Rude Crew on US Airways flight
 

We were on a US Airways flight where the stewardess took our 1 carry on item that was stowed overhead and removed it to let a crew pilot who was "deadheading" put his carry on bag in its place. Moreover, she did it quietly, trying not to let us see what she was doing. She was walking to the front of the plane with it when I realized it was our luggage and objected. We would not even have known where our luggage was when we landed. Moreover, the "deadheading" pilot loudly told me that if I objected I "could rent my own plane." We already had paid $30 to US Airways for our two pieces of luggage to be checked aboard at the counter. It seems that US Airways management does not value their passengers. Just keeps charging us!!!They seem to allow their crew to use up the overhead space, and do not care that passengers are inconvenienced. US Airways should fire that off-duty pilot and reprimand the sneaky stewardess.

Why does this post sound really familiar - did you post it here recently under a different screen name or am I confused?

I'm not sure I understand how you were so dreadfully inconvenienced. If they gate checked your bag it would have been waiting for you on the jetway as you deplaned.

Happens all the time and it's not a big deal.

What's the problem? You sound like a whiner.

Obviously not there - so don;t know exactly what happened.

And gate checking luggage is no big deal - if the plane is full and you know it's happening. But to remove a passenger's luggage without telling them is a complete no-no. How long would they have been looking for it at the end of the flight - perhaps thinking another traveler had moved it?

IMHO in this kind of situation you should just stand firm and take names. Then if it becomes a problem you know who to complain about - to the airline - which will do a lot more good than mentioning it here.

(All airlines create minor problems - and a report like this isn't going to change anybody's travel plans.)

The point is that you don't move someone else's bag just to make room for yours. It's a good thing you saw her moving it or you definitely would have been in a panic upon landing! Why not put the pilot's bag in the same place she was taking yours? Unfortunately, there's probably nothing you can do....except don't fly US Airways. I always fly Delta and have had a few "not so friendly" flight attendants but mostly very pleasant people who were willing to help make you comfortable.

The stewardess "was walking to the front of the plane with it when I realized it was our luggage and objected. We would not even have known where our luggage was when we landed."

I am a consumer who does not like being mistreated. Do you work for the airlines? It is well known that the airlines review messages tht relate to consumer harassment!

My reply was directed to:
J62,and "Marginal."

"The point is that you don't move someone else's bag just to make room for yours"

I've done this several times . . When I get to my seat and some jackass has filled my overhead area and then gone to his seat in the rear, I remove it, hand it to the Stew and aske her to gate check it.
She thinks it's mine and takes it.

I use a carryon that almost fits under the seat in front of me. It fits well enough that I've never been told to move it.

Overhead bin space can be scarce so I try not to rely on it, but I would also be pi**ed if someone moved my bag for an employee's. Especially if my bag was there first.

"When I get to my seat and some jackass has filled my overhead area and then gone to his seat in the rear, I remove it, hand it to the Stew and aske her to gate check it.
She thinks it's mine and takes it."

And how is it that you know it was someone who is sitting in the rear of the plane rather than someone who is sitting in the row in front or the row behind you?

While I don't like it when people sitting in the rear of the plane fill the bins in the front either, I'm sure the "stew" would not appreciate being put in the middle of your power play.

Geez, I hate flying these days.

"They seem to allow their crew to use up the overhead space, and do not care that passengers are inconvenienced"

farrihy1, this sounds like pure insinuation. How do you know this is what you perceive it to be?

"And how is it that you know it was someone who is sitting in the rear of the plane rather than someone who is sitting in the row in front or the row behind you?
"

. . I ask . . . and if there is no one in front or behind, that;' a pretty good indication of what happened . .

"I'm sure the "stew" would not appreciate being put in the middle of your power play.

They seem to now exactly what is going on . . and have yet to fail to grin and take it.

First: If the pilot really said that to you, and the steward really moved your luggage for no apparent reason, and nothing has been embellished here, then you could make a complaint. Of course, then the steward, who only moved the bag to get the sexually harrassing jerk of a pilot off her case may get fired, and her child will be saying bye bye Mama when she has her breakdown. But do what you gotta do.

Second: If when my feeble grandmother boards the plane and asks some nice man to help her with her bag, proceeds to her seat at the back of the plane.....can she sue Rich for diress, when she has heart palpitations thinking her bag was stolen for a good few minutes. Can the passengers behind her sue Rich for the delay getting off the plane as Nana panics and they miss their connecting flight?

Carry-on baggage might have medication in it, or something very important. Nobody has a right to move it without your permission, except to re-arrange luggage in the same compartment.

Overhead compartments aren't assigned to anyone in any particular row, in fact some compartments are full of oxygen equipment etc.

I wouldn't be surprised if airlines start charging $5 to use the overhead compartments....everyone else has to stow underfoot.

"can she sue Rich for diress, when she has heart palpitations thinking her bag was stolen for a good few minutes. Can the passengers behind her sue Rich for the delay getting off the plane as Nana panics and they miss their connecting flight?"

Rich is long gone from the plane by the time granny hits the floor . .

"When I get to my seat and some jackass has filled my overhead area and then gone to his seat in the rear, I remove it, hand it to the Stew and aske her to gate check it.
She thinks it's mine and takes it."

What a great idea. I'm going to use that next time!

I think we are getting a feel for who the jackasses are that put their luggage in the bins up front, then go to their seats at the back . . .

They can charge for the overhead bin and make the toilets coin operated while they're at it all.

I can imagine if you had medication in that bag that you needed to take during the flight you could have been up the creek without a paddle until the bag was located.

The deadhead's bag should have been moved.

Typical crap US Airways service.

Being an Ex airline Flight Attendant, I just wanted to make the point that we don't have all the info in the story. The Deadheading pilot could possibly doing a flight at the destination and needed to make a quick connection , so that another full plane load of folks wasn't delayed... think about everyone else that the airlines handle... It's not an easy job!! You have tight deadlines to meet, say hello and goodbye to over a thousand people in one day, not to mention the jet lag The FA's experience by flying across the country in one day and then getting minimum crew rest and do it again the next day. Not trying to make excuses for the crew, but I've been in those shoes and most people don't have a clue of how physically demanding the job actually is.

Also PS the "overhead bin" space over your seat is not designated to those seats so the FA has every right to move your bag to wherever he/she sees fit. It's about safety first and we don't know the whole story. I do agree though that she should have told you she was moving the bag first.

Used to like America West and before the merger hadn't heard anything good about Useless Airways.
However don't want to jump to conclusions but do wonder how many of their employees are getting disgruntled having to bear the brunt of the passenger discontent.
With the cutbacks in personnel and rising prices plus now charging for checkin bags and WATER.
The flight crews are hearing all of it I'm not saying that makes any of what happened ok just that maybe part of the problem.

"She was walking to the front of the plane with it when I realized it was our luggage and objected."

And then what happened? Did she put it back or put it in some other overhead bin? Was it gate checked? Was she originally planning on gate checking it or just putting it in a different overhead bin?

Was it in the bin above your seat initially or somewhere else? If it was right above your row, how was she able to remove it without you noticing? Was this an item that could've fit under your seat in the event it had to be gate checked?

I like the full story before assigning motives and pointing fingers.

One of the repercussions of the arilines' decision to nickel and dime us to death is that we, the flying public, are going to get a LOT touchier on a number of subjects.

The pilot should have stowed his bag under the seat in front of him.

Sounds like the FA actually found room for that carry-on without have to check it. If the FA had gate checked it then OP would have received a luggage claim check ticket.

Since OP said that they "would not have known where our luggage was" that must mean they didn't get a luggage claim check.

I travel with just one carry-on, so gate checking would be a big deal. Except that when I got my newest carry-on I traveled home with two pieces. Both got gate-checked (my fault, I was late and lucky the door hadn't closed). Both pieces spent three nights in Guatemala. One had my laptop which, in the hurry, I forgot to remove.

Yes, airlines gate-check luggage all the time. That also lose luggage all the time. Doesn't matter to me if I was already trusting them to handle two bags, I would resist giving them an opportunity to lose a third - especially the one that I am carrying on that has stuff that I dont want them to lose!

These stupid posts always make me laugh.

Firstly, it is Flight Attendent not sterwardess.

Secondly, how do you know the deadheading pilot didn't have a life and death matter at the other end of the flight?

Thirdly, how often do you fly? If you fly at all you'd know gate checking is as quick as stowing the bag over your head.

Please continue to fly Delta. I'm sure they'd love to have you fly with them.

And people wonder why flight crews are so cranky.

Gatechecking shouldn't be allowed, especially gatechecking someone ELSE'S bag. What if the person is switching airlines or terminals at the connecting city? They have to go through security again and they get asked that question "has anyone else touched your bags?" "Yes, it was gatechecked so 3 or 4 or 8 people might have handled it in the last few hours".

The bag is waiting for them when they exit the plane . . it ain't a big deal.

If someone like Rich asked the flight attendant to gate check MY bag, and I found out, I'd raise holy hell. And if one of those bags does hold medication for the person whose bag got checked without them knowing it, and something bad happens to that person, I'm hoping Rich is found out and named in the wrongful death lawsuit along with the airline.

Oh, and I have no problem with gate checking whatsoever, as long as A)the person whose bag is checked knows it and B) the bag wasn't already in the overhead bin (front, center or rear).

From the original post, we don't even know that the flight attendant did "gate checked" the bag. She may have just been moving it to a overhead bin towards the front of the plane where there was more room.

And I don't understand "just keeps charging us" complaint. Nothing in the scenario of moving the bag had anything to do with money.

"if one of those bags does hold medication"

No one other than a complete idiot would put a bag with medicine upo front then sit in the rear where they could not keep an eye on it . .

gail <Why does this post sound really familiar>

This is why:

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=35145520 ((*))

If you want to be sure to keep your carry-on bag with you, take one small enough to fit under the seat in front of you. No one will mess with that.

Yes, but I hate putting anything under that seat. Being a bit tall, I need that space for my feet.

Forgive my ignorance, but what is "deadheading" outside of traveling in a VW bus to see a band?

deadheading refers to an employee of an airline traveling for free in available space, often to get back to his/her base city after being on-duty flying to another city.

The BOTTOM LINE for this shouldhave been YOU, getting up, going right up to the "pilot" and GETTING his name.

You put that name into a letter WITH the offensive remark..and believe me, telling someone they can "rent their own plane" would be seen as embarrassing in any airline corporate headquarters.

As to wherher or not anyone here has bigger bags, smaller bags, etc., etc., it is irrelevant IMO

thanks CFC! Good to know he wasn't going to "spark up" before flying the plane! That's what I was picturing anyway... :)