Organize Front Seat Pocket for Long Trip?

Probably more important than organizing before takeoff is to check before exiting the plane. My son left is brand new $300 ipod in the seat pocket in front of him. Somebody got a nice ipod on the next flight...

I've never felt the need to organize my front seat pocket on long trips...

Okay, I'll admit that I do this. Before we take off I stick my water bottle in there, my earplugs, Tylenol PM, iPod, and usually a book. It usually takes me a while to get comfortable so once I do, I don't want to have to get up and get something out of my bag.

I'm with Tim -- I've never felt the need to do that. My carryon bag is in easy reach under the seat in front of me, and it's already "organized" in there.

I recall an episode of SNL with the late Phil Hartman doing the "obessive compulsive chef"...............

Actually I take along a ratty old pillowcase. I stuff it into the front seat pocket (removing those useless airline magazines and what to do if you land in water cards and relegating them to the overhead...and yes I put them back before deplaning). I put my eyeglasses case, earbuds, trashy novel, HANDI-WIPES!!!! and whatever in the pillowcase. Close to landing I pull out the pillowcase and put everything back in it's assigned travel spot. Haven't left anything on the plane in decades (ok, maybe trash). During my travels around Europe I use the pillowcase to hold my travel alarm, bath soap, toothbrush etc. Since I'm not packing this stuff up to withstand airline baggage handling I just toss it in my bag when changing locals.

A book or magazine and small sized snacks.

I put only a book in the pocket that is on the back of the seat back in front of me. I do not want to put in that pocket an important item that I might forget to take out in the morning when I exit the airplane. My items that I use while I am in the airplane are in my jacket pockets. I wear a jacket because the air in an airplane is cold at night, at an altitude of 33,000 feet above the cold Atlantic Ocean. In my next airline flight (in a Boeing 777) I wish to pull the airline's magazine and the mail - order catalog out of that pocket, and try to give it to a Flight attendant. Will she take it ? I will not put those items in an overhead storage bin, because doing that might prevent a passenger from being able to put a coat or bag or umbrella in that bin. In my most recent airline flight to Europe, in the coach section, the pockets at the seat backs were filled with items that were put in there by the airline : head phones for hearing music and movie sound, eye shades, ... (I bring my own eye shades. I do not listen to the music or movie provided by the airline). I need to pull that stuff and the airline's magazine and catalog out of the seat back pocket, and give it away, or throw it away, for me to be able to put my book in that pocket.

I do what Nancy does. I keep all my airplane stuff in my daypack. When I put my carry-on into the overhead bin the daypack comes out and goes under my seat (or really the seat in front of me).

It has my travel pillow, excedrin PM, earplugs, chapstick, water bottle, snacks, etc.

If I take off any layers on the plane, I stick them in the daypack so I won't leave them on the plane.

If I put anything in the seat pocket, I would probably end up losing it when I got off the plane.

I know I'm somewhat anal and have been acccused of OCD but I have never given a thought to organizing the seat pocket in front of me. I will put my water bottle in the pocket and perhaps a paperback or magazine. Everthing else stays in my daypack or my travel vest pockets.

I use the front pocket for book, water, MP3 player, kleenex pac, reading glasses, etc, as I like to have the leg room area free of clutter. From now on, I'm using Marie's method. Great idea as you don't have to worry about leaving something behind. Also, your stuff is inside a nice clean pillowcase, not in that pocket which holds everyone's garbage.

I wear my front pocket. That is, I wear a pullover with a big kangaroo pouch in the front. I put my earplugs, Nice 'n Cleans, gum, small book, pencil, and whatever else I need during the flight, in the pouch. Keeps everything clean and handy, and does not seem to raise interest or a frown from flight attendants as they check that we've all stowed stuff away for takeoff. (I have to take it off for security, of course.) I look a little weird, but I am way past worrying about that.

Alice

Wow, Marie, I think thats a good idea, I like the idea of my stuff not being in the same pouch that a thousand hands have reached into..

but, really, all I stick in there is my book, my water bottle, the earphones( just the airlines) , and maybe a snack ( packaged of course) .

I do think it good to have those few things handy so I do not have to rustle about under the seat , or worse overhead, too often.

Wow, guess my experience has been that little else except the magazine and emergency card that are in there can fit

For a lengthy trip I have a clear plastic zippered bag that was free when purchasing a pair of pillowcases. In the bag are earphones, ear plugs, pillow cover for the plane pillow, blow up pillow, an eye mask, little socks with rubberized feet for walking around the plane, a pen, toothbrush and travel size toothpaste, some sanitizing wipes, and a little baggie containing tiny post-its, a tiny highlighter, and some paper clips and rubberbands. All of this easily fits into that bag which is 8.5"x6"x1.5". When I get home, I clean and check the contents and then put it away ready for the next trip. That and my book and water bottle go into the seat pocket. I may be a little obsessive about travel preparation, but it keeps me out of trouble!

Ernest

Good question!
Just think if we all get organized with a little planning... that means less rooting through the overhead bins and excusing yourself to get past your seatmate! Less blocking the aisles etc etc....

I try to always have a pre-organized packing aid ready to go for just this purpose!

I use one of those roll up organizers with the see-through zip up pockets similar to a jewelery roll but larger. That way nothing falls into the pocket and gets lost or forgotten. Anything I take out goes right back in the same pocket. I label the pockets, too, to be sure I don't forget something on final check. One quick grab and I'm off!

Safe & Happy Skies,

F/A

Well F/A, I guess it's not a rule in Canada, but recently here in the U.S., flight attendants are starting to enforce the "nothing in the seat pocket" during take-off and landing. YOu can hold it on your lap, just as long as its not in the seat pocket.

It seems the rule has been around awhile but it's never enforced. Just another pain in the you know what to deal with while flying these days.

I had never thought about it but I do now. I'm thinking a gallon size ziplock bag.

It also seems to be a rule on Singapore Air. Before takeoff my seatmate was told to take his glasses case out of the seat pocket for takeoff!

Magellan makes a purpose-built item to hold inflight goodies that is book-form--you tuck one end into the seat pocket and the other end folds over and holds your stuff. I travel a lot on long flights, and even I wouldn't bother, but for the traveler who has everything, perhaps a gift suggestion??

Just FYI...the seat pocket must remain empty during critical phase of flight ie: take-off and landing for safety reasons. This is now Industry standard procedure.

F/A is correct. I was chastised for putting a magazine in the pocket by a crew member stating it could get loose and become a flying projectile.

Of course, the airline's two magazines, Skymall catalog, and safety information card, in the same pocket, were immune to this rule. I guess those items are trained to stay put in case of turbulence. Maybe they have tiny little seat belts we don't know about.

Frank. Good one.

My wife and I do the day bag under the seat routine. No telling what was in that seat pocket before you got there.
Also, ditto Tim on checking when leaving, NorthWest actually returned an expensive Gameboy one of the kids left behind. They can be a pain but the effort bought my loyalty (NW that is).
Jay.

YOu know that "rule " about not having things in the seat pocket , because they can become projectiles, is possibily the stupidest thing I have ever heard of,, instead they want you to keep things on YOUR LAP!!! Come on, whats the real reason for that rule??

Trust me, in a crash or incident( hard landing or turbulence) if a mom can't hold onto her child( whom she presumibly loves more then life itself) then the average person certainly cannot hold onto their glasses case or novel..