The two most common complaints with photos that I see about airlines on social media are (1) damaged luggage, and (2) empty overhead bins that customers onboard after having been required to gate check their carry-on bags ‘because the bins are full.’
@united saying there isn't enough overhead space forcing people to check bags. Money grab pic.twitter.com/MMxmnJZqfg
— Erik Ling (@erikling) July 9, 2025
Airlines are overly aggressive requiring customers to give up their bags at the gate because gate agents are pressured to make sure planes get out exactly on-time, and they’re worried that if passengers bring all their bags on board, the bins will fill up, and customers will spend time searching for space and only then bring their bags off the plane to check them at the last minute.
So passengers are required to give up their bags predictively. Then they have to waste time at baggage claim waiting for the bags, and potentially even deal with losing luggage. Getting on the plane and seeing that this inconvenience wasn’t even necessary is such a terrible customer experience. And it happens across airlines (it was very rare on Southwest, because they had free checkde bags so people checked more bags rather than carrying them on and there was less competition for bin space).
American Airlines seems to think they’re solving this problem. On the Airlines Confidential podcast this week, American’s new Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden offhandedly mentions that “we’ve seen a 10% reduction in gate checked bags just within the first few weeks” of the carrier’s new boarding process.
If they’ve made changes to consciously drive down the number of bags they’re gate checking, that’s actually a huge win for customers and they should be shouting it from the rooftops! I just can’t figure out why they’re seeing this result.
There aren’t more bin spaces to hold carry-on bags on the plane than there were before the airline made changes to its boarding process two months ago. Yet Garboden attributes the change to the ‘new boarding process’ and as far as I know, what’s changed is:
- Boarding starts 5 minutes earlier. Gate agents don’t show up 5 minutes earlier, and don’t work 5 minutes longer, so they actually are dealing with boarding customers for more of their time at the gate. Maybe they just don’t have time do deal with gate checking bags in advance now?
- Executive Platinum members no longer board with first class. That’s the only real change to boarding order the airline made in May.
Maybe gate agents have been instructed to do something differently, and I just haven’t heard about it yet? Or American has adjusted its algorithm for projecting the need to gate check bags?
Or perhaps there just fewer carry-on bags during the summer, because of the mix of leisure passengers who check bags anyway, and this is the result you’d expect and see normally? So maybe this is seasonal and something we see every year?
I asked American Airlines why this is happening – how the new boarding process could be delivering this achievement – and have not received an explanation. So I’d love to hear from knowledgeable readers on the subject. Is there a specific change that American made that is driving down the number of gate checked bags? I’d love to share great news for customers here.
I don’t love boarding starting 5 minutes earlier. The only reason to get on a plane first rather than last is to secure overhead bin space near your seat. Otherwise I’d rather be at the gate later, and on the plane later – not sitting in an airline seat for longer. I’d prefer to be at the airport later, or in the lounge longer.
But if the tradeoff is fewer gate checked bags, that might be worthwhile. Plus, if there’s less of a need to board earlier to secure bin space (and avoid having your carry-on confiscated), earlier boarding doesn’t mean actually having to board early! You can choose to board during the boarding process when it’s convenient for you, instead of having to hurry up and wait. Ensuring customer bags are accommodated onboard would be a big improvement. Is this real and lasting?
I like the new (earlier) boarding process as it seems like it’s leading to earlier pushbacks/on time arrivals and more time/chances for pre departure beverage service too. Unsure either why this would affect gate checked bags but good to hear that the number is dropping.
The summer season observation makes the most sense here. Still, the boarding changes have been positive overall and really do seem to make the whole experience better for everyone.
I suspect this is about FAs not being quite as aggressive in calling bins full. Also, boarding early means that there is time to arrange items in the overhead bins in a more orderly fashion. There are always people that are yacking on their phone and don’t bother to read the labels in the overhead bins or think they are entitled to as much of the space as they want rather than what they need.
I’m interested in the reason but I’d like to think – hope – that it is due to better FA engagement and communication w/ gate agents.
I think semantics plays a role here. “Forced gate checked bags” suggests the bag is gate checked against the passenger’s will. What perhaps hasn’t decreased (or in fact has increased) is “impelled gate checking”, where gate agents beg, plead, prod, badger, and connive passengers into gate checking their bag “voluntarily.” A recent flight on AA from LGA on a mainline flight featured the gate agent making no fewer than seven announcements before boarding started asking for gate checked bags.
Sure, it might not be “forced”, but it isn’t exactly pressureless.
We know why… it was Gary’s unceasing commenting on the issue here at VFTW. The true power of a ‘thought leader.’ Or, is it ‘thot’ leader? Hmm…
Anecdotal evidence, on the last 4 flights in the last 2 weeks, and I have witnessed FA’s being more “Tetris Focused” and re-arranging bags for a better fit, and more importantly politely asking customers to move smaller bags from the overhead bin to the seat in front of them, and literally taking the smaller bags/backpacks off and asking who it belongs too.
I think you can do a surprising amount of “Social Engineering” to get people to do things in a communal setting (like on a plane) that doesn’t cost any money other than a “shout-out” that this passenger is a team player.
-Jon
* Yeah, yeah, yeah, there’s a small percentage of flyers who are introverted and do not want to be called out, but done the right way it helps everyone and makes the passenger feel good. It’s a summer camp thing I learned years ago and absolutely works with adults, and even cranky ones too, lol
On a different topic, India was supposed to release the preliminary crash report of the Air India 787 to Gatwick but it hasn’t. WHAT ARE THEY TRYING TO HIDE. IT MUST BE PILOT SUICIDE.
@derek — Please do see our debates on Gary’s recent Air India post. Something’s definitely ‘off,’ though I’m sure no one wants to blame Boeing, les we ‘fall out of an open window’… Anyway, let ‘em do their thing; we’ll learn eventually what happened (hopefully.)
@1990 Looks like the fuel switches were intentional switched to off leading to both engines shutting down. It’s a very deliberate process and cannot be done accidentally. Only 2 explanations suicide or terrorist attack.