There is an art to placing your carry-on in the overhead bin (part of that art is not upsetting the flight attendant…). It can be quite a stressful process, with your fellow passengers all trying to do the same thing, but we’re here to teach you the best way to do it.
Heavy Lifting
Carry-on bags should not exceed a weight above 7 kilograms, but lifting them up above your head is not always the easiest task. While the flight attendants can assist, they are not allowed to do it for you so as to not injure their backs. We don’t want you to get backache either, so bend your knees, use both hands to grip the bag’s handle firmly, and lift with your leg muscles. Be mindful to not twist your body.
Get in Position
Placing your carry-on in the right position is the key to stow it properly. Always put the wheels in first. Modern planes often have taller bins which allow you to place your case wheels first, on its side. For those that don’t, you can put the carry-on in long ways, but it doesn’t leave the most room for other passengers.
Sharing is Caring
The overhead compartments are for all passengers to use. Although space may be tight, it is never ever okay to remove another person’s bag to make room for your own. If you cannot stow the case directly above your seat, choose a bin further up or down, depending on which direction you are set to disembark. That way, you are not a salmon swimming upstream who is delaying those around you.