Normally by this time of year I’m thinking and writing about spring colors and outfits, enjoying the warmth of the Texas sun.
Not this year. Yet another winter storm is moving across the US, and it is coooold. So instead of getting out my peep-toe flats I’m keeping on my big winter coat and boots as I travel this week. Sigh.
Speaking of big winter coats….I have a plea for all of my fellow travelers. Please, please don’t put your coat in the overhead bin. On my flight last week I can’t tell you how many bins were stuffed full due to coats and not bags. Passengers looked into bin after bin, unable to find a spot for their bag.
One option: before you get on the plane squeeze it into your suitcase (as long as it doesn’t make your suitcase too big). The next best thing to do is hold your coat in your lap until the bin is full of bags, then either slide it on top of your suitcase or squeeze it into the crevices. If there isn’t any room, having your coat on your lap on a cold airplane isn’t the worst thing.
Readers, what do you do with your coat? Are you seeing a lot of winter coats on your flights?
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I would put my bag in the overhead and then stuff my coat on top. Win win! It takes same space as another person would not be able to put something on top anyways.
I think the people with coats are far less to blame than the people who take far too many bags and bags that are too large on board, in order to avoid baggage fees. And airlines don’t crack down on people going over their limit.
Coats can shoved around in the bin. Large oversized bags can’t.
Yeah I never have room for a big coat in my carry on. I just put my carry on in and then put the coat on top so it’s not taking up any extra room. These days most people are jam packed with their carry-on’s so I don’t think it’s realistic to expect people to put their jackets into their carry on’s as most of them are super full.
I put whatever I want up there; if I paid to check my bag, then I don’t feel obligated to give up more space for those packing so much stuff on the plane. Usually I put a coat on top of my back pack up there, though…
I personally fold up my jacket and use it as lumber support or as a seat cushion, but I’m not wearing suits or anything
Really hating the pop up on this website, especially without an “x” to close it….
When you board most airlines there are announcements that coats and smaller carry-on bags should be kept at your feet. While only Carry-on luggage should be stored in the overhead bin. It is just polite to share space and not be selfish.
I would never put my coat in the overhead without first putting it in my bag – those bins are usually quite dirty (luggage wheels roll on the floor and then also go up there). So I can’t understand why people would want to put their coats there. Might as well stuff that coat on the floor.
@JRG +1
I’m with Ben and JRG.
On my flights these past few weeks sthe FAs have been broken records about no coats in the overhead bins. I am usually freezing mid-flight, so I don’t mind having my coat with me.
Most people are wearing a jacket with a hood. I have figured out how to roll my jacket up inside of the hood… so it is small and I can use it as pillow 😉
perhaps more people could check in their bags so that there is room for coats, laptop bags, handbags and the more traditional things that we saw a number of years ago before the airlines changed to this painful system.
The extra cost of checking in a bag surely cannot be beyond the reach of the average person and the time saving at boarding must be worth it?
I’ve been flying lately on overnight trips for work (instead of multiple nights, like usual), so I’ve been taking a shoulder bag instead of a wheelaboard. There’s been room in front of the bag for my coat, which has been perfect. I would never take space next to my bag for a coat unless totally boarded—how selfish!
@Philip Cooper, I get what you’re saying, I really do. But I never check my bag if I can avoid it, and checking is free for me because of status. For me it’s about saving time when I arrive at the airport and when I land, plus avoiding any chance of the airline losing my bag.