woman and me." He replied, "Well, I didn't do it on purpose." Miffed by his lack of an apology, I responded, "We have a word for people like you in the United States. Defendant." He turned away very slowly.

Glad your rant helped you to feel better. I feel your pain, as 'they' say - not the 'they' who wear the backpacks but the 'they' who are bashed by them.

And this is why many museums (and shops also) require people to check their backpacks, too. Not for fear of theft, as many people assume, but for fear of damage.

A passenger with a large backpack struck the flight attendant very hard as they were boarding the plane. The flight attendant said something appropriate and the backpack wearer lost it, started screaming.Security came on board and in the end the backpacker was allowed to fly. I have been hit so many times and loved seeing this backpacker get it.We all bonded with the FA. Should big backpacks be carried on by hand?

Dear everyone who takes a roll-abroad:

If you're going to pull or push a roll-abroad, please be aware that it extends many inches from your side. And your thing is heavy, even if it has wheels. You can roll over and kill a bunch of insects, small animals and even young humans.

And when you get aboard, please be aware that your roll-abroad is wider than the aisle. You will hit every single row of seats, left AND right and annoy the heck out of all people who've already seated. And it is actually oversized and will never fit the overheads.

Please be more considerate.

Good point.

rkkwan,

You'll be happy to know that although I do carry on a rollaboard, I do carry it on. With the bag's handle, not the pull handle, sideways down the aisle.

And we've missed one: if you carry it on, be physically able to put it in the overhead bin. I don't want to help you put your stuff in the bin because you can't lift it.

There is a simple remedy: Next time get s business class ticket.

But, seriously, while I subscribe to all rants above, what do you expect when you squeeze 300 people in a space smaller than your living room?
You can rant and complain as much as you want, but there will never ever be a way to transport that many people for so little money to each corner of the globe without making adjustments to your comfort zone.
Many people don't fly frequently and have their minds on a thousand things but their backpacks or rollaboards. Others are clumsy by nature. Or are nasty and inconsiderate by nature.

Honestly, after 50+ flights each year I have given up to get cranky about backpack bumpers, the little misses with her 200 pounds rollaboard, FAs who can't communicate in English, screaming kids, people with funny body odor, VIP attitude businessmen in eco invading my airspace with their huge newspapers, center seat occupants who think they own both armrests left and right, and so on and on..

Like with driving a car it usually helps to never expect anyone else to act properly.

Well said cowboy. BTW someday HRHDHD you may not be able to lift your bag up to the bin. In any case helping someone who can't do this is just common courtesy. JM2C.

And that brings up another question. Which seat is entitled to the two armrests---window, middle, or aisle seat?? I always defer to the middle-seat occupant because that location is the least desirable. I always sit on the aisle and my husband always sits by the window.

Jeez, people, it's a rant. I am not going to stop traveling because of backpacks. Oy.

BTW, jacketwatch, when I can't lift my own bag is when I check it or pack less. Ever seen someone get conked on the head by a heavy bag someone else can't manage by himself or herself?

No.

I still say its common courtesy to help in that situation. Have a nice day.

LOL i knew that the too heavy cabin luggage and the armrest issue would be good bait.
I am (thank god) still quite fit, but never have more on board than a 3kgs/ 6lbs small day pack.
To each his/her own but I am not going to the gym to accommodate other peoples' check-baggage-phobia.
If you can't lift it, check it. Or put it under the seat in front of you.
And yes, in real life I will help the petite misses with that kitchen sink in tow to lift up her half ton rollaboard in the bin, if only to get her in her seat and not block the aisle for half an hour trying to handle her kitchen sink and get that plane in the air.
But I never rant about it. Well, almost never.

And, by the way.. If the two armrests belonged to the center seat, why would it be the least desirable one? :-)
It is in fact possible to share the center armrests when the people sitting in the row adjust the angle of their arms accordingly. And not pop into the seats like Homer Simpson taking over the sofa at home.

Thinking about all those little annoyances when flying economy class, which we always have to do, reminds me. Last month when checking in for our flight from Glasgow, Scotland, to Philadelphia, the U.S.Airways agent told us she was told she could upgrade someone to first class, and she had chosen us. No catch. No extra money. Oh my goodness. I had no idea what flying could be. The food, the drink, the space, the cushy seats, the really clean hardly used lavatories, the many and free movie selections. It was an almost magical 8 hours. It was back to reality for our Philly to Dallas.

It is a world of difference. We flew business class ORD to Hong Kong and back from our miles. 15 hrs. Bring it!

I'm sorry but I don't assist with overhead....my attitude is "you take it, you tote it." You are old?.. check it. Young...check it. No one ever opens a roll on in flight...no room - so put your stuff in your main luggage if you can't lift. I'm talking overseas flights, not local. Put your big boy/girl pants on and lift your own luggage or check it. Exception- mother flying alone with small kid/s and needs kid stuff. BTW it's never a roll on, always a soft bag.


Cowboy- like your attitude. You are funny.

Well not to worry. FA 's help with this all the time. Like it or not its up to the airlines to have a policy and then to enforce it. A gal sitting next to me was not tall enough to hoist her bag to the bin. I helped just B4 a FA was about to. Either you do or you don't. We all have our reasons for or against. C'est la vie. :D