Airline overhead space rant

[ua_guy]

I hate flying. I'm not afraid of it. I hate the airplane and airport experience.

If you book online, check in up to 24 hours in advance. Should be able to change your seat assignment. If not, check again at the gate.

When I fly coach/cattle class, I usually plan to check a bag for exactly the reasons mentioned. I do carry a backpack which goes under the seat in front of me and contains all the important stuff (medications, wallet, laptop) should my checked bag not arrive at my destination (which has happened!).

Flying without airline/priority status or a first class ticket really sucks.

[rennigade]

I said it before and Ill say it again. I wish they would end overhead space. Adds a lot of time getting on the plane and getting off. Force people to store small items under their seat, gate check, or pay for larger items. I have no issues heading to the luggage pickup area after a flight. If you're in a rush, pack a backpack and shove it under the seat in front of you. #firstworldproblems

It sounds insane, but overhead space adds a lot of unnecessary stress to people traveling. Get rid of it!

[Nutria]

When I fly coach/cattle class, ....

Flying without airline/priority status or a first class ticket really sucks.

You get what you pay for, and People don't want to pay much.

[Like2Plan]

I'm going to be forced to travel more frequently in the future due to a family situation, so any idea how to handle this, if needed? Prerry sure that woman behind me isn't the only selfish jerk flying out there, unfortunately.

I don't know if Southwest is an option for you, but what I would suggest is fly Southwest and pay for early boarding. Honestly, the boarding process for Southwest is lot more orderly than other legacy airlines I have flown on (where they bracket the boarding groups). Southwest has refined the process to where you know your exact boarding position.

There are no assigned seats, so if you come across a seat where the overhead has stuff in it you can proceed a little further down the aisle until you find your favorite seat plus overhead storage. (That is the criteria that DH and I use).

My experience with SWA is that the flight attendants go out of their way to find space in the overhead. They will reorganize the bin in order to fit more in and rarely do they have to do the gate check thing. (Of course, I will admit we haven't flown since Jan 2020, so I don't know if that has changed any).

[Scallywag]

I don't know if Southwest is an option for you, but what I would suggest is fly Southwest and pay for early boarding. Honestly, the boarding process for Southwest is lot more orderly than other legacy airlines I have flown on (where they bracket the boarding groups). Southwest has refined the process to where you know your exact boarding position.

There are no assigned seats, so if you come across a seat where the overhead has stuff in it you can proceed a little further down the aisle until you find your favorite seat plus overhead storage. (That is the criteria that DH and I use).

My experience with SWA is that the flight attendants go out of their way to find space in the overhead. They will reorganize the bin in order to fit more in and rarely do they have to do the gate check thing. (Of course, I will admit we haven't flown since Jan 2020, so I don't know if that has changed any).

No assigned space? So we can sit wherever we want? I should try this airline then.

When we do fly (rarely until now, but likely more frequently from here on out), we usually fly United as we get miles on our Chase Visa. We also usually check in everything but my meds and my son's meds are always carried on. It's not a huge backpack so it infuriated me to notice there was no space even for our small medical bag thanks to the Moron behind us.

This was on Alaska, so will try South West from now on.

[disneysteve]

my meds and my son's meds are always carried on. It's not a huge backpack

That stuff would be in the bag I keep with me, so I wouldn't care about the overhead space anyway. I fly with a backpack with all the stuff I don't want to check.

[Scallywag]

I said it before and Ill say it again. I wish they would end overhead space. Adds a lot of time getting on the plane and getting off. Force people to store small items under their seat, gate check, or pay for larger items. I have no issues heading to the luggage pickup area after a flight. If you're in a rush, pack a backpack and shove it under the seat in front of you. #firstworldproblems

It sounds insane, but overhead space adds a lot of unnecessary stress to people traveling. Get rid of it!

Yes, it does, esp as people try to avoid paying for carry on by sneaking it monstrous sized backpacks masquerading as check-ins and the flight attendants don't seem to actually enforce the one above and one under the seat policy.

If the flight attendants had pulled one of Moron's monstrosity off the overhead bin and forced her to shove it under my seat (i was sitting in front of her), it might have made them realize how huge her "carry on" really was and she would have been forced to check her bags in. Apparently, Alaska does not train their attendants to actually enforce their carry-on policies.

[Like2Plan]

Scallywag,
On Southwest-if anyone in your party requires special pre-boarding assistance, that person plus one other can pre-board before anyone else is allowed on the plane. In that situation, you might not need to pay for early boarding. If the first row of seats are open when you board the plane there are some advantages to picking those seats--one is FAA regulations requires all the carry on items for the first row of seats must be stowed in the overhead (because there are no seats in front in which to put the carry ons under the seat). Of course, all items include your pocket book in the overhead and that is a negative for some folks. The flight attendants usually watch those bins especially. Another advantage to the first row is you get to get off the plane first.

[Scallywag]

Scallywag,
On Southwest-if anyone in your party requires special pre-boarding assistance, that person plus one other can pre-board before anyone else is allowed on the plane. In that situation, you might not need to pay for early boarding. If the first row of seats are open when you board the plane there are some advantages to picking those seats--one is FAA regulations requires all the carry on items for the first row of seats must be stowed in the overhead (because there are no seats in front in which to put the carry ons under the seat). Of course, all items include your pocket book in the overhead and that is a negative for some folks. The flight attendants usually watch those bins especially. Another advantage to the first row is you get to get off the plane first.

Since I usually check in at least a bag or two, it doesn't really matter if I'm first to get off or not. I still cannot get out any sooner than my baggage is picked up at the carousels. But I like the idea of orderly boarding and having space for my carry-on so will try South West next! Thank you!

[Like2Plan]

Since I usually check in at least a bag or two, it doesn't really matter if I'm first to get off or not. I still cannot get out any sooner than my baggage is picked up at the carousels. But I like the idea of orderly boarding and having space for my carry-on so will try South West next! Thank you!

The key with Southwest is to get a low boarding number- especially if you are traveling with others. If you board in the c boarding group, you may only find center seats left. So, it is really important to pay for early boarding when you purchase your tickets (if you don’t have status (wher they assign you an A boarding number — if the computer assigns any other group, they let you board at the end of the a group)

[QuarterMillionMan]

CNBC today interviewed SW-CEO who said as of today flight credits will never expired. This from their website looks to be true;

[LivingAlmostLarge]

You get what you pay for i hate to say it. Pay for luggage and pay for choosing your seat. Choosing your seat on alaska also means a refundable seat for $40 more. Trust me I pay it ALL The time for 3-4 people and my friends can't believe i spend an extra $120-160. If you can't afford it then don't complain I tell them. Get the alsaka CC for $75 a year. You get 1 free checked bag per person and you get companion fare for $75 year.

Boarding is based on where you sit and what time you check. Earlier the better if you don't have status. Never have status and I'm lazy about checking in and we travel mostly handcarry for me and 2 kids under the age of 12 now and more recently.

When the kids were small and I usually travel solo with the kids, I always checked my bags. I could manage a 3 backpacks and a stroller and the rest was checked. Then as they got older about 8 and 10 I got them luggage to pull so we started going handcarry so everyone is responsible for their own. So when we load no matter which airline it is I throw up the kids handcarries in the first spot i see as we walk to our seats. I only put my handcarry above and backpacks with us under the seat. Then as we head out I stop and grab them for each kid.

Inevitably this is the BEST way to do it. People going to hawaii suck about carrying handcarry. I'd never get space if i was seated in back. And we never rush on. So handcarry pull luggage go wherever there is space. Now if I happen to be traveling with my DH and status then it's a different ballgame. But otherwise no holds barred. If you say it's rude. Fine. I'm also traveling solo with two kids for a long time. So I know that I'm not being rude when I know I won't get overhead space.

If you like you can always walk to the back of the plane and use the bin space back there because they fill last and you wait until everyone leaves then go backwards to get it. I just put mine up front and it's always the kids so we don't need it during the flight and grab it walking out.

My pet peeve is the rollers that don't fit in the overhead bins because they really aren't hand carry size! OMG please get a real handcarry that fits in the space. But I swear people are rolling on suitcases that should be checked luggage and then you stand there like 5-10 minutes as they can't get it to fit (not because they don't know how but seriously because it's not a handcarry under 22"). I travel enough to know it won't fit when you look at it, but people are really standing there trying to make it fit. My eyes sometimes bug out.

[Like2Plan]

CNBC today interviewed SW-CEO who said as of today flight credits will never expired. This from their website looks to be true;

That is great news! Flight credits used to expire 1 year from when you originally booked the reservation. And, while gift certificates do not expire, as soon as you use them for a flight--they become flight credits.
We change our plans so often that in the past I have been reluctant to use the gift certificates I receive for Christmas every year.

[myrdale]

My advice is always travel light.

The first time I flew was around 1998 in high school on a trip to England and Scottland. I had a carry on bag with a few personal items, and one of those medium/large rolling suite cases with more clothes than I needed.

The second time I flew was 2017 to NYC, and it was with a single carry on gym bag with two pairs of pants, two shirts, and a couple pair of underwear and socks.

I use that same gym bag routinely when I am traveling and staying in a hotel over night.

Also to that end while in a hotel, keep your stuff put up and organized. My keys, wallet, and watch are all in one nice pile in the center of the table in the hotel room, and the only clothes not in the bag are the ones I am wearing at that moment. The couple of occasions I've been on a trip with my sister or my friends and seen the inside of their hotel room and it looked like a bomb exploded, only for them to realize the next day they lost something that got kicked under the bed, or behind the TV.

[riverwed070707]

I'm with myrdale. I *always* travel with an under the seat backpack only. If its an empty flight I might pop it in the overhead bin for more leg room but since it fits under the seat I'm never forced to plane side check or stuck without a space for my bag. Doesn't matter if I'm gone for 2 days or 2 weeks, backpack it is. Problem solved.