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... :)