>beneath all feet and seats seemed to be stuffed with carry-ons
No fun in an evacuation.
I was on an Emirates 727 (yes, they did used to run them) DXB-DEL circa 1991, and the last three rows were taken up with "hand baggage".
(I smiled at a man who was carrying a boxed child's bicycle on board, and he threatened to hit me. I was seated next to an old Indian lady with an injured arm, and, speaking no English, she motioned me to cut up all her in-flight meal for her. The flight ended with a glorious sunrise over India. Memorable. Flying in Europe was never this interesting)
r