A United Airlines flight attendant deserves credit for calling out a common but selfish boarding behavior: economy class passengers dumping bags in first class overhead bins when there is still space above their own seats.
United Flight Attendant Calls Out Economy Passengers For Using First Class Overhead Bins
Overhead bins are shared space: I have argued this for year. But they are shared space within your cabin of service, not an invitation for economy class passengers to dump bags in first class and continue walking to the back of the plane.
A recent thread on Reddit illustrates the problem perfectly.
The passenger was seated in 1D on a United Express Embraer E175 and was among the first 15 or so passengers to board. Yet the first class overhead bin was already full:
I’m sitting in 1D on an Embraer E175. I was the 15th or so person to board, yet the overhead bin is already full.
The people seated in row 2 have already filled their overhead, so I politely ask the FA if I can use the jacket closet up front for my computer bag.
She looks up and sees that the bin is full and gives a WTF look… stops boarding… and says to the plane, “Whose bags are these?”
Two people in row 4 (who have an empty bin above them) say they belong to them and the FA politely asks then to put their bags above THEIR OWN SEATS.
They begrudgingly do so and I put my bag in the now empty bin and sit down.
The FA goes back to the galley and literally 10 seconds later the next person to board sticks their bag into the empty spot next to mine and walks to the back of the plane.
The FA turns back and sees the new bag and hollers, “Are you kidding me!! I JUST CLEARED THIS SPACE FOR THESE PASSENGERS!”
She halts boarding (again) the tracks down the offender who was in economy and yes… had an empty bin above their own seat.
When 1C boarded he was happy that there was room for his bag.
Just wanted to say a kudos to the United FA who called out people’s poor behavior.
Bravo to that flight attendant.
Overhead Bins Are Shared, But Not A Free-For-All Across Cabins
Let’s separate two issues.
First, the overhead bin directly above your seat does not belong to you. I have written about this before and still think passengers become far too possessive about the space above their heads.
If you are in row 12 and someone seated in row 14 places a bag in the bin above row 12, that is perfectly justified, even if it is a little rude if there is space directly above their head. But there is an important limitation: shared space means shared space within the cabin in which you are seated.
If you are flying economy class, do not put your bag in first class or business class simply because you see an empty bin as you walk by. That space is not there for you unless everyone is seated and you are explicitly invited by a flight attendant to place your bag there.
First Class Passengers Should Not Have To Chase Their Bags To The Back
I understand why this happens. Overhead bin space creates a “Hunger Games” mindset. Passengers have learned that if they board late, they may have to gate-check a bag or place it several rows behind them, which can be especially stressful if they have a tight connection.
I also understand that flight attendants sometimes tell late-boarding passengers to take the first available overhead space when the aircraft is nearly full. That is different. If boarding is almost complete and the bins in the back are full, then yes, use whatever space remains, again only if the flight attendants instructs you to.
But that is not what happened here.
This was early in the boarding process and was space above the economy passengers’ own seats. It’s rude and lazy to simply chose to dump their bags up front and keep walking.
Premium cabin passengers pay a premium for a reason. That does not mean they “own” the overhead bin above their head, but it does mean the premium cabin bins should first accommodate premium cabin passengers. If first class fills up and there is still empty space, fine. Use it later if a flight attendant directs you to do so. But economy passengers should not be taking first class bin space during early boarding when there is still plenty of room in the back.
The same principle applies on widebody aircraft. Business class bins are for business class passengers. Premium economy bins are for premium economy passengers. Economy bins are for economy passengers.
Yes, there are exceptions. If you are told by a crew member to use a particular bin, use it. If boarding is nearly complete and the crew is trying to get the flight out on time, common sense applies. If an aircraft has odd bin configurations or limited space due to safety equipment, that may change things too.
But the default should be simple: put your bag near your seat and within your cabin.
A final reminder as long as we are on the topic of carry-on items: your smaller backpack, purse, laptop bag, or tote generally belongs under the seat in front of you unless there is extra room after boarding is complete.
CONCLUSION
Overhead bins are shared space, but they are not a free-for-all across cabins. If you are seated in economy class, do not place your bag in first class or business class when there is still space near your own seat.
The United Express flight attendant in this story did exactly what more flight attendants should do: she protected space for the passengers seated in that cabin and called out behavior that was clearly inconsiderate.
No, the bin above your seat does not belong to you. But neither does the first class bin when you are headed to the back of the plane…
I agree and glad the FA got the Economy bags moved. Yes it’s odd row 4 put theirs above row 2 but why didn’t this guy just put his laptop bag over Row 4 which is still in First Class?
Duh, because when they land he would need to block the aisle going back 3 rows to get his bag…
Anyone who flies a lot knows there are plenty of gaps in the disembarking where you can walk the few steps and grab it. It’s not 10 rows behind and it’s not a big rollaboard.
“First Class Passengers Should Not Have To Chase Their Bags To The Back” … Preach!
(We probably have the technology to reserve space in the overhead for specific passengers… nah, that’s not very efficient, is it?)
The overhead bin issue is why I do not select a seat in row 1 when I sit up front. Seems like flight attendants occasionally store their luggage in the first class bins. Not sure how often or if they have other locations to store their items.
I travel with a legally sized personal item (small backpack or computer bag) and roller suitcase so I use an overhead and under seat space. I mostly travel in premium economy and do not have any status. I can usually find space in the PE section overhead bins of Delta and Alaska flights. United? It is hit and miss depending on how many people with high status seated in the PE section board before me.
I think part of the issue is that some passengers put more than one item in the overhead bin including smaller ones that should have been placed under the seat. If there is a flight attendant in the cabin keeping an eye on the boarding process, they are often able to catch the scoundrels. That often seems to be the case on Delta and Alaska flights. If the FA’s are all in the galleys, that is when the luggage issue can get out of hand. I am not afraid to move things around in the overhead so I can squeeze my suitcase in. I try to be quick so the passengers boarding behind me can get by.
Completely right. Massive props to the flight attendant. If crazy uncle Scott wanted to go on one of his rants why doesn’t he choose this or fake service animals as the topic? Those might actually help the people paying money to his company.
This is the society we have created: filled with selfish, greedy, assholes.
It wasn’t always like this – we made it this way. If we wanted to, we could work to get it back to the way it was not so many years ago. But the rich and powerful who rule over us are the very same selfish, greedy, assholes…so they won’t.
Release Luigi. Hang some CEOs and celebrities from the lampposts. It would be a good start towards making this a better world.
I am actually a little stunned to see that someone would actually post this comment. Release a murderer because the person he killed was rich? Hang CEOs and celebrities because, uh, something or other offends the writer? Yeah, that will make things better for all of us.
Matthew, I sort of commend you for printing this post, but I really think that advocating murder crosses a line that you should have caught and exercised editorial discretion.
The rich have been murdering millions of us for a long, long time. Time for some payback is all. String ’em up, burn down their mansions, take down their private jets, it’s at least a start.
You treat people like disposable cattle for long enough, eventually they turn on you and take some of those responsible in return. It’s karma. Don’t be shocked when more of it comes for you.
maybe instead of whining about millionaires and billionaires, you should worry about taking the next step on the financial ladder.
It’s you holding you down, not the rich
and your comment may well have been criminal. making a terroristic threat
Kudos to the FA. The only problem is the cheaters should have been kicked off.
I say treat them like Graham Platner would treat a burglar.
How about how an ICE Agent would treat an American? Or how Pete Hegseth would treat either a woman or person on color?
And don’t forget whatever they do it will be with a bible in one hand.
I believe the rule should be check All luggage, have 1 small bag of confirmed
Standard size (to be checked at time of boarding for compliance… If not in compliance … Must be checked) and a small hand bag (not a duffel bag) a back pack . A shopping bag is to be considered a carry on and treated accordingly as a carry on not an additional bag … Check it.
OMG, a person who thinks the way I do! Back in the day, when I was a UAL F/A, there were NO overhead bins! Yes, I am that old.The rack was coats and hats only. Whoever came up with bin ideas idea should be shot. Boarding was much more civilized and easy. BTW, on a similar note, kudos to UAL for finally awarding boarding pay! Can you believe F/As had to put up with the worst part of airplane travel for free??
As long as all premium cabin people are seated with their bags stowed (the get group 1 or pre-boarding), then premium overhead bins are up for grabs. Usually I allow the last remaining economy people to use those bins to speed up the last few minutes of boarding.
Sure, if they are all seated, maybe. And, certainly, no Y pax should have to pull a bag off the plane to be gate checked only to leave empty space over F seats. But, many F pax like the luxury of staying longer at the lounge, knowing there will/should be empty space for F cabin bags. Plus, I am constantly amazed by the bulkhead F pax who place a bag at their feet and seem surprised the FA tells them it needs to be put in a bin.
I have this problem constantly, as I only sit in business seats. But the perpetrators are usually the 1K and global services passengers who seat in economy, but get to board the plane early. And god forbid if any one of them ever checked a bag.
Which is the real issue here. There’s plenty of overhead bin space in all cabins for personal items and items that are fragile or need special care. What there isn’t enough space for is all the people who need to cut every corner possible and never check a bag. Not only are these people cheap and lazy, they slow down the entire boarding process for everyone. All so they can save 10 minutes?
It’s so selfish, so American and costs the airlines a fortune in excess time at the gate.
Some of the most expensive costs of running an airline are labor and gate access. It doesn’t take a genius to see how much time would be saved by going back to the good old days when you had to check your bag. I’d switch my loyalty to an airline that did that in a heartbeat.
There’s no divider in those aircraft to make it obvious when board that’s a “first class” bin.
Maybe United should put a sign in the bin? Ya think?
AFAIK, many of the bins on regional jets do have such stickers.
Or maybe pax should use their brains and act with a little common courtesy? I understand that the concept is increasingly difficult for Americans to comprehend these days, but it’s actually quite easy. Personally I’d have waited until everyone had boarded, then removed the economy class bags and had them put in the hold.
Ahh, yes, it is obvious which bins are for First Class and which are for Economy on United Express flights using Embraer 175s.
I disagree that it is OK to EVER put your baggage in a row ahead of where you are sitting. The person in row 14 puts their bags in row 12. Now, presumably row 12 person hs to put their bags further in the plane from where they are seated. Why is this so bad? Because, if their bags are far back enough, THE PERSON IN ROW 12 WILL HAVE TO SIT AND WAIT FOR THE ENTIRE REST OF THE PLANE TO DISEMBARK BEFORE THEY CAN GO BACK AND GET THEIR BAGS. It stinks, I’ve had to do it.
The next time it happens, I am going to stand my ground in the aisle until somebody passes me my bag. While, of course, I shame the person(s) who used my overhead.
100% correct! “even if it is a little rude” is BS, rude is rude, and messing with everyone is messing with everyone. Put your F-in bag above your own seat, makes zero sense to do otherwise.
Get me the name of this flight attendant. A $100 gift certificate is hers. Wouldn’t begin to scratch the service of how gratified I am to hear there’s actually a FA who would do this. She deserves a promotion, raise, award – the whole nine yards. Whether it should be what any business/first cabin FA would do as part of their basic job performance- it sure the heck isn’t.
It seems to me that either she was a purser, or she took that action with the purser’s approval.
For aviation enthusiasts → United Express currently has 247 ERJ-175s (average age: 8 years) in its fleet.
Bigger problems in life guys.
I don’t blame the pax for doing this. Inexperienced flyers are being constantly told that the flight is full and to volunteer to check their bag. Under this constant fear that there won’t be space, they panic and put it in the first bin they see. Maybe they when they get to the back, they see the bin at their seat is empty, but by then it’s too much if a hassle to swim up stream.
This is why I already board early if I’m sitting in the front
This is a great news and should be standard practice across the industry.
Nina over first class seats in several European airlines – including some discounters – have large and prominent stickers in those bins stating they are “Reserved – First Class”. Seems an easy thing to do.
I typically pay for First and expect (reasonably) that I can stow my bag somewhere in F.
I’m grateful for the FA’s actions. I hate flying. I’m old and retired now, and hope to never fly again. Part of the problem with flying is the too-high probability of delays and cancellations. And part of the problem is dealing with a growing population of toddlers walking around in adult bodies, without adult supervision. Don’t get me wrong, most people are mature, reasonable, pleasant and well-meaning. But it doesn’t take a lot of adult-toddlers to ruin a flight. And that sub-culture appears to be on the rise.
I was stunned when I was sitting in the front of the plane (still in economy class) and some guy puts his bag right up in the front bins and continued to move to the rear. I was so stunned I didn’t say anything or catch what he looked like. I was worried about calling him out lest he was cabin crew or deadheading, but I doubt it.
frequently the FA will announce that the bins in the rear are full and there us space in first. otherwise stay where you belong
also
would like a standard announcement that you are allowed to recline your seat at your discretion. no more arguments or fights
The next time you witness some entitled child putting his bag where it clearly doesn’t belong, just wait for him to walk to his seat in coach and sit down. Then get up, go grab his bag, drop it in the aisle, and return to your seat. As boarding is now blocked, a flight attendant will notice pretty quickly. They should then pick the bag up from the aisle, carry it forward to the open aircraft door, and simply toss the child’s bag out the door and let it fall to the tarmac, then re-commence boarding. No announcements, just do it. Do this consistently and the children will learn their potty-training.
The fish rots from the head.
This would be easy to stop. Simply automatically gate check any bag that is not in its appropriate bin.