Etiquette Expert Warns Against Making This Common And Annoying Carry-On Luggage Mistake

Vacations are meant to be relaxing, but the path to getting there — planning, preparations, and air travel — can be as stressful as they come. Even after you've managed to keep your cool in the crowded airport, the plane ride itself isn't without its own set of challenges. In addition to passengers who inconsiderately recline their seats too far back to the wildly bold airplane trend of taking someone else's assigned seat, etiquette expert and founder of The Protocol School of Palm Beach Jacqueline Whitmore weighs in on another annoyingly common carry-on luggage mistake that most flyers are guilty of committing: storing both carry-on and personal items in the overhead luggage bin.

Passengers are often allowed one carry-on and a personal item (often in the form of a laptop bag, diaper bag, handbag, or backpack) by most airlines. Unfortunately, flyers wrongly assume that both can be stored directly in the overhead bin. As a former flight attendant, Whitmore sheds some light on why this act is considered a plane etiquette faux-pas. "The intention is that the carry-on goes overhead and the personal item goes under the seat in front of you," she says.

This rule ensures that every passenger gets the proper space for their luggage. As Whitmore explains, "When someone puts both items in the overhead bin, they're taking space that belongs to someone else. This can delay the boarding process or force later-boarding passengers to gate-check their bags unnecessarily." And with your smaller bag within convenient reach under-seat, you get easy access to your books, laptop, and other paraphernalia to keep you occupied during your flight — that's a win for everyone. 

Luggage check-in fees have risen over the years. Data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics shows that 13 major U.S. airlines collected $7.3 billion in baggage fees in 2024, compared to $5.7 billion in pre-pandemic 2019. For Whitmore, this makes a case for travelers favoring carry-on bags over checked luggage; it's even prompted savvy airline passengers to explore game-changing luggage packing hacks.

With more passengers battling it out for luggage space, how do you confront a situation where a personal item bag is in the overhead bin? Whitmore suggests a polite and straightforward approach. "Simply say something like, 'Do you mind if I move your backpack over just a bit? I would like to make room for my roll-a-suitcase,'" the etiquette expert explains. "Or you can ask the flight attendant for help and they will most likely help you shift things around or ask the offending passenger to put their personal item under their seat," she says, and also adds: "Avoid moving or rearranging someone else's belongings without asking. The item(s) could be fragile."

Finally, Whitmore addresses passengers who claim the first empty overhead bin they pass while boarding. "Use the space above your own row whenever possible," she counsels. This advice was also seconded by other flight crew members. "People do sometimes put their bags up as soon as they can and walk all the way to the back — yes, it's annoying," an Alaska Air flight attendant told Travel + Leisure. If your seat's overhead bin is full, try finding the closest available spot, preferably in a bin in front of your seat rather than behind it, to make it easier to retrieve as you deplane.