Link/Source: https://www.inc.com/chris-matyszczyk/am ... class.html

"Some passengers will carry on too much and they shove it in First Class bins or anywhere else they can find space."
"So American Airlines has decided to do something about it. You must decide whether it's doing enough."
"For, as the Forward Cabin reports, the airline is going to label the Main Cabin Extra overhead bins with placards that insist they are exclusive to passengers in that class."

"You see, there's a small catch."
The memo sent to flight attendants announcing this brave new move had a little kink: "Flight attendants are not responsible for monitoring the MCE overhead bins."

"For once, flight attendants will not be asked to play police officers."
"This means the labeling is a little like those illuminated signs on roads that tell you your speed and flash at you if you're even 1 mph over the limit.
"Ultimately, there's nothing they can actually do."
American Main Cabin Extra passengers will, therefore, now see just how honest and law-abiding their fellow passengers in lesser classes are."


I have had passengers ask to pre-board in the past just so that they could get their overhead bin space. I tried to explain that pre-boarding is for the disabled and those needing extra time not for overhead bin space ...

How idiotic .... what genius thought this nonsense up ??

Just board each class 1 at a time like normal, but have bin that auto lock when the other class is loading. Once the pass that were on time are all loaded, unlock them. Those that are late to board are on their own at that time.

Why don't US airlines just police the amount of luggage taken onboard? The amount of stuff people take onboard is ridiculous. If the ground staff demanded one compliantly sized bag per pax, this angst would be avoided. Other countries do it but US airlines ignore it and instead end up with boarding chaos.

tullamarine wrote:

Why don't US airlines just police the amount of luggage taken onboard? The amount of stuff people take onboard is ridiculous. If the ground staff demanded one compliantly sized bag per pax, this angst would be avoided. Other countries do it but US airlines ignore it and instead end up with boarding chaos.

Yet they keep equipping their planes with larger and larger overhead bins. So this (along with checked bag fees) is how airlines are encouraging people to carry on more and more.

Overhead bins should be assigned to specific seats. Hence self-policing. Not all seats will have bins. So What? That is what economy minus is about.

...the airline is going to label the Main Cabin Extra overhead bins with placards that insist they are exclusive to passengers in that class.

I wonder just exactly where that placard will be located? On the part of the door that faces the ceiling when open perhaps? Otherwise it will be as visible (and effective) as the weight limit placards.

Why not just make checked bags free and charge for carry on bags?

Is it still an issue? Ever since Basic Economy was introduced, I stopped seeing overhead bin space drama. And faster boarding and de-boarding.

Placards ... LOL .. . as if pax are even going to pay attention ... boarding is hectic enough ... with pissy, unhelpful flight attendants barking at pax to get out of the aisle ... its idiotic to think any pax would pay any attention to anything like "assigned location overhead bin space" ..

And what about all the FA bags that are tossed up into those bins? Those should go too. Bin space should be for paying passengers only ... not the staff.

The only answer? Back to the old open hat rack days. Only hats and coats up above!

s

AirbusMDCFAN wrote:

"For once, flight attendants will not be asked to play police officers."

Other than serving food and drink this was literally the last service FAs provided. Why bother having them at all?

F27500 wrote:

Placards ... LOL .. . as if pax are even going to pay attention ... boarding is hectic enough ... with pissy, unhelpful flight attendants barking at pax to get out of the aisle ... its idiotic to think any pax would pay any attention to anything like "assigned location overhead bin space" ..

And what about all the FA bags that are tossed up into those bins? Those should go too. Bin space should be for paying passengers only ... not the staff.

The only answer? Back to the old open hat rack days. Only hats and coats up above!

s

Are you for real?!?!

It is a problem of their own making. So they will continually try and make changes. The new planes with larger bins are noticeably better. What grinds my gears is when people put up small bags in the overhead that should be under the seat.

First of all, people sitting in MCE are usually among the first to board anyway, thereby giving them first dibs on overhead bin space above their seat.

Secondly, Delta has had similar signage installed for a quite a while now, so this isn't a new concept.

This was a completely useless, clickbait, poorly written, not half as witty as the author thinks it is article. Next!

DL has labels inside the bins for F and Y+ that say they are reserved for those passengers only. They have had them for at least a year. They also tell you that you will not be getting bin space in the final boarding group and offer to gate check it, but that defeats the purpose.

rbavfan wrote:

Just board each class 1 at a time like normal, but have bin that auto lock when the other class is loading. Once the pass that were on time are all loaded, unlock them. Those that are late to board are on their own at that time.

We've had this discussion discussion on locking bins, the consensus was bad idea.

To guarantee bin space near your seat is to board back to front, or Southwest style if you want fast.

I never understood why they allow passengers to put any type of bags in the first class area, other than first class passengers.

Who cares about the overhead bins, I'm more concerned about 190 seats on the A321 and 172 seats on the 737!

Serious question, and apologies if it sounds really dumb, but why can't you tie bin space to where you sit? Bins seem to cover about 3 rows each, so wouldn't one be able to fit let's say 9 bags (1/person) into that bin, assuming they are all put in the same way? I feel like the way people put their bags needs to be changed as that really impacts space, but if you tell people they can only use their own rows' bins they might cool their jets a bit when it comes to the overhead space.

Posting a sign on the overhead bin is "NOT" being aggressive. It's like putting cookies on a table at a day care with a sign reading do not eat.

Watching and telling passengers "No & you need to use the bins in your cabin class, near your seat only, would be aggressive.

airzona11 wrote:

What grinds my gears is when people put up small bags in the overhead that should be under the seat.

If I bring on only one small bag, why should I have to keep it at my feet. If I bring on a roll aboard and a small bag, I agree -big one up, little one at my feet. But if I plan ahead to have just one small bag in the cabin (especially of I checked another case), it is going up top.

airzona11 wrote:

What grinds my gears is when people put up small bags in the overhead that should be under the seat.

If I bring on only one small bag, why should I have to keep it at my feet. If I bring on a roll aboard and a small bag, I agree -big one up, little one at my feet. But if I plan ahead to have just one small bag in the cabin (especially of I checked another case), it is going up top.

<<<< Moderators - Please delete this duplicate post >>>>>>>

m007j wrote:

Serious question, and apologies if it sounds really dumb, but why can't you tie bin space to where you sit? Bins seem to cover about 3 rows each, so wouldn't one be able to fit let's say 9 bags (1/person) into that bin, assuming they are all put in the same way? I feel like the way people put their bags needs to be changed as that really impacts space, but if you tell people they can only use their own rows' bins they might cool their jets a bit when it comes to the overhead space.

Because there is always at least one dumbass per every two rows that brings in three bags and a personal, or one person who tried to place one carry on, one personal, and one paper bag full of whatever they bought post security in the entire bin. OR, when someone with a 21" carry-on places the bag sideways then closes the bin.

I remember a UA flight from IAD to NRT where I was in seat 22C an isle on a 777. I had my camera bag under my seat, and my single 21" carry-on directly overhead. The guy who came up a little after me in 22D who was on the other side of the isle filled the bin over his seat with two large bags and other crap (which kept anyone else from using that bin), then tried to remove my bag that was directly over my head and tried to move it somewhere else when I stopped him. When it was all said and done the FA told him, he had too much carry-on and made him check at least the 25" duffel.

Super80Fan wrote:

Who cares about the overhead bins, I'm more concerned about 190 seats on the A321 and 172 seats on the 737!

In Europe we have had 189 seats on the B737-800 since 1998 and on most flights we are able to shoehorn everything into the overhead bins, and we are strict about passengers putting purses, duty free bags and food bags under the seat in front of them.

However, when working a flight to Pristina airport some weeks ago we took 64 (!) carry-on bags during boarding and put them in the cargo hold... where 198 already-checked-in bags were plus the overhead bins were bursting at the seams and creaking when you looked at them. Talk about bringing everything you own including the kitchen sink...

The only way this problem will really be mostly solved is if gate agents do more to police the 1 carryon/ 1 personal item rule. On the AS 900ERs with space bins, each bin is a couple inches short of 2 rows long and can fit six bags. So in theory there is a bin slot for every passenger.
However this still often isn’t the case. Whenever I board, 1/3 of the bags are placed improperly in the bins, thus taking up more than their fair share. BUT even if everyone is placing their bags in correctly, there will always be the people that believe they are entitled to also stuff their backpack and jacket in the overhead bin. There’s nothing, or at least very little the airlines can do about those people.
On Aircraft that don’t have these, or smaller aircraft altogether, passengers will just need to gatecheck.
One question I have about shelf style bins, I’ve always been conditioned on AS to put the bag in with wheels on the bottom facing the aisle. The lip of the bin door then closes around the wheels. Last summer on Delta, an FA literally cussed me out for placing my suitcase in the way I’ve been conditioned to for that particular style of bin. So I calmly rotate my bin, and take note of her name to report her for swearing at a customer. Fast forward 3 minutes, another FA comes down the aisle and can’t close the bin because my bag is sticking out. So he rotates it back to wheels out, and like magic the bin closes. So why is it some airlines policy to have wheels out like AS, and others to have wheels in like DL?

I never understood why carry on baggage are not charged. The checked bags fee were to pay for the cost of transporting the checked bag, then, how come carry on baggage are free to be transported? AA can charge carry on bags for like USD 10 or 20 per kg and snag millions of additional profit every year.

rbavfan wrote:

Just board each class 1 at a time like normal, but have bin that auto lock when the other class is loading. Once the pass that were on time are all loaded, unlock them. Those that are late to board are on their own at that time.

So if I've paid for MCE and have a tight connection or run late, the bins at my seat are locked and I'm "on my own?" Or I forget my headphones, wait till boarding is done, and stand up to get them only to be unable to access my bag?

Don't think many will put up with that sort of nonsense.

As others have noted, this is largely a non-issue after the introduction of basic economy. As long as carry on restrictions are enforced at the gate, enough Y pax are not going to be bringing them.

And what a completely misleading title, unless "aggressive" is meant ironically.

tullamarine wrote:

Why don't US airlines just police the amount of luggage taken onboard? The amount of stuff people take onboard is ridiculous. If the ground staff demanded one compliantly sized bag per pax, this angst would be avoided. Other countries do it but US airlines ignore it and instead end up with boarding chaos.

Couldn't agree more! This needs to be policed better...

But ...with cell phone and kiosk check-in, there is less contact between passenger and airline staff. For many passengers, the first agent they see is the gate agent scanning their boarding pass and by that point, there is such pressure on the gate staff to get an on time departure they don't have time to bag police. So everything gets pushed down the line to the flight attendants.

I was on a 2-3 month old AA 737-800 a couple of months back and they made an announcement during boarding to say that if everyone put their roll-aboard cases on their sides they can get them all in the overheads - but as has been said before, it's all about what people do - some put them one way or the other and it takes up space (if you put it on it's side then it takes up the full height and little space length wise in the bin but say you put it flat on it's back then there is a load of space above it that may not be used by someone who is unwilling/worried about putting their items on top of it).

I must admit, on domestic AA flights at least (as they are my only experience on domestic flights in the US) there does seem to be an issue with overhead space and the sheer amount or size of the luggage people try to bring into the cabin. To be honest, if airlines enforced their rules regarding the size of items then there wouldn't be as much of a problem.

We had 189 seats on our 737-800s, 233 on our 757-200s, 290 on our 767-200 and I forget the figures for our 737-400 and 767-300 but can never recall as specific incident about overhead space aside from one rather amusing incident at Manchester on the 757-200. All of our aircraft were fitted with a Doctors Box, Defibrillator and other emergency equipment and generally those which were stowed overhead are in their own separate mini bin. Cue to this 757 where I'm stood near 3-Right when a guy comes along and opens a small bin which has a variety of placards on including various pictures and one that says "CREW USE ONLY" and proceeds to remove the big black case that's in there to try and squeeze his bag in before I stopped him and asked him if we could put our Doctors Box back in that bin and find him somewhere else to put his bag...

Phil
FlyingColours

FrmrKSEngr wrote:

airzona11 wrote:

What grinds my gears is when people put up small bags in the overhead that should be under the seat.

If I bring on only one small bag, why should I have to keep it at my feet. If I bring on a roll aboard and a small bag, I agree -big one up, little one at my feet. But if I plan ahead to have just one small bag in the cabin (especially of I checked another case), it is going up top.

Why? Airlines kindly ask that the overheads are for larger carry on bags with smaller bags, backpacks, purses, etc stores at your feet beneath the seat in front of you. If the plane is boarded and the overhead is empty or has space, fine. But foolish that someone should have to gate check a bag when a small bag could be removed to under the seat to accommodate.

N383SW wrote:

F27500 wrote:

Placards ... LOL .. . as if pax are even going to pay attention ... boarding is hectic enough ... with pissy, unhelpful flight attendants barking at pax to get out of the aisle ... its idiotic to think any pax would pay any attention to anything like "assigned location overhead bin space" ..

And what about all the FA bags that are tossed up into those bins? Those should go too. Bin space should be for paying passengers only ... not the staff.

The only answer? Back to the old open hat rack days. Only hats and coats up above!

s

Are you for real?!?!

The part about the open hat racks? Of course not - that was a joke.

Everything else? "For real".

F27500 wrote:

N383SW wrote:

F27500 wrote:

Placards ... LOL .. . as if pax are even going to pay attention ... boarding is hectic enough ... with pissy, unhelpful flight attendants barking at pax to get out of the aisle ... its idiotic to think any pax would pay any attention to anything like "assigned location overhead bin space" ..

And what about all the FA bags that are tossed up into those bins? Those should go too. Bin space should be for paying passengers only ... not the staff.

The only answer? Back to the old open hat rack days. Only hats and coats up above!

s

Are you for real?!?!

The part about the open hat racks? Of course not - that was a joke.

Everything else? "For real".

Considering the Flight Attendants work there I think they have every right to have their bags up there. What needs to go is this sense of entitlement!

F27500 wrote:

And what about all the FA bags that are tossed up into those bins? Those should go too. Bin space should be for paying passengers only ... not the staff.

Shirley you can't be serious... FAs have manuals in their crew bags that they are required to carry with them.

If the FA's bags get lost or left behind, their next departure is going to be delayed or cancelled (potentially impacting hundreds of those paying customers you're so concerned about). I can't imagine any crew member going on their next assignment without any of their personal belongings or a change of clothes.

KGRB wrote:

F27500 wrote:

And what about all the FA bags that are tossed up into those bins? Those should go too. Bin space should be for paying passengers only ... not the staff.

Shirley you can't be serious... FAs have manuals in their crew bags that they are required to carry with them.

If the FA's bags get lost or left behind, their next departure is going to be delayed or cancelled (potentially impacting hundreds of those paying customers you're so concerned about). I can't imagine any crew member going on their next assignment without any of their personal belongings or a change of clothes.

With underbin closets reserved for crew baggage now becoming more and more a thing of the past, we have no other option but to put our bags in the overhead bin. I frequently have four consecutive nights in four different hotels during my work period and simply must have my large carry-on with me plus a smaller bag for documents and small stuff that I use onboard. We are not allowed to put our baggage in the hold while being active crew, only when deadheading.

airzona11 wrote:

FrmrKSEngr wrote:

airzona11 wrote:

What grinds my gears is when people put up small bags in the overhead that should be under the seat.

If I bring on only one small bag, why should I have to keep it at my feet. If I bring on a roll aboard and a small bag, I agree -big one up, little one at my feet. But if I plan ahead to have just one small bag in the cabin (especially of I checked another case), it is going up top.

Why? Airlines kindly ask that the overheads are for larger carry on bags with smaller bags, backpacks, purses, etc stores at your feet beneath the seat in front of you. If the plane is boarded and the overhead is empty or has space, fine. But foolish that someone should have to gate check a bag when a small bag could be removed to under the seat to accommodate.

So I, who is really trying to play by the rules to make my flight more comfortable by checking my roll aboard for a fee (or took advantage of the free check offer) should keep my brief case at my feet from DFW to SEA while someone else who is just taking a roll aboard along in the cabin should have their feet free with no inconvenience? Sorry. I get what you are saying, but the way I see it we all get a shot at one thing in the overhead on first pass. If I carry two items, the roll aboard will go up and the briefcase will be at my feet, until boarding is complete, and then if there is space above the brief case will go up too.

It also depends on the length of flight (DFW - ICT is different from DFW to SEA) and how big my personal bag is. And if asked by an FA if I can keep my bag, I do comply.

I do get chapped when someone puts their roll aboard AND briefcase (or bag o'crap) up right away instead of waiting for boarding to complete. And not putting the bag in wheels first is another peeve.

How is this even an issue at AA? Last flight I was on with them, ground staff refused to let anyone (regardless of which class/ticket booked) with a roller board take it onboard with them leaving the bins 3/4 empty on a fully booked flight.

shintaenam wrote:

I never understood why carry on baggage are not charged. The checked bags fee were to pay for the cost of transporting the checked bag, then, how come carry on baggage are free to be transported? AA can charge carry on bags for like USD 10 or 20 per kg and snag millions of additional profit every year.

Carry on is charged - its included in your ticket price. If you want to pay extra for carry on/overhead bin access then may I suggest you stick to no-frill LCCs or basic economy fares. Some of us already pay higher fares (and sometimes even upgrades) to ensure we get first crack at overhead bins so we can travel in a civilized and expected manner.

FrmrKSEngr wrote:

And not putting the bag in wheels first is another peeve.

So what is this with putting the bag in wheels first? My bag only fits in shelf bins if the wheels are facing the aisle. I don’t have an oversized bag either. Wheels facing the aisle is standard AS policy for shelf bins because the lip of the bin door can wrap around the wheels. I’ve been cussed out by a DL FA for doing it that way, rotated my bag, put wheels in first and the bin couldn’t close. So for me, putting wheels in first is a pet peeve.

I was one of the last people to board my fly a couple of months ago due to being late coming from TUL due to weather only to find the bins above 9D in Delta one full of C+ bags only to have the FA tell me that my bag needed to be gate checked. DL already marks J/F/Y+ bins and people don't follow.

F27500 wrote:

Placards ... LOL .. . as if pax are even going to pay attention ... boarding is hectic enough ... with pissy, unhelpful flight attendants barking at pax to get out of the aisle ... its idiotic to think any pax would pay any attention to anything like "assigned location overhead bin space" ..

And what about all the FA bags that are tossed up into those bins? Those should go too. Bin space should be for paying passengers only ... not the staff.

The only answer? Back to the old open hat rack days. Only hats and coats up above!

s

I am not a pissy FA, pissy or even a FA, but, what?

I just flew in the US for the first time in a while, and on AA and was in MCE on all flights. The number of people just aimlessly milling around in the aisle or taking bags out of the bin and looking through them while blocking the aisle was not not unique to one flight. If FAs are pissy, it is because of self entitled, oblivious to others iduots

csturdiv wrote:

F27500 wrote:

Placards ... LOL .. . as if pax are even going to pay attention ... boarding is hectic enough ... with pissy, unhelpful flight attendants barking at pax to get out of the aisle ... its idiotic to think any pax would pay any attention to anything like "assigned location overhead bin space" ..

And what about all the FA bags that are tossed up into those bins? Those should go too. Bin space should be for paying passengers only ... not the staff.

The only answer? Back to the old open hat rack days. Only hats and coats up above!

s

I am not a pissy FA, pissy or even a FA, but, what?

I just flew in the US for the first time in a while, and on AA and was in MCE on all flights. The number of people just aimlessly milling around in the aisle or taking bags out of the bin and looking through them while blocking the aisle was not not unique to one flight. If FAs are pissy, it is because of self entitled, oblivious to others iduots

No flight attendant has any business being pissy or snotty to any passenger. Customer service IS part of their job (whether they like to admit it or not) even though many -particularly at the legacy carriers- seem to think they are justified in acting like police officers. Though legacy airlines don't give a crap about how passengers (esp. in Y) are treated nowadays , so FAs and agents basically get away with the bullying and the snottiness.

Ironically, the better service is on the WNs and B6s. Seems a lot less of the "entitled arrogant bully" employees at those carriers.

F27500 wrote:

csturdiv wrote:

F27500 wrote:

Placards ... LOL .. . as if pax are even going to pay attention ... boarding is hectic enough ... with pissy, unhelpful flight attendants barking at pax to get out of the aisle ... its idiotic to think any pax would pay any attention to anything like "assigned location overhead bin space" ..

And what about all the FA bags that are tossed up into those bins? Those should go too. Bin space should be for paying passengers only ... not the staff.

The only answer? Back to the old open hat rack days. Only hats and coats up above!

s

I am not a pissy FA, pissy or even a FA, but, what?

I just flew in the US for the first time in a while, and on AA and was in MCE on all flights. The number of people just aimlessly milling around in the aisle or taking bags out of the bin and looking through them while blocking the aisle was not not unique to one flight. If FAs are pissy, it is because of self entitled, oblivious to others iduots

No flight attendant has any business being pissy or snotty to any passenger. Customer service IS part of their job (whether they like to admit it or not) even though many -particularly at the legacy carriers- seem to think they are justified in acting like police officers. Though legacy airlines don't give a crap about how passengers (esp. in Y) are treated nowadays , so FAs and agents basically get away with the bullying and the snottiness.

Ironically, the better service is on the WNs and B6s. Seems a lot less of the "entitled arrogant bully" employees at those carriers.

Seems you have some issues that are bigoting your thoughts on FAs. Maybe you should just drive or take other modes of transport. So what you have claimed to see on your small sample of flights gives you enough data to make a broad claim about all FAs? I am not saying that there are not any FAs that are pissy, if you read my comment I outlined some examples, but your broad sweeping generalization is very overboard...and also nothing to do at all with stopping people from stealing overhead bin space.

If you are going to charge me to check a bag I'm going to continue to bring on as much as I can as a carry on. Simple as that.

I will always find room for it on-board.

csturdiv wrote:

F27500 wrote:

csturdiv wrote:

I am not a pissy FA, pissy or even a FA, but, what?

I just flew in the US for the first time in a while, and on AA and was in MCE on all flights. The number of people just aimlessly milling around in the aisle or taking bags out of the bin and looking through them while blocking the aisle was not not unique to one flight. If FAs are pissy, it is because of self entitled, oblivious to others iduots

No flight attendant has any business being pissy or snotty to any passenger. Customer service IS part of their job (whether they like to admit it or not) even though many -particularly at the legacy carriers- seem to think they are justified in acting like police officers. Though legacy airlines don't give a crap about how passengers (esp. in Y) are treated nowadays , so FAs and agents basically get away with the bullying and the snottiness.

Ironically, the better service is on the WNs and B6s. Seems a lot less of the "entitled arrogant bully" employees at those carriers.

Seems you have some issues that are bigoting your thoughts on FAs. Maybe you should just drive or take other modes of transport. So what you have claimed to see on your small sample of flights gives you enough data to make a broad claim about all FAs? I am not saying that there are not any FAs that are pissy, if you read my comment I outlined some examples, but your broad sweeping generalization is very overboard...and also nothing to do at all with stopping people from stealing overhead bin space.

Maybe you need to re-read what I wrote. I was referring only to the ones to DO act that way. I even said above "many" ... not "all".

Also .. I am a former FA (4 yrs) and a former Customer Service Supervisor (10 yrs) .. I am in the medical field now, but I do notice a real shift away from any form of customer service in the airline industry. I am only calling out the ones who do act that way. Believe me, I am aware of how difficult dealing with the travelling public is. But I give ZERO sympathy to the ones who stay in it .. and do a bad job at it. \