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!!!
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.