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If you have been traveling on planes recently, have you noticed an increase in the number of passengers who stuff the overhead baggage compartments with too many bags?

30 Comments

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30 Comments
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No, not really probably because I never use them myself. I always put my carry-on baggage under the seat in front. But people may have been trained by LCCs to take as much of their baggage on board as possible and adopt this behaviour generally now.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Yep! My colleagues and I had this exact conversation last week. Invariably inexperienced American tourists. There simply isn't enough room for all these bags.

Annoying. Selfish. Slows the boarding process down - Slows deplaning down.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Not just recently, people have always acted like this.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

This is one of my pet hates. Slow, lazy, incompetent English tourists with their knock off designer luggage stuffed in the overhead. Has to stop!

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

A big part of the problem is that airlines do not enforce their own policies regarding either the number of carryons allowed, or their size. Simply check the sizes at check-in and have oversize bags stored under the plane. Problem sorted. I guess some people want to avoid the wait at the baggage carousels when they land, but too bad.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

I saw an American tourist kick off recently as we waited to board a Peach internal flight because his carry on was beyond the specified size. Held up the line for 5 minutes while he ranted and raved at the poor Japanese staff. It wasn't a good time to be the only other visible gaijin around.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Its the laughable American overweight tourist, with a cheap 'soft' carry-on suitcase, bulging at the seams, air pillow already inflated and on their neck, rucksack and 'fanny' pack that really finishes me off - trying to waddle down the aisle thinking they are not in the way of anybody whilst talking in the loudest possible voice.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

I never check in a bag unless absolutely necessary. I travel light and always get a seat at the back so board first. Never have a problem putting my bag above my seat. What I don't understand is people buying "duty free" bottles of alcohol and lugging them around the world to save a few coins.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

Concur with most here. The planet could do with more minimalism, and less flying, TBH.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

@blue - Same. Luggage checked. Minimal stuff into the cabin.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Yes, and it is usually the flight staff.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I was always amazed that the Japanese tour groups who were carrying dozens of souvenirs for their co-workers,etc,always seemed to avoid excess baggage charges due to either their ignorance or most likely lack of English ability.All the people who looked like they could speak English were duly targeted.

Reverse discrimination?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Well this has also to do with the fact that some airlines charge you now to check in luggage. 20.000 yen plus is a lot of money.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

The planes aren't designed to handle all the unchecked baggage. Japanese airlines are the worst for not telling passengers to check their oversized carry-ons.

It was worst before 9/11, especially for flights connecting Asia, where people were emigrating to the US, Canada, etc. and bringing big cardboard boxes onboard.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

Too many selfish passengers.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Not just bags. It really gets my goat when the overhead bins are being used up by a single hat, jacket or even shoes. Cabin staff repeatedly tell passengers to put such items under the seat in front of you but so many don't and then those with carry-on bags who do need the space have to spend time asking whoever to take their stuff out or get the cabin staff to help shuffle things around and it just wastes time and blocks the aisle. Happens more often than not. It's infuriating.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Not especially recently - but over the years I've been amazed at how much some (a few?) passengers carry on board.

8 years ago on reaching my and wife's seat I was surprised to find the locker above chock full. I asked the lady seated by the window if this was all hers - she said no.

I asked politely in Japanese whose bags were these. after a few secs a guy in the opposite middle row seat said they were his. I said this locker is for these seats.

He was in part of a party of about 6 and I suspect they had filled up a number of lockers. I took out 1 big sports type bag and handed it to him and put my back-pack in.

I said I'm sorry. He never said a word - just a little bit of a panicked look.

Case resolved calmly.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Just bought two tickets for my mum and her partner to travel to Japan the other day with KLM. If you want to check in any bags at all they charge about 15000 yen per baggage. As they are coming on a two-week trip, we had to get it, but if it was a shorter trip, I think most would just try to squeeze it all in their carry-on to try to save on the already extortionate ticket prices.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Then you bought the wrong fare code @Nihon Tira. Check the terms before you buy the ticket. No sympathy.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

These Locker stuffers are a problem, And there are a few types and a few reasons, economy class, also this is all their baggage to avoid baggage collection. They head straight to Immigration not have to wait for their bag and avoid queuing. Then you have the traveller who has to take anything with them. You are allow one certain size carryon bag but this is abused. Also people stuffing their coats and jackets in the overhead. Or you get the traveller who has to go the overhead constantly getting and putting item aways.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Then you bought the wrong fare code @Nihon Tira. Check the terms before you buy the ticket. No sympathy

I don’t know what you are talking about. I didn’t pay for the baggage after I bought the ticket. The price quoted on the website is without baggage, then you have to pay extra if you want the check in baggage as an option. Payment for is made after you decide whether you want check in baggage or not. My point was, in the past, you always had at least some check in baggage included in the basic fare on a long haul flight. Now it’s an option for which you have to pay extra.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

I don't travel so much any more, but when I used to (1990s, early 2000s) planes to and from Japan to Europe used to be full of Japanese passengers who would (have to) buy lots of souvenirs and hence fill up the compartments on the plane. When I flying to and from Japan now, I see lots of non-Japanese. Some of these people may have extra carry ons due to modern weight restrictions and fees for check-in luggage, but they do not buy souvenirs for work, family etc. anything like as much as Japanese people did in the 1990s, 2000s etc.

Planes are basically buses with wings. There may have been glamour in flying in the past, but most of the time now it's just a slog.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Nihon Tora: This is how the European airlines set their websites up now. I looked at the KLM website. They offer a price with no luggage allowance which you can then add to, for luggage and seat assignment etc, AND a price that includes luggage and a seat assignment. Once you have added the extras the difference in price is neglible. So, my advice is to check and compare.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

It is not just filling overhead lockers with too many bags but also with overly large bags. When flying back to Tokyo from Europe in May, a young woman was really struggling to get her suitcase up into the locker. I was foolish enough to volunteer to do it for her and later regretted it as it could easily have damaged my back. The cabin luggage maximum weight was 12kgs per passenger. Her bag was about 3 times that.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@browny1

 I said this locker is for these seats.

Are you sure about that? Was this business class or a premium economy class or in the bulkhead row? The regular bins are normally not guaranteed to any specific seats in the economy cabin. There are a small number of exceptions, as noted above. It's mostly first come, first served.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@JeffLee -

Thanks for the comment.

No - I certainly am not sure about it esp in economy where this was.

But just basic common sense that the overhead locker immediately above a seat is required space for that passenger. Whether it's written or not.

In my stated case I was more taken aback by the sheer size of the bags stuffed in. No room to maneuver or shuffle around.

And the first in first served doesn't cut it with me.

The party of 6 or so - because they boarded moments earlier - have no right imo to take over more than their fair share of locker space.

Others were obviously troubled by this but didn't say anything.

In 40 years of flying - last flight was September - it was my first experience of what I call the "Locker Bully" who relies on people being silent so as to get their way.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Depends. I've really only traveled domestically the last couple years and done so using Peach. They are quite strict about that single, 7kg carry-on, and I suspect half their money comes from people going over the limit. 7kg is NOT a lot, so there is no way you're bringing on a lot with you unless you go crazy at the crap souvenir shops inside the domestic terminals.

For international flights, I don't know if it's increasing, but it has been that way for a while. If you don't get on the flight early you're almost certain to get to your seat, open the overhead, and find it already full for at least a few rows on both sides of yours as well as yours.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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