Whose is the space under an airplane seat?

[Wes]

Jen D started a very interesting thread (Reclining your airplane seat with someone behind you: rude?), and I posted a poll (Reclining your airplane seat with someone behind you: rude? -- The Poll) to gain some clarity on where we stand on the matter.

It occurs to me that there is a similar problem that I have run into on airline flights. We are instructed to put our bags under the seat in front of us, and clearly that is also the only place to put our feet. But sometimes I have found that the person sitting in that seat in front of me has put their feet under the seat or even worse has put their belongings under the seat.

To me, that space under the seat in front of me is my space, but I would like to see what others have to say about it. So here's a thread and a poll.

 

[inkkognito]

I've never run into someone putting their feet under their seat, but on a United flight I once took, the flight attendant definitely made it clear that the space belongs to the person sitting behind it, at least for storage purposes. We were on a small prop plane, and the person in one seat had stowed her belongings in the overhead bin. The person in the seat in front of her (a bulkhead) then proceeded to put her belongings under that seat. The first person protested, saying that she had purposely put her stuff in the bin in order to have more legroom. The second person said too bad...she wanted to be able to get into her stuff without having to get up, and if the space was unused, she was taking it. The flight attendant sided with the person who wanted to extra legroom.
Barb
Visit the Platinum Castaway Club at: www.castawayclub.com

 

[CarolMN]

On every flight that I can remember taking, there has been some sort of annoncement about storing carry on luggage. It always contains some words like "in the overhead compartment or under the seat in front of you".

On the planes that I am most familiar with, it would be difficult to use the space under your own seat (without getting up and bothering the person sitting behind you). There is a bar under your seat, near the floor that goes the width of the space. It serves as a limit to how far the luggage can be pushed forward from behind. Some people like to rest their feet on it. It would be difficult to access any carry on luggage that you stored under your own seat. The space under your seat was meant to be used by the person sitting behind you.

 

[goofy4tink]

To the best of my knowledge, the lack of carry-on space available to the bulkhead seats is always made clear. We had those seats once and were told that everything had to be stowed in the overhead bin. As to putting my feet under my seat, I think I would have to be a contortionist to get that done! We very seldom use the overhead bins. Just stow our bags under the seat in front of us.

 

[sue Z]

What about when flying Southwest and you sit in the area where there are six seats? 3 facing forward and 3 facing the backwards
My parents and I usually seat in this area and I always out my things under my seat as the three seats that I face are being used by the people sitting across from me (usually my parents as they like to sit up straight)! those seats are usually against a wall. this also solves who gets a window seat!

Usually under my seat goes my camera bag and a book

 

[Kitster]

bump

 

[jlambrig]

No question that it belongs to the seat behind. As for the SWA question, which is a good one, you should either check all of your luggage (not always the preferred answer) or ask the flight attendants to stow your gear. They will find a spot for it and retrieve it as the plane taxis to the gate. That way you are not held up waiting for all other passengers to deplane. I have done this a couple of times when I had no spot to store my items under the seat.

 

[Wes]

bump