Should overhead bins be assigned to designated seats?
 

We've all seen it - the bozo who stuffs his junk into the first available overhead bin then walks back to his seat - the lady with oversized wheeled bag, a knapsack AND a purse the size of a carryon - the list goes on.<BR><BR>Shoud airlines have the overhead bins separated into separate units assigned by seat number - and the bins are the same size as those bins at the counter used to check if your luggage complies with the policy?<BR><BR>PRO: If you check your bag, you could "rent" your space to others<BR><BR>CON: if you've too much, you are S-O-L<BR><BR>- so?

Flight attendants have enough problems. They can't be referees too.

It does seem to me a single statement when they announce boarding wouldn't be too much to ask and it would target particularly those in the back rows who board first and put their luggage in the front on their way to the seat, thus slowing down the boarding process as well as hogging front bins. A sign here or there would also help ("please use overhead bins above your own row").<BR><BR>"Ladies and Gentlemen, we are about to begin boarding rows 20-42. We remind you to take your carry-on luggage with you all the way to your own row, where you may place it in the bin over your seat or beneath the seat in front of you. Overhead bins toward the front of the plane are intended to be used by those in the rows beneath them. Thank you for helping us speed the boarding process."<BR>

But Vic - having no space on the plane to stuff that oversized case and two others remove the "referee" responsibilities from the flight crew - it simply doesn't fit.<BR><BR>And since each smaller bin has the seat number on it, there's absolutely no question of whose space it is. <BR><BR>Finally ones' stuff doesn't get crushed and wrinkled by some bozo cramming his kitchen sink into the overhead rack. Finally the bin above your 8F seat isn't stuffed with crap from the clown in 23B.<BR><BR>What I'm suggesting is to "compartmentize" the overhead bin into 4 or 5 smaller units, but still sharing the one door.<BR>

I'm with you, Fred, 'til that last about subdividing the bins. That would make it impossible to lay two wide but flat-ish things on top of each other (my wrapped picture-frame on seat 8F's rollaboard, for example), and it wouldn't allow adjustments if there were no one in the middle seat and the aisle and window seat people wanted to take advantage of a little more room.<BR><BR>But I think some general form of labeling ("Storage space, rows 19 and 20") would help a lot.

It's just an impossible task. One of the worse fights I have ever seen on a plane occurred when a late boarder proceeded to open the bin over his seat and take out everyone else's luggage saying loudly "It's my space." <BR><BR>Unfortunately, you can't legislate selfishness or stupidity. The "first-come-first-served" system is the best we've got for now. I have heard Delta annouce on crowded flights that people use the bins AND under the seats and most passengers seem to listen.

If the airlines would limit passengers to a reasonable amount of carryon stuff, then the overhead bins wouldn't get filled to capacity and those back-seat passengers wouldn't be so tempted to put their stuff in a forward bin rather than take the risk of not finding space farther back. <BR><BR>Enforcing the carryon policies that most airlines already have would be much easier than any of the proposed on-plane strategies. <BR><BR>I just flew two flights on Southwest in which every seat was filled, and there were entire empty overhead bins -- they were strict about their policy of ONE carryon plus a "personal item" (e.g., handbag, laptop), and this seemed very effective.

As some when who recieved a large bump on my head from someone pulling and dropping a heavy item from the overhead bin above me (not seated in my row), I am all for assigning bins to seats.

Why must everything be "compartmentalized" or spelled out? Whatever happenned to common courtesy between travellers? It should start with people thinking about others and not trying to get away with things, such as just one more bag, etc when they are at home. And all you people who want to compartmentalize: what happens when you ARE stuck in the very back seat of the plane and those last two overhead bins are already occupied by stuff the crew carries or fire extinguishers, etc. Diviying up the bin is not the way to go. Instead, enforcing what the limits are. People with a little bag should be made to put it on the seat in front of them, etc. More regulation is not required. A smile can get the job done just as well if we all are willing to LISTEN.

Amen! And while we're at it, I think they should get rid of them stinky plane toilets--ever had to sit in the back near one of them? Either hold it in, or invest in some Depends is what I says!

I LOVE the idea of assigned bins!!! That is awsome!!!! I had a flight once where the overhead bin was full, and the lady next to me took hers, and my space in the seat infront of me!!! I had no place to put my one little bookbag. I personally think the airlines need stricter rules on the amount of carry one bags....there is more stuff on planes than people. Do you really need to bring your whole lifes belongings on the plane with you? NO

Like, seriously, the passenger next to you put her luggage in front of your feet? I've never had that happen, but if it did I would very calmly and matter-of-factly pull her stuff out and hand it to her with an offhand,"oh, here, this must be yours".

That truly happened to me in an Air Canada Flight from Orlando to Toronto!!! I think I was too shocked to say anything, but I did say something, and she was like "Well where do you expect me to put my stuff" and I didn't know what to say. The polite Canadian thing coming out in me I guess but I just tucked my bookbag near my feet.

Yes, Melissa, I too am a victim of the polite Canadian curse, but after traveling with my bf I've toughened up. I actually won a luggage-cart line-up standoff in the Lisbon airport last October - by standing my ground, refusing to flinch as the would-be queue jumpers drove their carts into my ankles, and smiling blankly but cheerfully at them when they cursed me in languages I understand. We are sometimes too polite for our own good, but assertive behavior can be polite, too.<BR>ja

Thanks for the tips....I will be more assurtive next time

If all of the airlines would do as Lufthansa does and have STRICT carryon requirements, there wouldn't be a space problem. 46 total inches (h+W+L) and no more than 18 pounds. Some of the stuff you see people carrying on is almost a joke.

Seems as if luggage gets bumped just like passengers. I don't know how many times I have brought on board only the number of allowed items, sticking to the weight and measurement limits, only to have no where to easily store it. Last time I had to cram it into space already taken by another passenger, resulting in dirty looks. May I add that if luggage didn't get lost or broken with such frequency {or is it just my bad luck?}, I wouldn't feel the need to max out the carry-on allowence.