Airlines should charge for guaranteed overhead bin space. Most tickets come with a ‘license to hunt’ for space, rather than overhead bin space proper. And customers who believe they are entitled to bring a carry-on bag on board get stuck gate checking their bag and wasting time at baggage claim at the end of their flight.
This is one of the most common complaints I see on social media with photos, behind only damaged bags. American thought adding 5 minutes to boarding time would fix this, when United and Delta have already increased boarding time and have just as much of a challenge.
There’s no worse customer experience than:
- Having your carry-on bag confiscated at the gate
- Finding you not only lose access to your stuff, but that you’ll have to wait half an hour to get it back on arrival
- And then boarding to learn there was plenty of space after all, and the whole charade was unnecessary.
@united and @FlyORF
Sitting in row 9 and you make me gate check my small carry on bag. This is the 3 overheads across from me. The one above me had one bag in it. Flight is maybe 75% full.Make it make sense pic.twitter.com/329EqF5TLB
— Nate (@Just_Nate_99) May 28, 2026
@AmericanAir thanks for making me gate check my bag! Definitely couldn’t have fit here! pic.twitter.com/KjgA0WCbgb
— Shears (@jshears_) April 5, 2026
Airlines monetize everything else, and bin space is a scarce resource (like extra legroom seats), so in a way I’m surprised airlines don’t monetize guaranteed bin space access. I would pay for this, because it means I could board last rather than first and either get to the airport later or spend more time working in the lounge.
They monetize it today with priority boarding and first class, but offering it as actual guaranteed bin space would be far better. It would be great as a top tier elite status benefit, too, and something airlines could use to entice managed business travel since their customers likely prioritize carry-on versus checked bags.
@united help me understand why i was forced to check my carry on bag on the first leg of an international flight when all of this space is available? In my carry on are meds I couldn't get fast enough and the bag is unlocked. No clue with premium tix I would have to do this. pic.twitter.com/tQQSJocRva
— Michelle reynolds (@1207msr) July 5, 2026
@AmericanAir Forced carry-on bag checking is out of hand. Bin after bin available. I don’t buy it with the full flight argument. pic.twitter.com/zTvLoD76IL
— Lori Cole (@SpaceRunner262) June 22, 2026
Some airlines charge for use of the bin already via basic economy – the idea is if you don’t spend more to avoid basic economy fares you can’t bring on the bags that require use of bins. Yet United Airlines still regularly lacks sufficient bin space for everyone else. Banning customers from bringing on bags isn’t the same as guaranteeing space for everyone else. Real value is in the certainty of bin space access and that’s something that could be charged.
Of course that would require something like Delta’s test years ago with boarding passenger carry-on bags in bins themselves (but you don’t want to do this before boarding starts, or it undermines the whole point of showing up to the gate later) or assigning a new task to flight attendants and actually ensuring uniform execution. So this is hard! But it’s revenue clearly being left on the table.
If all bin space was charged, there’d be no shortage. People would board faster. That would be a big savings for airlines, who would operate on-time, more efficiently and at lower cost (now that several pay flight attendants for boarding time). They might even make first checked bag free.
Enforce size limits. Problem solved
Gary asking for all of us to pay more for things that are already included. Wild.
Do you work for Delta now? Corporate thanks you for carrying water for them.
If it has wheels, it is not a carry on. Problem solved.
Yes. Checked bags should be free and carry on bags charged for. 1990: Nothing is truly free. You pay for it directly or indirectly, one way or the other.
The problem i think is that pax take too damn long to board an aircraft. Therefore so agents dont get written up for taking a delay they are forced to start checking bags to get a ontime
Yes, Gary, let turn all airlines into ULCCs that have done everything but install pay toilets to make money.
@Robert clearly you do not understand the needs and expectations of people who travel for work on a regular basis.
Totally DISAGREE. If you have airline status and board early you are paying for overhead space and at least on Delta that’s way it works. No more nickel and diming and extras- Other airlines should respect this if you are in comfort plus or above that’s what you have earned or paying for ImHO
Sure! Let’s break down even further the list of amenities we need to pay for. Buying an airline ticket will look like ordering off a Chinese restaurant menu.
Pay for what you actually use (and don’t pay for what you don’t). What a concept.
Great. I can imagine the conversation.
Passenger: I’m in row 8
Attendant: no problem, we have your “guaranteed” space back by row 30, we never said it was near you.
@Michael Fitzgerald — Whether you realize it or not, I never said it was “free.” Did you see above how I deliberately used the term “included,” because that word does not mean the same thing as “free.” When you pay for your ticket, overhead space in your cabin of service is currently included, under most circumstances, yes, directly or indirectly. So, one more time, Gary is advocating for new fees, here, which is pretty ‘un-cool,’ if you are a consumer/passenger. Great for airlines’ bottom lines. “Free” money for them, if they implement what Gary wants.
Agreed wholeheartedly, other than making any checked bags “free.” They might be charged less than for carry-ons, but charging for all luggage would encourage passengers to pack light.
And who knows, it might finally open up the market for third-party luggage-delivery services. Imagine a future where instead of schlepping your bags around, you just drop them off at a local pack-and-ship (or for a slight upcharge, have them picked up right at home) and they’re delivered to your hotel ahead of time. And the same service for going home. Sounds far more civilized.
Spirit could put 230 people on an A321 in 20 minutes and not gate check a single bag. In fact in years and years of working there and then years of flying them as a customer, never once saw an announcement about having to gate check bags, nor had to take a bag off a plane that wasn’t oversized.
Just sayin…
Assigned bin space is better. Small divider also will act as a deterrent to oversized bags, since they simply won’t fit. More revenue and faster boarding.
A guarantee would be difficult to enforce. FAs aren’t going to want to do it. How will you prove it? What happens if you have the guarantee but you board late? Easiest way would be guarantee no forced gate check before certain group number, but then of course you’ll get a lot of people trying to jump the queue. Just seems like a nightmare to implement.
Stop making gate checked bags free. Charge the same for them that you do at check in. Problem solved.
Price conscious vacation travelers are being incentivized to jam as much as possible into carry-ons.
It’s hilarious watching some of you so-called ‘free market’ and ‘regulation-bad’ jokers attempt to implement a complex, difficult to enforce, completely unnecessary new system of derivative quasi-private property ‘rights’ in what used to be a straightforward shared-space. Meanwhile, most of your ideas would lead to greater inefficiency, more expense, and loads of wasted time/effort arguing over ‘paid/reserved’ space, regardless. Keep it simple, stu…
The empty bin thing happens, but far from all the time. And as we know it’s really all about getting the planes out on time because every late plane has a spillover effect. I just don’t think this is a real problem – if you are in first or extra legroom economy or have status you’re going to get your bag on the plane 99% of the time. If you bought basic economy, have fun gate checking.
WRONG! The airlines should enforce the size requirements and, one bag under the seat and one in the OVERHEAD ADJACENT TO YOUR SEAT, I would think the problem will go away. Just like “gate lice”…enforce the boarding order and enforce the bag bin.
Mantis asked, “What happens if you have the guarantee but board late?” At American Airlines, if you arrive late at the departure gate, you and your carry-on cannot board because the jetway door and flight are closed.
Aside from the obvious unbundling issues (is there anything you don’t want segmented out? Yesterday it was F meals…), the issue here is that it could plausibly collapse boarding order logic. If I have a ticket that guarantees me the right to wave it in the GA’s face and take my carry-on onboard and I’m not getting a PDB, at what point do I just cool my heels and board at T-15 or T-20 under “general boarding”?
Also, how does this entangle with status/card bag allowances? You’ve indicated that a lot of folks obviously prefer having carry-on bags vs checked bags, so does this not just risk becoming “folks with status are the only ones who can carry on” if it turns out that folks would take one carry-on over two checked bags as an allowance?
I think the proper answer, FWIW, would be to require airlines to offer short-checking/planeside bag valet if they’re going to force gate checks like this. I think 80% of the complaints would go away if you got the bag back in ATL or CLT or wherever instead of your final destination.
@Ken A — Got’em!!
You wanted airlines to save money by not serving nuts in the first class.
Then you wanted them to charge us extra to provide decent first class meals.
Now you want Airlines to charge for guaranteed overhead storage space.
It almost feels like you’re building a resume to become a bean counter at one of these airlines.
Roller bag-sized overhead space should cost the same as checking a bag.
Delta’s the only airline that gets this right.
Gary,
If you incentivize more people to check their bags, your MBR will likely go up. Solve one problem, make another problem worse. Airlines just need to actually enforce their size rules and passengers need to stop being such entitled Americans. The larger overhead bins have the space if people don’t bring giant bags or put their backpacks up there.
I love gate checking – I don’t have to pay a rip off bag fee.
I see overhead bins consistently quite full so while I don’t think you’re being disingenuous it’s absolutely not my experience.
I do think your idea about offering free checked bags and charging for carryon bags is an interesting one.
Stop telling the airlines how they can squeeze their passengers even more.
Gary,
We are not as wealthy and privileged as you.
I’m simply verklempt reading this post.
The latest iteration of EU 261 specifies that all passengers are entitled to one carry-on free on every flight. And each airline to have one specified size for all airlines. EU 261 again rides to the consumer.
NO. NO. NO. These add-ons are getting ridiculous. American carriers need to strictly enforce carry on size like European carriers. Also allow those passengers who have already checked bags (and paid handsomely for the privilege) to board first so they can claim overhead space for their carry on. What’s next? Business class passengers having to pay to select their seat in advance? Oh, wait…
@Denver Refugee – There are several companies already that do exactly what you’ve described already. I’ve had bags waiting for me in my room at a hotel in Kauai a few years ago because I flew in on AA and out on HA and did not want the hassle of having to re-check at HNL. Took some coordination with the hotel manager but felt it was definitely worthwhile.
Another vote for enforcement of size/quantity limits. It’s infuriating to see what they let people board with. Backpack, roller bag ( too big for the baggage sizers you still occasionally see ), huge ass pillow and a personal item.
Ryanair’s policy has been to allow a free small bag (any weight, but must be of size to fit under seat, 40 x 30 x 20 cm) and charge for a carry on (up to 10kg 55 x 40 x 20 cm). They sell only 100 carry on “slots” per flight. You also board first if you purchased a carry on. They will check sizes and quantities before you board, but there appears no mechanism to prevent you from putting the underneath bag in a bin. Given new EU rules, they will not be able to offer a base fare and then an upcharge for a carry on. They can, however, post a price with carry on and offer a rebate for removing it.
I really like the idea of some day having bins with separated compartments of a standard size: one spot for each seat. You arrive at anytime to sit in 16B, you can expect the 16B cubby to be unoccupied. Show up with a larger than allowed carry on, it won’t fit in your cubby.
I do wonder how the CRJ-450s are working. They have 7 F seats with no oh bins. But, there are 7 cubbies in that section. I wonder if the 7th F pax to board finds all the cubbies are filled. And, what is done then? It does not affect me, but I see far too many board with a carry on bigger than limits with a second bag that won’t fit under seat (not that they intend for it to go there).
Gary, you’ve lost the plot. Airlines have become so good at unbundling that we’re starting to confuse basic reliability with premium service. “Your bag will fit in the overhead bin” feels less like a luxury to upsell than a core part of the product people thought they were buying.
@christian — Thank. You. Preach!!
@AlanZ — Thank goodness. Man, I wish we had an EU261-equivalent in the US… someday…
@BBT — Bah! That was pretty good. I love meta-commentary about the absurdity of Gary’s recent
‘hot-takes’ when you succinctly list them out like that.
Is this nonsense sponsored content? Paying for yet another aspect of a worse flying experience?
What they should instead do is go back to how things were — incentivize people to check their bags. All small items could then go overhead. Boarding would be a breeze.
Checked bags have come a long way, especially on United where you can track the bag in the app.
More like bin UN-laden, amirite?
Spirit got a bad rap, but we occasionally took it to Florida because it flew from a smaller airport near our home. Spirit’s problem was its al a carte pricing, but the fact that it expanded from merely flying to Florida from smaller northern regional airports and tried to compete in major markets. I don’t understand the complaint about the way that they separated charges instead of bundling everything together. Sure, it can be a bit of a nuisance, but it’s efficient. You had a basic fare and you paid for what you specifically wanted : carryon, checked bag, additional checked bag, extra weight bag ,etc. You got what you paid for and it discouraged carryons and over weight and oversized bags. On the other hand, if everything is bundled then you’re in effect paying for all these “extras” and you might as well take advantage.
@Nick Hurr — If it isn’t literally ‘sponsored content,’ it sure is carrying-water for airlines. (Like, Gary, if you aren’t already getting paid by the airline lobby for this totally-organic, totally-not-astroturf’d ‘thought-piece,’ you really should think about sending them Airlines for America an invoice. What’s the going rate? Couple hundred-thousand SkyPesos? Sound get you a one-way ticket to Europe in premium economy, if you’re lucky.)