GogglesPisano

I think the days of DH'ing pilots walking down their bags are over.

Hillbilly

Absolutely agree.

Han Solo

If you want to be political, it's far more likely an entitled snowflake liberal did that than a conservative. The right likes to earn their money, the left just thinks everything is owed them. The behavior you described is clearly that of the left. That said, my initial thought would be to tell them to eff-off but on 2nd thought a far better solution would be to walk their bag down the stairs, take it to the plane at the next gate, and throw it on that one.

This is my technique, along never making eye contact and a dose of resting b*tch face. Nobody ever talks to me on the plane and if they did I'd have plausible deniability that I didn't hear them. This is for my protection as well as Delta's , it's just best we limit my interaction with the customers.

gloopy

Right, but now since the agents hiss at you and forbid you from boarding early (even though that's a 100% legit pre-board "need extra time" issue) by the time you get in line with the zone 1 rush, make your way down the packed jet bridge, onto the plane, left to the flight deck, introduce yourself and ask for a vest, swim upstream to get to the jet bridge door, walk out and down the stairs to stow your bag, walk back up, fight your way back into the line that no one wants to let you "cut" now even though you were like 80 ppl in front of them in the first place, then back onto the plane, another left turn to return the vest, then fight/"cut" your way back into the line, yet again, and to your seat, all to save other people overhead room for their bags to be nice...um yeah next time I'll just board and put it wherever there's space.

And yes, that was an intentional run on sentence.

Your welcome.

OR, we could do the common sense thing and let (even encourage) pilots to board early for incredibly obvious reasons. The current methodological zeitgeist is simply asinine and doesn't serve anyone's interest.

Baradium

I wonder how the agent would respond if you said "can I go ahead and board so I can put my bag down below and not take overhead space?" I haven't ever seen anyone try to board early to put a bag below personally. I guess that may be your technique, but I also expect gate agents don't think that's what you plan on doing either.

Jaww

What’s the rush to board if you are putting bags below? Go on last, say hi to the crew as you borrow their vest, then put bag downstairs. You’ll be back before the IFE is turned on and maybe after the APU is cranked so it won’t be as hot.

m3113n1a1

Yep, and if your bag is the last one loaded, it'll probably be the first one unloaded! Win-win.

Although I have to admit, I usually just throw it in the bin above my comfort+ seat..

gloopy

Tried that several times. It worked 50/50 for a while, but now they're pretty unified against it. I'm sure some still "get it" despite the memos to the contrary, but very few will allow it right now.

Dirtdiver

I’ve had two bags destroyed down below with a DH tag on them. I’ve had another sent to baggage claim before I could get out to get it. Now the added hassle of the vest. I’m done putting bags below.

Hank Kingsley

If we had a pilot advocate running operations, this wouldn't be a problem. Any line pilot could have figured a solution before the policy was introduced. Deadheading should be a seamless procedure, instead we have always been treated as an afterthought. From seat selection to time of boarding, nothing is simple. This isn't rocket science. But it's exactly the way flight operations tends to deal with us most of the time.