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.
Detroit to Toronto? That’s a very short flight, so if Karen paid “hundreds of dollars more than anyone else”, then Karen is a certifiable moron. Aside from being a massiver b-word.
DTW – YYZ is like what – 20 mins wheels up to down???
Frankly, the problem here is not the passenger. It’s the aircraft design not being able to hold enough bags, or the airline policy not being compatible with the storage space onboard.
Bad manners, sure. Fair gripe, absolutely. Stowing bags behind your row is a logistical nightmare when deplaning.
This passenger obviously wasn’t originating in DTW, but likely connecting from a delayed inbound, hence her late boarding time.
Classy lady.
Yup those RJ’s are poorly designed with a cabin that is too narrow. One day when the next generation is designed, hopefully the engineers take this into account and have a cabin that can fit bags on both sides.
None of us are entitled to be rude – of course! However, it makes me sad for all the kind, respectful, decent women named Karen whose name has unfortunately become an insult. Can we please come up with another term?
For a premium travel experience with like-minded, discerning guests, please choose Delta.
Next time fly private.
freelance digital marketer in calicut
Gate check! If your bag doesn’t make it, no bodies will
It’s not ‘Karen’, it’s the people bring too many carry-ons.
There are rude, entitled, people everywhere….. and yes most regional aircraft lack ample overhead compartment space. So, why is this even a story?
The aircraft is fine. Do you know what most cabins looked like 60 years ago? Check your bags, and attitudes at the ticket counter, or charter a flight. Passengers pay300-400 dollars for a ticket, then want the carrier to spend millions reconfiguring a fleet to accommodate them. Check your bags. I worked on CRJ, ERJ aircraft for many years. Most are lighter, and faster and I got to most places 20-30 minutes faster than the Airbus. People just want to complain. You paid for transportation, everything else is a perk. If the wifi is down, coffee maker deferred, bags checked in the jetway, you still got there. The airlines have fulfilled their obligations.
I’m sorry my Mommy was so rude to all the peasants up front who paid LESS than her for the privelege of flying with her in the world’s #1 PREMIUM airline. She’s usually better behaved when my Daddy flies with her.
A lot of operational and customer service problems would be lessened if only airlines charged for carry on bags.
Just sayin’
I really don’t feel any angst against gate checking (pink/yellow tagging it) on these Embraer 170-series jets. Alaska/Horizon and American/Eagle seem to let us gate check them and I honestly don’t mind it – so I wait 2 more minutes once I get off the plane, I’d rather do that than wait for row 10 to clear out so I can dart back into coach to get my bag…
For those who say “airlines’ fault” —
Try yelling like that at the FAs and see you ** get thrown in jail.
So you won’t do that, right?
So why would you yell at the passengers? Just because they choose not to pinch your obnoxious mouth?
Just asking. Not inciting violence.
Violence is never the answer to full bins.
You will find Karen’s photo in wiki next to the definition of See You Next Tuesday
They need to start kicking these entitled people off of flights. Shaming doesn’t work as they have never had any. Only if there are consequences to their behavior will they actually behave.
“KARYN with a “y”. Dear all – I love my name. It means “Ray of Light”. Karen/Karyn/Karin are all current names and it causes hurt and discrimination to use it in such a pejorative manner. Can we please find another way to describe a person or behavior that is egregious? I don’t know how “Karen” came to be used in this manner. I am sad. Thank you.
“KARYN with a Y”
Here’s an idea. Maybe there should be free checked bags for any flight under 1 hr wheels up to wheels down. That would speed up the boarding/deplaning time.
First Class from Detroit to Toronto? It is only a five minute flight – what the heck difference is there between domestic “first class” and economy that it make it worth paying for/fighting for/ even commenting on?
(I realize it is a little more than five minutes – but not a lot – it is hardly transatlantic!)
So today we get a couple of ‘its the plane’s fault!’ and a ‘people bring too many carry-ons!’ as rationales/excuses for some arrogant narcissist who believes the world revolves around her-on a regional, of all places! A: the plane is the plane, just deal with it and B: everyone is entitled to a carry-on, just deal with it. Life is as hard as you make it.
I check my bags. I carry a large handbag with everything I need. Fits under seat in front of me. I can not understand why folks wanna struggle taking suitcases on a airplane when they know there is barely any room
The real problem is people taking more than their carryon onto the plane. And being allowed to. Policy is not policy if it isn’t enforced. A neck pillow a backpack a duffle bag and a carryon bag is not a carryon. This same thing happens on the bigger planes. People are going to cheat if the crew doesn’t stop them. You all know this is true. And it’s maddening. I have to say I sympathize with Karen a little. You all do too!
I was yelled at by another Karen (passenger) recently to move my backpack under my seat when it was my only item to carry even though there was sufficient space to put their stuff in the same bins. I refused
The bins were probably full with pilot, flight attendant and other nonrev’s bags.
the woman should have been removed from the plane.
people like this need to stay away from the public..total b…..
Gate agent should have been pushing valet checked bags. Usually on CRJ 900s most roller bags get checked.
Thing is, she wasn’t wrong;actually, good for her for complaining. From a passenger perspective, the plane is poorly designed. Too narrow, very limited overhead. This may have been a connecting flight for her, hence the hundreds of dollars comment. And yes, you pay a lot more money you *should* expect better accommodations. Greyhound bus is more comfortable than some first class I can think of. Just bc airlines treat you like a dog doesn’t mean you have to eat the dogfood too.
Please don’t call her Karen. There are many people named Karen who don’t appreciate having their name used to signify being a jerk!
If someone filmed this, it should already be uploaded to YouTube
Why do ALL airlines indicate WHICH overhead corresponds with WHICH seat? I’m sick of passengers just poaching ANY open bin for all their crap. Check your stuff. Respect that overheads are part of the assigned seat. I blame the airlines for not enforcing this.
I fly almost exclusively business or first class. Now, I’m not one of these people that really wants to be one of the first ones on the plane. In fact, I’d rather be the last person on the plane. The problem here is that if I don’t board the plane as soon as possible, I will find that the overhead space above my seat or anywhere near my seat will be filled leaving me nowhere for my carryon. I check a bag almost every time I fly, but I have a small carry-on that contains stuff I absolutely cannot lose – medications, laptop, etc. I usually just have a backpack to carry on, but on longer trips I may have a very small carry-on bag and a backpack. Anyway, even though I don’t want to be the first one on the plane, I kinda have to be boarding with the first group so I can ensure my stuff has space. So yeah, I don’t wanna be a gate louse, but when they call my boarding group, I gotta board! LOL
However, in the rare event I’ve boarded later rather than sooner and have discovered that there wasn’t space for my stuff, the flight attendants will usually stow my tiny bag up front somewhere instead of making me check it. I doubt they’d do that for you if you’re a giant butthole about the situation, though…
That’s why I like airlines like Ryanair more then Delta for a short flight. They do a proper.job of ensuring that passengers either pay $$ for bags in the overhead bin, or pay $$ to check bags, or they don’t bring anything larger than a laptop. This leaves bins relatively empty and on top of that the flights are super inexpensive.
The lady sounds insane. That said, it’s really frustrating that bin space isn’t assigned like seats. Especially in premium cabins. I’d pay an additional fee for assigned, dedicated bin space for my (relatively small) backpack, which I refuse to check.
First class on a flight from Detroit to Toronto?! I’ve flown from Detroit to Toronto. It was a propeller plane and there was no first class.
It’s unspoken rule. One ticket, One overhead carry on luggage only. Be respectful of the space. If you have 2 ( a hand carry and a personal item) put one of them under the seat. I think this should be implemented. Thank you.
I’m not that strict. I don’t mind the expansion of hatrack to include laptop and prescriptions, as I need prescriptions and I need to take my worktop to any destination. Especially as we often are reminded not to check prescriptions and not to put laptops into seatback pockets. As for the rest of the continuing expansion of carryons and weakness of females to lift their own carryons, I really don’t care. Especially tiny CRJ’s which remind me of old propeller days in the 1970’s, (yes, I’m that dinosaur.) (As a side note, more often th an not, above my seat the hatrack is filled with safety gear and crew gear and I often have to stow my small carryon with prescriptions and laptop and maybe a hat several rows away)
Start charging for bin space and allowing free checked bags. That would speed things up. Any bags that don’t fit under the seat and didn’t pay for overhead bin space can just chucked out the door after the skybridge or stairs are rolled away.
This seems to be a person that doesn’t fly first class at all, so she feels extra entitled to fly upper class on a very short flight.
All other first class passengers is knowledgeable of the situation and get the flight in the air.
The flight is barely an hour. Yes the CRJs are annoying however, she could’ve pink tagged, checked beforehand, at gate, etc I’m a chronic bag checker for this very reason.
Boring article
I enjoyed the comment about the hats, and wish we could go back to the time when “hats” were the majority item being placed above the seats…
You are entitled to nothing Karen! Sit your ass down, shut up and stop causing a done before you leave35 thrown out of this plane!
although every flight begins with the announcement “overhead bins are shared space”
and most bins in first, business, premium economy are clearly marked there are always
those who will immediately drop their bags in the first class overhead before proceeding to economy. simple: let the check in desk issue a pastie with the words FIRST CLASS and flight number and date announce that those not marked will be gate checked
I fly economy BECAUSE I don’t have a lot of extra $$$, and I also make sure I chose economy flights that give me free carry-ons, for that reason. I always make sure my overhead and underseat bags are within the limits ste by the airline I am flying on, and I can still lift my bag into the overhead bin, even though I am in my late 60s. All of you with the deep pockets who say we should all be charged for carry on should just shut up about it. Unless I am bringing bags on that are oversized, it is not your concern, imo.
First/Business class should have reserved bin space above your seating.
Imagine if people used a common black woman’s name to call black women who engage in stereotypical bad behavior people attribute to them.The cries of racism would be deafening.The Karen stuff should stop . The woman is an ass
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!!!
Overhead bin above your seat is never guaranteed, I don’t know where people got that Idea from!!
It is obvious by the comments that most of your readers are inconsiderate jerks like you. Yes this lady could have handled it better but I agree with her. When I flew coach I would never put my carry on bags in the first class section. If you want to do that pay for a first class seat or ask the flight attendant if you may do that. I was recently in first class and boarded when I was supposed to and my overhead bin was full from someone not in first class who boarded with the pre boards. We were traveling with our pets so it was impossible to put my carry on under the seat.
Why don’t airlines mark the overhead bins in halves or thirds (for rows of 2 or 3 seats) and mandate that each passenger is entitled to only one space? That’s such an easy solution that can be accomplished with a felt marker, paint, or colored tape. And stop allowing seats to recline! The airlines are fully equipped to eliminate the various annoyances in their planes without affecting safety; It’s almost always the fault of the airlines that some passengers lose all sanity in the air.
I mean, she’s not wrong. I only fly first class because of metal in my back. I expect there to be overhead space at my seat too. She went about it the wrong way but anyone buying first class seats would feel the frustration of not only having your bag close by for convenience but also for security. I want to keep eyes on it. AND I sure as heck do not want to wait for everyone to get off so I can go back and get my bag! I’m slow so I need that time to make my connection.
Some of these scumbags are so used to having people kiss their asses, now they want them to kiss their bags too
She was right. With the cost of her ticket, the expectation is to have first class bin space above her seat. The very least the airline could do was to provide her space in the front closet. Everyone disagreeing is someone who has been lucky enough to get what they paid for on the past. Lady should not have had to complain to get what she paid for. Maybe kick someone out of coach next time so there is room for her bag in their seat.
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.
She handled it way wrong. But the problem isn’t just one that first class customers experience. I have had many recent flights flying in the premium section of coach where people have to put their bags in bins several rows back because others stow their bags in the first bins and then keep going to their seats further back. It creates a mess once the flight lands and people are crawling over people in the aisle trying to get back to their bags. There needs to be a better process, people should be able to stow their bags above their row.
She did pay more in order to have the overhead space, which is one of the perks of flying first class. But she doesn’t have to be a beach about it. Airlines generally prohibit coach passengers from using the overhead space in first class but it’s not clear to me that the bags there didn’t belong to other first class passengers.
Another benefit of first class is that you get to board early and don’t have to deal with finding space at the last minute.
Despite all that, do we really need an article to let us know that some people are rude?
I grew up with this woman. I called her “Mom”. Narcissistic Personality Disorder infected with Entitlementitis.
If I bought a first class seat I would expect first class bin space. The airline should not allow coach passengers to place their carry on in first class. The Katen behavior is not acceptable. I would inform the flight attendant. Then I would be emailing management posting a review on yelp and Google.
Using the name “Karen” to describe this behavior on the plane or anywhere else is also offensive to everyone with the name Karen. Name-calling is not any way to have to describe a behavior. Her behavior was just rude. Rude would be a better word to use.
I think airlines need to start enforcing bin space including not allowing huge backpacks and duffel bags I pay extra alot of times fir a special seat and I shouldn’t have to walk to the back of the plane to stow my one bag the airlines need to wise up
I know american does have signs stating bin space only fir those sitting in certain areas
I also pay to check my suitcase while others dont they drag everything into the cabin and impose on the rest of us
Airlines ARE wrong, to pack people in like sardines, potentially exacerbating health issues. It’s Pure Greed.
The industry should *never* have been deregulated. It’s *why* prices are So high now. Regulations come about as protections *against* corp. Greed & Abuse, preventing monopolies from being erected. At least, that’s how things worked, back before Billionaires took Complete Control.
But it’s passengers like *this* Entitled Broad who convinced me QUIT being an F/A years ago. The soace-available “travel benies” just *weren’t enough* to make the low pay & near-assaults by pax a reasonable choice.
Be KIND to those who serve you, esp when they have so many customers to TRY to please. They take a TON of abuse from the general public… Until they finally reach a point where they Just Can’t, Anymore.
I agree with her just not her tactics Every seat should have access to the overhead bin above them the reason they don’t is maybe people don’t want to drag there bag back and forth so they take the first available spot when getting on a plane. You should only be able to access the bin over your seat if you have too much it needs to be checked this is another airline problem that could be fixed the bins are already marked with the seat number
A similar thing happened to me and I was in coach I was in a 3 seat plane. The 2 people had boarded before me. I had to put my carry on 2 rows back because they had taken up the entire overhead in space. they had 4 items in there. 2 of them could have gone under the seat.
It’s ridiculous that people refuse to have things go under the seat.
Also, some past meters put their things in the first available bent and then walked to their seat. Their seat could be many rows away from the overhead bin that they placed their in. They do this so they can stand up hassle, free and grab their items as they walk past. That should definitely not be allowed!!! I don’t know how they can crack down on this. But something needs to be done.
Lastly, they need to retire those bombardier planes, because the bins are not big enough to carry the larger carry ons that we are now allowed to use period those bins were meant for oversized bags, not the twenty two inch suitcases were allowed to bring.
I’ve been on many Delta first class flights where the bins specifically say “reserved for first class passengers only.” She should have been able to store her bag in first class. She pays a premium for the seed versus economy.
Who ever write this article can call her “Karen” all they want, but sounds yo me like the article was actually written by a Karen. Say whatever you want, bottom line is, if you fly first class and pay your hard esrned money to have a first class seat, you also pay for guaranteed overhead bin and have an absolute right and privilege to use it. There is a reason its ONLY reserved for first class passengers and not economy. What’s next, the article is gonna defend someone sitting in first class, while they have basic economy seat?
Why do so many people assume those of us sitting in the cheapest seats we can find to fly to where we need or want to go, could afford to fly in a more expensive seat?
I have watched coach passengers put their bags in 1st class bins as the board—frequently. So if someone in first class IS late boarding, they do not get to use bins above first class seats. It has annoyed me no end. The Karen did not handle it well, but neither does an airline that allows passengers not in first class put their bags there as they board.
A couple of thoughts on this.
(a) if the airline stationed a FA at the back of BC during boarding, as some do, that would probably reduce the number of people in coach that would take bin space up front, sort of like the cop parked on the side of the highway with his radar on encourages people to slow down, even if he doesn’t move much.
(b) I’ve long been an advocate of airlines issuing overhead bag tags at the airport (probably one per person, exceptions addressed at the counter) the same way they do checked luggage, with instructions to make sure the tags are visible in the overhead bin. They can be color coded like the checked bag tags. And related to that . . .
(c) I’ve seen the BC overhead bins fill up from early boarding BC pax putting multiple bags in the bins before most people had boarded. So it’s not just Y pax.
I was on an international flight getting ready to land when a gentlemen went to the overhead bin, I believe so he could quickly debark with his stuff. Threw a fit it was missing. Five attendants immediately show up. One had moved it to a bin next to it as that is where the attendants stow their stuff and emergency stuff. I will say the phones were out recording!
Covid and issues with masks really was stressful and so many entitled people who did not feel they needed to follow rules and treat people decently. BE kind while flying. Staff is not paid enough to deal with rude customers
We are fortunate to be able to enjoy FC on most of our flights…a few years ago, I started Thanking my Flight Attendants with a smile, a TY & small gift card and this is exactly why. A little appreciation and empathy goes a long way.
The size and number of carry-on bags is completely out of control. I carry a back pack, put my purse in it and place it under the seat in front of me. That way I have easy access to whatever I need. I don’t mind waiting at the baggage carousel for my luggage. People are just rude and selfish these days.
Perhaps she should purchase a private jet.
When I fly United, I like the first row. Often, there is very little to storage above the first row or 2 of seats. That pushes some luggage back a row or two depending on who boards first.
I think on the Delta CRJ900 the overhead Bins in first class are too small for suit cases they only fit in the Coach Bins .