There was a case in HK sometime back in 2007:
The wife of a super tycoon (the richest guy in HK) refused to put her handbag (probably H) on the floor when the air flight attendant asked her to do so. The pilot then came out and asked her to put it under the seat. When the wife and tycoon landed HK, the police were waiting to arrest them and brought them to police station. It was the pilot who called the police before landing.
The air attendants and pilot did not know they are tycoons, but when they went to police station, they were released very quickly as identity is revealed.
There is actually a rule that if the passenger has a concrete reason why he/she can't put the bag under the seat, the passenger can be exempted from doing so.
I am very reluctant to put my bag under the seat although I normally travel with inexpensive bags (e.g. Furla, my H Evelyne, LV).
The wife of a super tycoon (the richest guy in HK) refused to put her handbag (probably H) on the floor when the air flight attendant asked her to do so. The pilot then came out and asked her to put it under the seat. When the wife and tycoon landed HK, the police were waiting to arrest them and brought them to police station. It was the pilot who called the police before landing.
The air attendants and pilot did not know they are tycoons, but when they went to police station, they were released very quickly as identity is revealed.
There is actually a rule that if the passenger has a concrete reason why he/she can't put the bag under the seat, the passenger can be exempted from doing so.
I am very reluctant to put my bag under the seat although I normally travel with inexpensive bags (e.g. Furla, my H Evelyne, LV).