On Sunday, a Delta Air Lines passenger flew Detroit to Toronto in first class and observed the behavior of the last woman to board in the cabin.
He reports being “about the 8th out of 12 first class passengers to board,” putting his carry-on bag in an overhead bin above row six since there was no more room up front, and he realizes that’s common with a Bombardier CR9 since only bins on one side of the aircraft are long enough to fit a small rollaboard.
- Predeparture beverages were offered.
- The the last first class passenger came on board. She was “first class Karen,” the “Most Important Person On The Plane who ‘paid hundreds of dollars more than anybody else'”
Noting that the overhead bins above her seat 3A were, and knocking passengers on the head with her backpack as she turned looking for what to do, she “started loudly asking”
WHOSE BAGS ARE THESE? THESE OVERHEAD SPOTS ARE FOR FIRST CLASS! PEOPLE IN THE BACK: GET YOUR BAGS OUT OF THESE SPOTS!!!
Since the smaller-side overhead bins are “precisely engineered to only accommodate individual, unwrapped Cheerios” there just wasn’t enough space for everyone in first class – it apparently wasn’t even a question of ‘coach passengers using first class bins’.
A passenger in row 2 helpfully suggested, “There is some space a few rows back. I had to do the same.” But First Class Karen yelled: “I PAID HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS MORE THAN ANYBODY ELSE TO HAVE OVERHEAD SPACE AT MY SEAT!”
She “huffed…left the bag sideways [in a manner that didn’t fit and wouldn’t let the bin close], and left the bin door open.” She sat down at her seat and yelled for a flight attendant, “I NEED HELP. HELP!!!! HELP!!!!” The crewmember offered, naturally, “there is some space a few rows back.”
You guessed the response,
I PAID HUNDREDS OF DOLLARS MORE TO HAVE OVERHEAD AT MY SEAT!!!
The flight attendant defused the situation by offering to stow the woman’s carry-on bag in the forward closet. All was peaceful until the end of the flight, when she interrogated first class passengers who were getting bags from coach, as though they didn’t belong up front.
Maybe if she didn’t sit in the bar and have that extra cocktail and wait until last to board she might of had overhead bin space.
Just flew to from Europe. Attendants do Not enforce carry on rules. People put their luggage, their back pack, their shopping, their coats etc in overheads. People are very selfish – increasingly so
Airlines mistake. She paid for her seat and the space.
Airlines created this problem by charging for checked bags. But as a First Class pax hers were no charge. Get on the plane earlier. Such a long haul flight …30 minutes perhaps for all that drama. I would tell her to Foxtrot Oscar.
No she did not pay for the ovehead space. The stupid on here is amazing. Nothing else to advocate over in the world today? Airlines need to ban these Aholes. They are a safety issue time bomb of.anger. imagine getting this mad over something so meaningless and going ballistic midair. If you are mentally crazy and cannot function in society stay home.
Helen the airline was not wrong. You’re not guaranteed the bin right over your seat. In business class you will get space in the business class bins, but could be a row or two in front or behind. On large long haul planes the overhead bins in BC or First tend to be configured to be right over a person’s seat. On those small regional aircraft there’s always the chance one will have to gate check the bag regardless of where one sits. I’ve seen coach passengers instructed to put their bag in BC bins once all BC passengers have been seated.
Meh. She has a point but handled it in 100% the wrong way
Her behavior was unacceptable but I have to agree that she should have had bin space at her seat. This same thing happened to me. I was in first Class and boarded with the FC group. The boarding sequence is Families with children, people needing assistance and then FC followed by Coach. When I opened the overhead bin at my seat it was full of baby and family items. I mentioned to the Flight Attendant that I would like to place my carry on item in the bin. She told me there was bin space in Coach several rows back. This is NOT ACCEPTABLE!! I didn’t act like a Karen but I did tell the FA how I felt. I ended up stowing my bags in coach!
I kinda ever so slightly get it. You pay extra to sit in first class, I’d want my bag near my seat as well. HOWEVER, I’m not gonna throw a temper tantrum, I am DEFINITELY not any better than any one else just cause I’m sitting in first class, and indeed, if you want space above or near your seat…drag your self-entitled A$$ on the plane right away.
I get that she is bad news— arrogant, childish, boorish and entitled. But please, could we not use the “Karen” meme? Those of us with that name find it hard to have our names dragged through the mud. The protagonist here is bad, not the name. The meme persists sadly while we could manage with approaches that don’t belittle. Names matter. For real.
She was 100% correct but handled it poorly.
It’s so cute when somebody scapes together enough points to fly First lol
That’s why everything but my purse is checked. I have used the overhead bins in over a decade!!!
O.K. the woman is a DYKWIA. That aside, l fly similar commuting routes on AA a lot. And the AA employees require you to check your roller bags. No exceptions. This one is on Delta.
Agree with Karen Gross. Stop using the name Karen to talk about these people. There are many other words that are more accurate. Women named Karen are being judged and discriminated against for no good reason.