A couple weeks ago, Joe Sharkey posted a tale on his blog of a flight attendant requiring passengers to keep their personal belongings out of the seatback pockets. He thought it was an overzealous airline employee. He was wrong.
The original story (that prompted him to do further digging) has strangely disappeared from his BoardingArea blog, but still appears on a (legacy?) blogspot site:
Here’s a new one, at least to me. As we taxied before takeoff on a flight tonight from Denver to Tucson, the flight attendant announced that no personal possessions could be placed in the seat-back pocket, because of “FAA regulations.”
Nothing, she said. Not a pair of eyeglasses or a newspaper or a paperback book. Only “company-printed materials” were allowed in seat-back pockets, she said, and of course I quote her precisely.
What were these strange new “FAA regulations”? My seat-mate — a hard-core business traveler and until then a stranger to me — and I looked at each other. Surely this could not be a new law. But before takeoff, here the flight attendant comes marching down the narrow aisle on inspection, and right away she spots the books each of us had tucked into the pockets, as we had done thousands of times before.
She was on us like a prison guard. “Gentlemen, I told you, nothing in the pockets,” she said. Sheepishly, we put our books in our laps, while the “company-printed materials” (the crappy in-flight magazine, the sales catalog, the barf bag and who knows what else) rode merrily alone in the seat-back pockets.
One does not argue with a flight attendant if one wants to get where one needs to go.
Like Joe, I would have assumed that the flight attendant who was telling passengers that use of the seatback pockets was prohibited was on a power trip. I would have thought the same. Apparently, I would have been wrong, as Joe wrote in yesterday’s NYT column.
The Federal Aviation Administration said Monday that airlines whose flight attendants had been telling passengers that no personal items of any kind could be placed in seatback pockets were “following our guidance, if they are enforcing this with travelers.”
The agency’s response came after numerous inquiries following a flight I made from Denver to Tucson operated by SkyWest Airlines, on which the flight attendant announced before takeoff that, as a safety measure, nothing could be placed in seatback storage pockets — no eyeglasses, no ticket stubs, no iPods or bottles of water or magazines.
What. The. Hell.
I understand the ban on sticking your laptop computer into the seatback pocket. That’s a big item that peeks out of the pocket and can hurt someone if it flies out.
But a book? A sheet of paper? A ticket stub? Have we lost all sense of logic?
If the contents of the pocket are truly dangerous then ban everything. Ban SkyMall catalogs. Ban the safety cards. Ban barf bags (with ads, or with art, or anything on them.) Ban “American Way,” “Hemispheres,” and the (oh-so-creatively titled) “US Airways Magazine.” They’re a threat to your safety! Hide the kids!
For the time being, it doesn’t appear that airlines are actively enforcing this. Most appeared to be unaware of the rule — which originated in a 2007 cabin safety directive put out by the FAA — so for now, it’s still going to be the exception, not the rule, to hear this rule announced. But once is too much. This is just plain stupid.
I’m reminded of Ryanair. The much-maligned Euro-WalMart of the skies, has never had seatback pockets, as a way to save money on cleaning expenses (and restocking those magazines).
Apparently, we are all Ryanair passengers now.
(Thanks to reader Nicole Rowan for drawing the column to my attention!)
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August 26th, 2009 at 10:10 pm
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RT @upgradetravel New post: Huh?? FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets [link to post] #travel
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August 26th, 2009 at 10:31 pm
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RT @upgradetravel: FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets [link to post] Huh? Why???
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August 26th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
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RT @CarolynWJGB: RT @upgradetravel: FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets [link to post] Huh? Why???
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August 26th, 2009 at 11:30 pm
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Typical Beurocratic Crap: RT @graywolf: Huh?? FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets [link to post]
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August 26th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
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RT: @graywolf: Huh?? FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 12:31 am
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Huh?? FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 1:33 am
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Huh?? FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets [link to post] (via @graywolf)
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August 27th, 2009 at 1:56 am
In that case, when the FA comes around with the trash bag, dump all the airline-provided crap (inflight magazine, SkyMall catalog, barf bag–everything except the safety card) in the trash.
August 27th, 2009 at 8:43 am
I encountered this earlier this year and assumed that the airline, or the flight attendant, made up the rule in an attempt to speed up turn over between flights. I can’t say I’m too surprised that the FAA has made this an official “guideline” but I wonder how enforceable guidelines are over rules and regulations.
August 27th, 2009 at 9:03 am
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RT @SeatGuru: FFA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post] WTF ?
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August 27th, 2009 at 9:04 am
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RT @SeatGuru: FFA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 9:06 am
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RT @SeatGuru: FFA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]. How to sleep and hold our stuff???
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August 27th, 2009 at 9:07 am
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RT: @SeatGuru: FFA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 9:09 am
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Irrational panic remains the FAA’s lingua franca. RT @SeatGuru: FFA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 9:31 am
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RT @SeatGuru: FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 9:35 am
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RT @SeatGuru: FFA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
August 27th, 2009 at 9:36 am
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I’ve run across this rule. Ridiculous. RT @SeatGuru: FFA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 9:37 am
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RT @SeatGuru FFA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post] —Airline materials are okay though. Oh SkyMall.
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August 27th, 2009 at 9:38 am
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RT @SeatGuru FFA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post] http://url4.eu/Jlo6
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August 27th, 2009 at 9:39 am
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RT @SeatGuru FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post] Oh my! I am in trouble again?
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August 27th, 2009 at 9:42 am
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Travel would be so easy to hate if I didn’t like it so much: FAA ‘rule’ bans storing anything in seatback pocket [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 10:33 am
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What the what?! RT @SeatGuru: FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Where have you guys been? Some flight attendants have been doing this for the past year or so, always on the regional carriers (I have never heard it on a mainline flight). Skywest seems particularly aggressive about it, but Comair, Mesaba, etc. have done the same thing. I think the airlines that enforce it feel that it speeds up cleaning of the plane – and those poor regionals really need to turn the planes around quickly to keep in the black.
August 27th, 2009 at 10:34 am
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Will that include their pamphlets? RT thenotoriousmeg @SeatGuru: FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 10:35 am
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Insane! RT @thenotoriousmeg: What the what?! RT @SeatGuru: FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 10:36 am
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RT @ajgreenb RT @thenotoriousmeg RT @SeatGuru: FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post] Interesting!
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August 27th, 2009 at 10:37 am
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New rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post] What do you think? #travel
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August 27th, 2009 at 10:40 am
They’re only banning the use of the seat back pocket because we have too much space to store our personal belongings on flights, and they prefer us to employ the ample bedside table or drawer in order to make better use of the services provided.
August 27th, 2009 at 10:51 am
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Huh?? FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets | Upgrade: Travel Better [link to post] (via @upgradetravel)
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August 27th, 2009 at 10:59 am
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Boarding Pass? RT @thenotoriousmeg: What the what?! RT @SeatGuru: FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 11:11 am
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RT @TM_Lifestyle: Huh?? FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets | Upgrade: Travel Better [link to post] via @upgradetravel
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August 27th, 2009 at 11:33 am
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RT @karenzabawa: WTH? RT @selectitaly New rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post] that’s news to my airline!
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August 27th, 2009 at 11:34 am
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Absolutely nuts! RT @SeatGuru: FFA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 11:35 am
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RT @tweetmeme Huh?? FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets | Upgrade: Travel Better [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 11:36 am
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Huh?? FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets | Upgrade: Travel Better [link to post] (via @upgradetravel @TM_Lifestyle)
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August 27th, 2009 at 11:37 am
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Announced on last flight, but wasn’t enforced. RT @SeatGuru: FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 11:38 am
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RT @santafetraveler: RT @ajgreenb RT @thenotoriousmeg RT @SeatGuru: FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 27th, 2009 at 11:39 am
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WTH? RT @selectitaly New rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post] #travel
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August 27th, 2009 at 11:40 am
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W. T. F? This is bullshit: FAA rule bans storing *anything* in seatback pockets [link to post] (via @ShelleyDelayne)
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August 27th, 2009 at 11:41 am
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@theflyingpinto @karenzabawa Hasn’t it been an FAA rule that laptops & other items may not be in seat backs been in effect for some time?
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August 27th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
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RT @flyingwithfish @theflyingpinto @selectitaly [link to post] Nothing in seat back pocket rule: if true, not enforced
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August 27th, 2009 at 12:07 pm
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@selectitaly really? they’re crazy! #travel
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August 27th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
I ran into this on a return Southwest flight last week and thought the flight attendant was just ad-libbing. (It wouldn’t be the first time…) I promptly ignored the “rule” and stuck all my usual personal stuff in the pocket because how could a bunch of small items that don’t make the pocket any larger be a safety concern. I’ll continue to do that.
August 27th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
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@flyingwithfish hmmm…not that I’ve heard. We allow personal items in seat back pockets.
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August 27th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
[...] läser idag på en amerikansk frequent-flyers blogg, Upgrade: Travel Better, att det numera är förbjudet att ha något annat än flygbolagets material i stolsfickan framför [...]
August 27th, 2009 at 1:02 pm
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@karenzabawa @selectitaly I asked about this yesterday at my yearly recurrent training and no one had heard about the FAA rule.
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August 27th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
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RT @SeatGuru FFA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post] [Uh .. what?!]
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August 27th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
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@theflyingpinto let us know something more, ok?
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August 27th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
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RT @JoanEisenstodt: RT @SeatGuru FFA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post] This is just silly!
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August 27th, 2009 at 3:37 pm
I hear the FAA is also banning the storing of twitter feed items (especially BORING RTs) in blog comments. Seriously, it’s rather annoying to have to plow through those to find meaningful comments.
So here’s one: the FAA called it “guidance” — what’s the definition of that? Is it a mandate or something that’s ultimately left at the discretion of the airline and/or FA? The latter seems to be the case. And where is the official documentation? It would be nice to see what it actually says.
August 27th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
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What next!?! RT: @byrnesyliam RT @SeatGuru: FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 28th, 2009 at 9:45 am
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Yikes! RT @thenotoriousmeg What the what?! RT @SeatGuru: FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 28th, 2009 at 10:09 am
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following this RT @TheMaidenVoyage @thenotoriousmeg @SeatGuru FAA rule bans storing anything seatback pockets [link to post]
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August 28th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Mark,
The blog post “strangely disappeared” because like a dope I saved it to “draft” rather than “publish” when I went back into it the other day to add a note that the FAA confirms this “policy.” (Which is being strictly enforced by SkyWest and some others, though the major airlines won’t touch it. Yet). Anyway, the post is back now at joesharkey.com
Thanks -Joe Sharkey
August 30th, 2009 at 3:34 am
I noticed this on two recent trips to Dallas. In one case, it was a pair of direct flights between LAX and DFW via United Express (Skywest). In the other, it was a full-fledged United Flight from LAX to DFW via Denver. In both cases, passengers were advised that personal items could be placed under the seat in front of us or in the overhead bins, but not in the seat-back pocket. It wasn’t enforced in any of the six segments, but it did stand out to me as odd.
On a side note, I have to back Oliver on the Twitter comments. Of the 54 comments currently posted, about 46 are essentially just Twitter links to this article. Very annoying to try to filter through.
August 31st, 2009 at 7:57 am
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Huh?? FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets – [link to post]
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August 31st, 2009 at 11:18 am
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RT @SeatGuru FFA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets! [link to post]
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August 31st, 2009 at 10:41 pm
This rule doesn’t make any sense to me.
September 1st, 2009 at 12:24 am
[...] Huh?? FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets (upgradetravelbetter.com) [...]
September 1st, 2009 at 3:04 am
Taking it to the stance where inserting items that do not increase the size of the seat back pocket is ridiculous. I do see, however, where it can become a safety hazard if the person in the middle has their laptop and Harry Potter book protruding out in the already cramp 31″ of pitch and if you’re the guy in the window who has to leave in a hurry during an evacuation. Not to mention the seat pockets were not meant to hold the weight of today’s large items. I see them busted all the time due to being overextended. It’s not your personal ‘cubby hole,’ people. Put your stuff in the overhead bin for take off and landing.
September 4th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
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Huh?? FAA rule bans storing anything in seatback pockets [link to post] (via @upgradetravel)
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September 15th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
While I don’t disagree that over-stuffing a seat back pocket could be problematic in the event of an emergency evacuation, I think it’s pretty obvious that the enforcement of this “guideline” is nothing more than the carrier wanting to turn around the aircraft quicker. Since the Flight Attendants are the ones that bus the aircraft, it may even be a matter of the particular F.A.’s on your flight and not the carrier itself.
Having said that, this is a crap move from the airlines. Look. First we had the “3-1-1″ thing with liquids. Ok. Fine. We get it, and if we have to, we will check our bags to smooth the process. Then the airlines bitched about all the baggage they were handling. When fuel prices went up, we all had to suck it up and pay between $15.00 to $25.00 for our first checked bag. Fuel prices went down, but the baggage charges stayed.
Now we can’t tuck a paperback book or a Kindle in the seat back pocket before take off? Technically, we shouldn’t be holding items in our hands during take off and landing either. That means keeping these items in our luggage. Which means as soon as they allow us, everyone is going to be up and needing to get their crap out of their bags.
By the way? There’s a big difference between a “guideline” and a “regulation”. In truth, the airline has changed their POLICY.
And, yeah, the Twitter non-comments are annoying.