Are You Allowed To Remove Someone Else's Luggage From The Overhead Compartment?

Boarding a full flight can be stressful, trying to find space to stash a carry-on in the overhead bin while lines stack up behind you. Especially if you're one of the last to board, there's a good chance the bin above your seat is already full, and you'll have to slide your bag into a spot a row or two ahead or behind, wherever there's room. Boarding as early as you can is usually the best way to secure overhead space, but that's not always possible. Particularly if you're heading out on a long-haul flight, you've likely put serious thought into choosing the best things to pack in your carry-on — from chargers to snacks to toiletries. That bag isn't just a carry-on; it's an in-flight survival kit. So what happens if you can't find any overhead space at all?

That's exactly what happened to a passenger taking a short-haul flight on a low-cost airline, according to People magazine, reporting on a now-deleted viral Reddit post. A passenger assigned to seat 2A couldn't find overhead space near their seat, so they walked all the way back to row 8 where there seemed to be room. Instead of luggage, though, they found two pairs of shoes taking up valuable bin space. The passenger asked around to find out whose shoes they were. Eventually, someone seated a few rows ahead admitted they were theirs, but instead of offering to move them, simply asked, "Are you a flight attendant?" implying that "it's not your business." In response, the 2A passenger moved the shoes to make room for their own bag, and controversy ensued, resulting in the shoes' owner moving 2A's overhead bag toward the back of the plane during the flight, where the original passenger had to retrieve it after they landed.

While the original passenger in this story said a flight attendant eventually came to help after the owner of the shoes started yelling, Reddit commenters argued the issue could have been avoided by asking for help immediately. Frosty-Business-6042 warned, "The moment you touched his things, you opened yourself up for him to touch yours." Others debated this. RealConsideration531 argued the original passenger "asked who the shoes belonged to and that person should have apologized and put them under their seat like EVERYONE ELSE." Most airlines don't explicitly forbid passengers from handling others' carry-on items, but etiquette and safety protocols strongly discourage it. Flight attendants — particularly on U.S. airlines — aren't even required to help lift or move passengers' bags. While they oversee the boarding process, helping physically is optional due to airline safety and workplace injury concerns.

One widely accepted airplane etiquette rule says never put a carry-on in an overhead bin that's not above your own seat, for example, dropping it off above row 6 on your way to row 15. Always try to use the space as close to your own seat as possible. Plus, with in-flight theft on the rise, passengers are understandably more sensitive about their luggage. The fact is, as The Independent reported, "The overhead bin isn't your personal closet." In the article, Jay Robert, a former senior flight attendant for Emirates, explained: "One of the biggest misconceptions about plane travel ... is the belief that your ticket comes with a bin space directly over your seat." When it comes to overhead baggage, it's first-come, first-served, even if your ticket includes a carry-on. Bottom line? Always ask before touching anyone's bag or belongings, and if there's a problem, involve a flight attendant before you move anything.