but there are times where some knucklehead in Row 20 will put his bag above Row 9 or 10 (just behind first class) for some reason.
I have never understood this concept. If everyone uses their allotted space above them there should be no issues for anyone. It's when people do this stupid crap that the whole system gets messed up.
It’s the knob that brings everything they own on board. Last flight I was on I saw a woman with 4 carry ons. Largest allowable roller bag with a small bag that won’t fit under the seat resting on top of said roller. A backpack that was also too big to go under the seat. And a medium sized purse. Ridiculous
Should be one overhead space alloyed per seat, period. But the gate workers also need to identify people with too many carry ons.
ETA what arrow said
There aren't that many overhead bins on many planes though. There's been a big push with the "space bins" in the last 5 years or so, which now hold like 6/bin. But previously, each bin held 3-4 bags and was generally the space of 5-6 passenger seats.
Hopefully a problem that goes away with every new plane that replaces an old one, or with every airline that hates how it messes with scheduling enough to retrofit the new style space bins.
That said, first class seats are chock full of jerks not in the bulkhead who board right away and put two bags up. I shamelessly will pull a backpack out if I board without room for my bag (I'm boarding in group 1 usually so its insane when this happens) and just ask if this is someone's bag that can go below their feet so we don't hold up boarding. If nobody answers I give to flight attendant and say "ma'am, I think this bag was left by the previous passengers, just want to make sure it gets to lost and found" quite loudly. Which my flight attendant friends have advised me to do. Works like a charm.