Ok, I have a confession... I have noticed something people do on flights that I really just don't get. I am hoping that someone out there might be able to clue me in! (I also think this happens much more on smaller aircraft so trying and imagine yourself in my airplane please!)
So, here is the senario... your getting on board the aircraft with your carry-on or computer bag, purse, coat, diaper bag or whatever else you are carrying. You immediately shove it all into the overhead bin and sit down. Everyone else boards, you get up to get back into your bag (the one already in the overhead bin) because you forgot to turn your phone off. You sit back down. I close the bins and make my first announcement. Back up you go, oops forgot to get out my book. I close the door and come by to close the overhead bin again.
We get up into the air and I make an announcement to stay seated until the seatbelt sign is off. Up you go again (and nope the sign is not off yet) baby needs a bottle, I need to get my sweater- it's cold, I want my laptop... there are a million reasons why you had to get up right away to get whatever it was out of the overhead bin.
OK so what gives? Really? When I fly I put my bag of items I will use during flight UNDER my seat (Bulkhead seats... you are not part of this conversation... I get it where you are concerned!) the rest of my items that I will not touch, those go in the overhead bins. Why would you place those things you KNOW you are going to need or want in the overhead bin? C'mon we are flying people, there are times when you are supposed to sit and stay seated... not be up and down, in and out of the bins getting your stuff.
Maybe it's for a bit more leg room? Maybe those books, bottles and laptops just are too much to put under the seat? Maybe you know how dirty the cabin carpet is and you'd rather take your chance with the overheads...
Whatever the reason is, I don't get it. I don't do it, so when you are up and down when you aren't supposed to be I get frustrated. Can someone out there clear this up for me?
5 comments:
Megan,
It's just like when people on a plane stand right there in the center aisle, digging in their bags for their iPod, book, newspaper, headset, gum, etc...they have no situational awareness to the line that has formed behind them.
I feel sorry for you, because you are at the front and can't move things along except via PA...having people on both ends can keep the people moving during boarding.
Is it that hard to not have the "pull-out" bag for the flight with everything you are going to need for takeoff and landing?
Personally, as I walk through the door, both working and personal travel, my phone is OFF. I'm not going to need it. (And if you are a fancy iPhone user, turn it off and shove it in your pocket. At least acknowledge the "hello" from your FA at the door.
I have TOTALLY noticed this when I fly too! I actually RARELY use overhead bins, because the stuff I pack in my carry-on is stuff I want to get to during flight so it always goes in a bag under the seat. I'm not sure why more people haven't figured this out either. Seems like a no brainer to me.
I never get those people either. I rarely put anything in the overhead bin...I like access to all my stuff!
I think these are folks who rarely fly and in the rush of getting on the plane they just shove everything in the overhead bin not really thinking about what they will need. Maybe they feel rushed when they see that line forming behind then and they just want to get out of the way,
I usually have a small bag inside the one that goes in the overhead that has all the stuff I will need in-flight. I pull that bag out before I shove the big one in the overhead and then I'm set for the flight.
I was recently on a short regional jet flight and I had a book and a bottle of water shoved in the seat back pocket. The flight attendant was adamant that I could not have anything in the pocket during take-off or landing. She went up and down the aisle telling everyone to remove their personal stuff from the pocket. What was up with that?
Tom you might be right... people might be in just a rush to get in the seat that it all just get shoved in the overhead bins.
Sounds like you are a good flyer with the double bag! :) We Flight Attendants appreciate passengers like you.
As for the items in the seat back pockets. I think it is just the policy of that particular airline. Even when I fly different regional airlines there are rules that we don't have and I have been asked to do something even when I'm in uniform. (Open window shades for take off and landing- this is not a rule my airline has) I try not to mind because that Flight Attendant is just doing their job.
To be honest, when I fly I like to put my water bottle and book in the seat back pocket.
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