TikTok Exposes The Worst Spot On A Plane To Put Your Carry-On Bag And It's Controversial

Travel debates are nothing new. Whether it's arguing about the best airline seat, deciding who gets the airplane seat armrest, or discussing whether or not pets should be allowed on flights, travel is just one of those things that not everyone agrees on that easily — especially when it comes to air travel etiquette.

Now, thanks to TikTok user @eye.be.okay, a new debate has entered the chat: should you only use the overhead bin directly above your seat, or do you take what you can and stuff your bag wherever available?

Per the creator's video — which currently has 429,000 views on the platform — "Airplane Etiquette 101" is that you don't take up an overhead bin near Row 8, for example, if your assigned seat is in the back of the plane. Along with this idea of only using the bin that's technically assigned to you, @eye.be.okay also argued that travelers need to start following the rules and placing small personal items — think backpacks, purses, and miscellaneous items — on the floor by your feet, not where larger bags need to be.

While quite a few travelers agreed with the original hot take regarding overhead bin space, others weren't so quick to jump on the bandwagon — and some even admitted they're guilty of snagging bins way ahead of their row. For example, user @msjl0 wrote "I do it all the time. So much more convenient. 🤷🏻‍♀️😹😹", and @bruceberger2 commented "no assigned storage. any storage is fair game!!"

Meanwhile, users @kateijackson and @onyxeagle2 argued that it's flight attendants themselves who encourage passengers to use the first overhead bin they see empty — meaning that they typically choose to slide their bags wherever they can, whenever they can. However, another user was quick to point out that this only happens toward the end of boarding when spaces are already full. Talk about mixed signals!

As for not using overhead bins the way they're intended to be used, users like @melissakaybaybay argued that, because she's already tall and can't comfortably fit in her airplane seat, she prefers to use the overhead bin for all her items — even the small ones — to try and fly a little more comfortably.

Apart from sparking a heated debate online, @eye.be.okay's TikTok video also hints at a much larger issue: What are passengers supposed to do with the bags they're allowed to bring if there's no room on the plane to store them?

A simple solution to this is gate-checking your bag. What does this mean? If, for some reason, there's no room left in the plane — and if your luggage doesn't fit under the seat in front of you — the airline will take your carry-on luggage and have it sent down to the cargo hold with the larger pieces of checked luggage. In fact, most major airlines today offer this option entirely free of charge regardless of your fare — but only if you already had the right to bring a full-size carry-on in the first place. If you do decide to gate-check your bag, you can then pick it up at baggage claim once you've landed at your destination.

On the bright side, not only does gate-checking your bag mean you don't need to worry about battling it out over some measly overhead bin space, but it also means that you get to enjoy your flight — and subsequent deplaning — a whole lot more comfortably.