# The Definitive Rules of Flying **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 15, 2023, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-definitive-rules-of-flying/994650 "2023-12-15T19:52:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-definitive-rules-of-flying/994650/121 "2023-12-20T18:50:55Z")
I do remember when back-to-front by rows WAS **the** way everyone not needing special assistance boarded coach. Avoiding overhead-bin anarchy started being more of a pressing issue with the rise of rollaboards and “one bag travelers”, and then just blew up once they started charging to check. > [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > bringing on a rollaboard filled with items for use at my destination, and a backpack filled with items for use during the flight If only there weren’t those who then get up to riffle through their overhead carry-on for more things to use inflight even as others are still boarding… ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-definitive-rules-of-flying/994650/122 "2023-12-20T20:28:48Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > bringing on a rollaboard filled with items for use at my destination, and a backpack filled with items for use during the flight Yup. I never have to get to my overhead bin. A little thinking ahead helps a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Asuka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@Asuka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Asuka)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-definitive-rules-of-flying/994650/123 "2023-12-20T20:35:31Z")
Yeah I watched Wedding Crashers on a JetBlue flight recently and the nudity was all there. In fact if it was censored before the movie it would have to IIRC say a “This film has been edited for content” warning and I don’t recall ever seeing that. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-definitive-rules-of-flying/994650/124 "2023-12-20T21:24:12Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > Not necessarily. Some ticket classes include only the right to bring something small enough to fit under the seat in front of you but not to stow something in the overhead compartment. That’s (disturbing) news to me, although it doesn’t much alter the discussion. People flying on those tickets aren’t even involved in the clash over the fair use of overhead bin space. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-definitive-rules-of-flying/994650/125 "2023-12-20T21:25:25Z")
I believe anyone who buys one of those tickets is aware of the restrictions. ---
**Author:** ![peccavi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peccavi/32/388_2.png) [@peccavi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peccavi)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-definitive-rules-of-flying/994650/126 "2023-12-20T21:42:02Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I believe anyone who buys one of those tickets is aware of the restrictions It doesn’t matter if they are or aren’t. The gate agents are aware. They will stop anyone on the “basic economy” ticket with anything resembling two pieces of luggage. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-definitive-rules-of-flying/994650/127 "2023-12-20T22:51:24Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Theft seems unlikely, as the thief wouldn’t know if you’re seated directly below the bag he’s rifling through, or out of sight 30 rows away. Besides which, anything valuable enough to be worried about will be in my backpack with me; if a thief wants my toothbrush and boxers from my rollaboard, he can have them. a propos - fresh out of today’s CNN ($23,000.00 stolen onboard a plane) [https://edition.cnn.com/travel/scoot-airlines-onboard-theft-intl-hnk/index.html](https://edition.cnn.com/travel/scoot-airlines-onboard-theft-intl-hnk/index.html) [https://edition.cnn.com/travel/scoot-airlines-onboard-theft-intl-hnk/index.html](https://edition.cnn.com/travel/scoot-airlines-onboard-theft-intl-hnk/index.html) ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-definitive-rules-of-flying/994650/128 "2023-12-20T23:00:24Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > Yup. I never have to get to my overhead bin. A little thinking ahead helps a lot. it does help, but is by no means a guarantee … as a joe-doe passanger you are in surprisingly little control of your environment… I think we all have been on flights that were uncomfortable cold or uncomfortable hot … and we have also seen people spilling things on themselves and others … or get sick 10 hours into the flight ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2023, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-definitive-rules-of-flying/994650/129 "2023-12-20T23:18:39Z")
> [@Al128](#): > > it does help, but is by no means a guarantee … as a joe-doe passanger you are in surprisingly little control of your environment… Heh. Outside of being a little claustrophobic. This is one of the reasons my wife doesn’t really like to fly. And, she isn’t a control freak at all. She was an IronMan. I, her Serpa for races. So I made sure that all the gear and nutrition was there and packed. Was my job. I took pictures of what is in what transition bag so she could relax. Not that an IronMan ever relaxes before a race. ---
**Author:** ![WildaBeast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wildabeast/32/6_2.png) [@WildaBeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WildaBeast)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-definitive-rules-of-flying/994650/130 "2023-12-21T00:16:09Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I believe anyone who buys one of those tickets is aware of the restrictions. Going slightly off topic – for their Christmas travel my parents booked one of those weird itineraries from Expedia that essentially combines two one way tickets on two completely different airlines. Their outbound flight is on Delta, which unless they changed it recently allows large carry-ons even with basic economy tickets. Their return flight is on Sun Country. I’m honestly unsure if they are aware that Sun Country charges for carry-on bags, since they booked their ticket through a third party. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2023, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-definitive-rules-of-flying/994650/131 "2023-12-21T02:43:41Z")
That’ll be an interesting Yin-Yang experience for them. If this thread is still ticking along by then I’d be curious to get their feedback on the difference between their two experiences. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-definitive-rules-of-flying/994650.md?page=6)