About that over head space in the airplane...
 

Sorry folks, but I need to vent. On a recent flight to Boston, I was delayed by over an hour at my departure city due to mechanical problems with an aircraft that was parked at 'our' gate. As a result, what should have been a 2+ hour layover at O'hare turned into a 23 minute sprint from the end of one corridor to the end of another. When I arrived at the gate, I was told to board immediately and just find any space in the overhead bins between the door and my seat. Well, as you can imagine, there was precious little space. I had only a 22" carry-on and my briefcase. There was adequate space in the bin just above my seat...if only the owner of a plastic bag that appeared to contain a couple of tee shirts would move it into a smaller space in the adjacent bin. I asked politely whose bag it was and the passengers looked at me as though I was speaking in a foreign language. I asked politely again since I didn't want to move anyone's possessions without their knowledge or permission. A third question brought no response so my bag had to be checked. My question to you is....are airline passengers ruder these days or just ignorant???
Would you have moved the small bag to another bin next door?

did you ask for assitance from a flight attendant?

They could have moved the small bag to the adjacent bin.

You're kidding, right? You held up the whole plane, having to make arrangements to check your bag, because you were afraid to move somebody's bag with their t-shirts??? Try some assertiveness training.

Maybe you could have brought it to the attention of a flight attendant and had him/her handle it.

I would have moved it, I bet that would have gotten you a response!

I'm not sure if people have become more rude or not. I've run into my share of rude, and on the flip side, very nice passengers. Guess it depends on the passenger and the day.

I would have moved the plastic bag in a heartbeat - without asking for owner identification. I don't remember asking anyone first before I shift items.

Very probably, the owner of the bag was many rows further back on the plane. I watch that happen all the time and it just ticks me off. Passenger stores item in an overhead bin nearer the front of the plane and then move further back to their seats.

I would have moved it. People move stuff in those bins all the time. I don't see moving something as being rude. However, when people place their bag in the *center* of the bin, that's a bit inconsiderate because it's really a pain for someone else.

I would have moved it without even thinking or asking. People move stuff around all the time in overhead bins.

I'd bet Starrsville is correct, and the owner of the bag wasn't seated anywhere near it.

I wouldn't waste my time asking a FA for help in moving a bag w/a couple of T-shirts. I'm trying to envision a plastic bag with a couple T-shirts that would cause such a commotion - I know I always seem capable of stuffing another couple of shirts in my bag, so if we're just talking a couple of T-shirts couldn't you just stuff this bag between your carry-on and the one next to it? It's not like it wouldn't get squished around anyway once the plane takes off.

Yea. Just move the other stuff and get going. But I think the funny idea above is that instead of holding up the plane, cmeyer should have gotten a flight attendant. Huh? On many flights, trying to get the help of an attendant when about ready to depart could take another half hour!

I thought that I was the only one to be angry at the inconsiderate use of the overhead bins. More times that I can count, I have seen somebody board a plane, cram everything they are carrying into the first bin they come to and then walk away to their seat in another part of the plane. And while we are on the general subject, it really gripes me to see somebody race to get ahead of the "by row" boarding process, when they are sitting in the first couple of rows of the plane. Meanwhile 30 or 40 people who are sitting in the back of the pane are standing waiting for this jerk to put away his stuff, take off his coat, rummage around for a pillow and blanket, etc.

Those would be frequent flyers. When boarding "by rows" you have to wait until your rows or zone is called - unless you are a frequent flyer.

They are usually business travelers who have helped airlines stay afloat (and flying) since 9/11.

Usually the frequent flyers get really early boarding and are all settled; the people that jim as referring to are hoi polloi like the rest of us; they just like to jump the line as much as possible. Perhaps they're afraid of not being able to find a place to put their carryon.

Anyway, frequent flyers or not (and I agree that they're usually not), they don't need an advanced degree to know enough to step out of the aisle while loading the overhead so that other people can get by. Or do they?

Well, I'm one of those frequent flyers who often has a seat pretty far up, but I DO know not to block the aisle. What I think is funny though is sitting in row 7, watching people coming down the aisle and saying to themselves, "we're in row 37", then stopping to look at the number for each row taking forever to move to the back of the plane. If you're looking at row 7 and you're in row 37, do you really think it's necessary to stop and scan each row's number to see if you're there yet? How much intelligence does it take to guess that the next row after 7 will be 8 and your row is still 29 rows away?

Airlines should require that all "roller bags" be checked. All of them. That would solve the the overhead problem.

Rude people bring on massive "carry-ons" that they can't even carry. The airlines shouldn't allow it.

All righty then, gekko.

I always shift around overhead stuff.

In all honesty, infrequent travelers don't really understand how to pack the overhead bins.

Shifting smaller bags around the overhead bin is common practice - no need to ask anyone for permission of assistance - just do it. Of course, it's not right to simply remove someone else's belongings and leave them in the center of the aisle - that's rude and the subject of another thread several months ago.

What irks me is watching some travellers place their bags in the bin "lengthwise" immediately after the FA announces in very clear language to place the bags in "wheels first". It's like they are totally oblivious to everyone and everything around them. By the way, I'm a frequent flyer with elite status, I know enough to get on the plane, store my bag in the bin and get out of the aisle as quickly as possible (rarely taking more than 10 or 15 seconds, if that). Why it takes people seemingly 5 minutes to do something so simple is beyond my comprehension.

I like to book my seats as close as possible to the front of the plane so that I can deplane as quickly as possibly once we arrive. I deal with inconsiderate use of overhead space by trying to be among the first to board in my "zone" once it's called by the attendant. I agree that it is so annoying to see people put their bags in lenghtwise instead of wheels first. I'll stop carrying-on my roller bag once the airlines stop losing checked luggage.

A traveller...

It takes them longer because they usuallyhave a bag that is larger than they can handle.

Bags on wheels are easy for some to pull...but difficult to lift.

I usually take a carry on not because I'm afraid that the airline will lose it, but because it takes forever to get my bag after landing. I've waited for 45 minutes and more to get my bag at LGA and JFK, especially on American.

And regarding the OP's question, I would have moved stuff around without thinking. Take out the shirts, put my bag in the available space, and put the shirts back in.

I had a situation once where a guy took the whole bin with a suit in a plastic bag, on a full flight, in winter. He got agressive when a couple of people tried to move it to put in their luggage and coats. The FA noticed, gave him his suit, and asked him to hold on to it until the bin was full. The guy agreed, after complaining that "this is MY bin, its above my seat" and "I was here first", and then the FA put it on top of the other bags.

Neopolitan- Thank you for the laugh!! That is sooo true and so funny about people studying the seating numbers when boarding like it is some complex puzzle to be solved. Look right, look left, check boarding pass, consult with traveling companion, repeat, repeat, repeat.

I vote for ignorant.Stupid people are taking over the world....LOL. But you could have stuffed your luggage in on top- I mean, T shirts scrunch easily. And it may have not belonged to the people near by- I've seen certain fellow travelers stick their junk in 5 different bins, none above where their seats are. So asking was pointless- and anyway, that's a good way to annoy someone (as is calling the FA)

Thank you for not moving the bag to another bin. I wouldn't've and that is the only thing that ticks me off about flying. So rude. Because that's how I lose things. But it depends what you mean by adjacent- in plain sight? Or not? Because as much as I like to "do unto others"- I loathe checking bags. That completely defeats the purpose of a carryon:)

"Why it takes people seemingly 5 minutes to do something so simple is beyond my comprehension."

It may seem simple to you- but I'm clumsy:) I certainly can't do that in mere seconds (though 5 minutes is a bit exreme)

Anyway- hope you had a smoother trip after that, cmeyer54!

If you can't carry it from the curb to the gate, you should be forced to check it.

Rude people fill these huge roller bags with a week's worth of stuff and a) wonder why there's no room overhead and b) can't lift the massive bags and inconvenience everyone behind them.

Carry it or check it, you pathetic, weak, lazy bums!

Gekko, I think you're now becoming unreasonable. The issue isn't whether the bag has wheels or not, but how big it is.
The idea of anyone buying even a smaller carry-on type piece of luggage these days that doesn't roll seems silly to me. Sure I could carry it from the boat in Venice to check in at the airport or carry it half a mile through a train station or airport, but I'd much rather, hook my laptop bag on top of it and roll the whole thing. Why would anyone want to carry something a quarter a mile that they can roll much easier -- regardless of whether they're going to carry it on or check it through?

Thank you.

I attach a black leather backpack I have to my 22 inch pullman. My handbag goes inside my backpack.

My packpack goes under the seat in front of me and my pullman goes in the overhead.

I can pack for a week like this and I have.

The only time I'll check luggage is if I travel for work.

If you check bags, it makes it much harder to standby.

GoTravel - I have packed like that for 2 weeks in Spain, in the winter! :)

And I would have moved the bag of t-shirts in a heartbeat.

Let's review what I said:

<b>If you can't carry it from the curb to the gate, you should be forced to check it. </b>

I'm not saying you can't roll your bag for convenience's sake, but you should be at least <i>capable</i> of carrying it or it's simply too large or too heavy.

If you are too old, too weak, or too infirmed to carry your bags, then check them. You're in no rush anyway, most likely, so why be selfish &amp; rude as well as incapable?

&lt;&lt;&lt; so why be selfish &amp; rude as well &gt;&gt;&gt;

Not sure WHY people choose to be selfish and rude...but it's obvious they do!

Because they selfishly believe their time is more valuable than yours ... and/or they're just too important and busy to wait for their checked luggage.


&quot;I don't have time to wait, I'm too important, so I can inconvenience everyone else!&quot;

Oh. I meant on these boards.

&quot;If you are too old, too weak, or too infirmed to carry your bags, then check them. You're in no rush anyway, most likely, so why be selfish &amp; rude as well as incapable?&quot;

Gekko, my 79 yo mother had a stroke some years back that left her with some weakness on her left side. She can carry her small (18&quot;) roller but she simply can't raise her one arm up enough to stow it in the overhead compartment without a little assistance. Fortunately, most people are kind and understanding about this. Thank God she hasn't run into someone practically exploding with his sense of self-righteousness and self-importance, ranting that she should only be able to take her purse and perhaps a bumbag onto the plane because she can't lift her roller over her head.
She likes to keep a change of clothes, some toiletries, her medicine, and her camera in the roller after having her main suitcase go missing for several days on a previous trip.

You know, gekko, frighteningly enough, I was on the verge of agreeing with you- until BTilke came along and knocked some sense into me. Thanks, BTilke!

If she can't lift it, she should check it (or stow the item under the seat in front of her).

We can agree to disagree, if that helps you feel validated.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion - regarding travel carryons or Broadway plays. There are different ways to be &quot;validated&quot;. I agree with BTilke on this one.

Gekko, my mother spent 30 years working as nurse helping disabled vets. She has more consideration and sensitivity for others in her pinky than you seem to have in your entire body.

Next time you want to rant about selfish, rude and inconsiderate people, go look in the mirror.

I think one compromise to all of this is that people (like BTilke's mother) should board early when the gate attendent calls up people requiring extra assistance or traveling with small children. This way individuals requiring assistance can get it without inadvertently inconveniencing other travelers.

I should add that it wouldn't bother me in the slightest to assist BTilke's mother regardless of when she chose to board. Air travel has gotten so uncomfortable that everyone is wound more tightly.

Gekko is right. Only the young and strong should be allowed to do carryons. Anyone who has any physical infirmity including age who can no longer lift 10 pound over their heads should be allowed to do carry on luggage. In fact, they should all be banned from traveling, period. Travel should be reserved for the young and healthy only, and hopefully only the physically attractive.

Thanks. Now I'll remove my tongue from my cheek if someone else will remove his head from his ________.