They don’t come with the seat. You read that right, you are not entitled to the space above your seat. It seems to be the biggest misconception. The overhead space on an airplane is first come first serve. I can’t tell you how many people I have seen freak out because they thought someone put a bag in “their” space.

That being said, the newer aircraft do have bigger overheads and there’s no reason everyone can’t fit their bag on. If everyone is considerate of others, you’re allowed two carry ons….a small one and a big one. The small one is supposed to go under the seat in front of you. Most people missed this lesson and place both carry ons and their coats haphazardly in the overhead and voila no more space for the poor passengers getting on last.

Another tip, face your rollerboard suitcase vertically with the wheels facing out, if done correctly you will be able to see the wheels when looking at the suitcase in the overhead. For some reason this works, trust me.