Two passengers have been filmed losing it at one another over that age-old flight issue – baggage space.
And if you think the locker above the aisle is reserved for the people sitting in that aisle, think again, because according to an expert, it’s not.
The overhead locker is often the root of many plane arguments. It’s also part of the reason passengers line up early to board their flight, to ensure they have a spot for their bag in the locker above them.
And with battle for overhead space one of the more infuriating aspects of travelling, two passengers were involved in a heated exchange that has now gone viral on Reddit.
Footage shows the pair squabbling with one another on low-cost Indian airline, IndiGo, apparently following a dispute over the room for their luggage.
“Ma’am I paid for my seat. I am not here as a complimentary passenger,” a male traveller can be heard telling a furious woman.
The woman fires back accusing the man of shouting at her to which he responds, “I am not shouting,” and instead puts it back on her.
“You have come from behind and started shouting [at me],” he is heard saying.
Three flight attendants can be seen trying to defuse the heated exchange, but struggle to put an end to the shouting.
“It’s OK, it’s OK,” they can be heard telling the pair before the video cuts off.
Angus Kidman, travel expert at Australian comparison site Finder, said the basic rule on most domestic flights is you’re supposed to put one bag in the overhead and then one under the seat in front of you.
“However, plenty of folks race on board and fill the overhead space with multiple bags,” he told news.com.au.
“You might assume that the space above your row should be reserved for passengers in that row, but that’s not actually the rule,” Kidman said.
“Fundamentally it’s first in, best dressed. It doesn’t help right now that staff shortages mean overworked airline crew rarely have the energy to tell passengers to respect the stated carry-on limits.”
Kidman said budget airline Jetstar is “still fairly rigorous” about checking the weight and size of what you’re carrying on-board.
“But most other carriers rely on passengers doing the right thing,” he said.
“The lesson? If you do have two carry-on bags, you’ll want to board early. But especially over Christmas, keeping it minimal makes sense.
“Remember, passengers with higher status get to board first. If you’re not one of them, your odds are already lower.”
He said the rules are different for business, or for Economy X on Virgin.
“The space above those seats is allocated specifically to passengers in those rows,” he said.
“Finally, be aware that on smaller regional Qantaslink flights on Dash 8 aircraft, the overhead space is a lot more limited and standard bags won’t fit up there.
“You may well have your bag sent to the hold if you try and board with a full-sized regular carry-on bag.”
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