Moving carry on luggage to another overhead bin??

[WilsonM]

A bit of story time first - I flew EY85 in Y recently, and boarded ahead of nearly everyone due to VA Gold. Y was almost completely full - all but 4 seats occupied - as such, the overhead bins were also chock full on the 77W. I put my large-ish backpack in the overhead bins, with my puffer jacket underneath the seat, and settled in.

One of the last few passengers to board was a group, potentially American-Italians (not sure, they spoke English only but with an accent), who all had roller bags and at least a jacket, or sometimes another bag as well - they were sitting in the row in front of me. The overhead bins were mostly full at this stage, so they started looking for other places to put their bags.

This is where it gets interesting - one of the ladies in the family decided to remove my backpack and place her bag in its place - the only reason I noticed was because it must have been heavier than expected (it had both my laptop and portable monitor in it, among other things), and she accidentally hit the person in the aisle seat with it (I was at the window). I asked her she was doing with my bag, and she said she needed to move it because her bags "had priority". I said I put it there for a reason, but she simply ignored me and put my bag about 3 rows down, making it an absolute pain to get to when deplaning.

I left it there then, as I was in the window seat and didn't want to cause any actual issues for the FA. But what would you guys have done? If she had asked, I probably would've been okay with moving my bag, and could've warned her it's heavy cause laptops etc. But the fact she just took it and moved it really didn't sit right with me - what happens if I didn't realise, or if she accidentally broke something? I'm sure there's some interesting AFF stories on people touching things that aren't theirs

 

[JohnK]

Priority? Very simple.

Move her bag to where she put your bag and put your bag back.

 

[tdimdad]

What priority? On a sharper day I would have challenged that point by asking her to explain what priority does she (or the group) have over others?

I have moved bags within the same bin ever so slightly as to clear enough space for mine but always within a short arms reach so that the owner can still easily get theirs. But changing bins should really be on permission only (priority or not...).

 

[RooFlyer]

But what would you guys have done?

Realistically, I would have replied "You do NOT have priority - it has fragile items in it and I'll look at it during the flight and report it if anything was broken when you hit this chap/lady with it". Then I would have left it at that, unless there was an opportunity to re-shuffle the bags during the flight

 

[Pushka]

I'd be very annoyed at anyone shifting my stuff like that a few rows down. It's hard being by the window though. Priority? None otherwise she would board when you did.

 

[DejaBrew]

Like @tdimdad, I have carefully shifted items within the same bin to create additional space (within reason of course), but pulling some random passenger’s bags out and replacing them with my own is a major overstep. On the odd occasion where there is a reasonably obvious solution to overhead space with a minor reshuffle of bags, I have sought out the owner of the bag(s) in question and requested their permission/agreeement.

what would you guys have done?

I would have politely - but firmly - requested them to leave my bag alone and to speak with a member of the cabin crew for further assistance.

 

[Tropic]

This situation is becoming more common with increasing numbers of pax going HLO, and touching anyones bag is just asking for trouble. I have seen a few instances already this year where pax have almost come to blows and csm having to get involved - including someone in Y using the J bin and getting very agressive when someone removed bag and left in aisle!

 

[Lynda2475]

Moving bags within the same bin a cm or two is fine, moving someones bag to another bin is not ok without their permission unless the FA does it.

Ive said it many times but having bins dedicated to the row with tape or other labelling would easily solve this problem. FAs can immediately see which passenger has exceeded the allowance and remove their excess bags to allow those travelling with correct allowance to store their bags.

Also irks me when lazy passengers store their carry-ions sideways instead of with wheels to the back on the short side if possible.

 

[BAM1748]

Priority? Very simple.

Move her bag to where she put your bag and put your bag back.

And when everyone is asleep.

 

[Tropic]

The person in Y using J bin actually stated they had a right to - as someone had filled their bin and they were a gold QFF and usually fly business.....

 

[dajop]

The attitude of many carriers only encourages this sort of behaviour, where they "require" backpacks to be placed under the seat in front to make room for the kitchen sink brigade. I am not surprised some think their wheelaboard trumps a mere peasant's backpack.

 

[Lynda2475]

One thing AA does really well is police the J bins, anyone stopping to put a bag not seated in J will find it handed back to them in seconds.

 

[Himeno]

On QF1516 this afternoon, some of the last people to board was a group of 5. 2 of them were seated in J with the others down the back.

The entire group dumped their bags in the remaining space in the J bins before heading to the back. If even one more actual J pax had a roll aboard, I'm sure this group would have started complaining about the bags.

 

[funnybrus]

I've had someone have a go at me for moving their jacket in top of a backpack to make room for my bag. Qantas flightie handled it by taking my bag elsewhere and delivered me chocolates later.

 

[drron]

The person in Y using J bin actually stated they had a right to - as someone had filled their bin and they were a gold QFF and usually fly business.....

Wouldn't want to try that on in the good ole USA. It was quite common for Y pax to dump their bag in the F bins on the way tothe back. But sometimes that can cause you a problem. On one flight on AA out of MCO did that in the bin above row 2. The passenger in 2F was one of the last to board and of course no bin space so the FA was going to gate check his bag. The fellow in 2D told the FA that a fellow from rowXX put a bag in this bin. He was silly enough to have his BP around the wrong way showing me his row number. Right said the FA which bag is it. She then removed that bag and sent it to be gate checked and @f placed his bag in the bin.
So Mr Row XX instead of a speedy exit was going to be delayed.

So I would be wary of intervening personally but i would tell an FA that this was done without my permission and the culprit said they had priority.

 

[WilsonM]

Priority? Very simple.

Move her bag to where she put your bag and put your bag back.

If I didn't need to climb over 2 other people, I probably would've at least got up. I will note it was a 2am departure though...

 

[Flyingwombat]

. But what would you guys have done? If she had asked, I probably would've been okay with moving my bag, and could've warned her it's heavy cause laptops etc. But the fact she just took it and moved it really didn't sit right with me - what happens if I didn't realise, or if she accidentally broke something? I'm sure there's some interesting AFF stories on people touching things that aren't theirs

I would have nicely said, please leave my bag where it is... and called over FA if required. Not my job to argue with a fellow passenger. It is not OK to touch other people's stuff. If someone asks nicely, whose bag is this? Could I move it? - then that is acceptable.

 

[BAM1748]

Wouldn't want to try that on in the good ole USA. It was quite common for Y pax to dump their bag in the F bins on the way tothe back. But sometimes that can cause you a problem. On one flight on AA out of MCO did that in the bin above row 2. The passenger in 2F was one of the last to board and of course no bin space so the FA was going to gate check his bag. The fellow in 2D told the FA that a fellow from rowXX put a bag in this bin. He was silly enough to have his BP around the wrong way showing me his row number. Right said the FA which bag is it. She then removed that bag and sent it to be gate checked and @f placed his bag in the bin.
So Mr Row XX instead of a speedy exit was going to be delayed.

So I would be wary of intervening personally but i would tell an FA that this was done without my permission and the culprit said they had priority.

Would pay money to see that guy at the end of the flight.

Talking of kitchen sink brigade, had someone with a wheelie on board ask me to put in the overhead as it was too heavy for them. I said they shouldn't bring it on board if they couldn't lift it and sat down and that person got annoyed with me.

 

[AIRwin]

Talking of kitchen sink brigade, had someone with a wheelie on board ask me to put in the overhead as it was too heavy for them. I said they shouldn't bring it on board if they couldn't lift it and sat down and that person got annoyed with me.

Did they do it themselves in the end or ask cabin crew?

 

[BAM1748]

Did they do it themselves in the end or ask cabin crew?

I think they asked another passenger who did do it.

If it was a tiny little old person I would have done it, but a little old person would have likely checked in it knowing it was heavy.