overhead bins

Tag Archives for overhead bins.

Airline Outrage: Why Passengers Keep Getting Forced To Gate Check Bags When Overhead Bins Are Empty

by Gary Leff on August 4, 2024

Aug 04 2024

Two flights in a row an American Airlines passenger found that overhead bins were virtually empty yet people were being required to gate check their carry-on bags. They weren’t allowed to bring their bags onto the plane, even though there was plenty of space.

This is one of the most frequent complaints about airlines I see in social media, day after day, alongside damaged checked bags. Those two complaints are related! Who wants to waste time at baggage claim when they land, only to find their bags lost or damaged?

Airline Theft Alert: Passengers Are Stealing Cash From Overhead Bins – Here’s How To Protect Yourself

by Gary Leff on June 24, 2024

Jun 24 2024

A passenger on a Singapore Airlines flight from Hong Kong to Singapore has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for stealing nearly $90,000 from another man on board, out of the overhead bin.

The Chinese citizen was charged with theft, carrying undeclared cash of over $14,783.44 (SGD $20,000) into the country, converting stolen funds into casino chips, and also wire fraud for trying to transfer the funds to China.

New Southwest Airlines Scam Has Passengers Saving Overhead Bin Space For Late Boarders

by Gary Leff on May 1, 2024

May 01 2024

Southwest Airlines passengers aren’t just saving seats for other passengers, they’re saving overhead bin space, too by laying their bags horizontally in the bins to take up more space and then turning the bags on their sides to free up space once their travel companions board.

Why United Airlines Is Adding Bigger Overhead Bins On Regional Jets

by Gary Leff on March 28, 2024

Mar 28 2024

They will no longer need to gate check 1 million passenger bags per year, across 150,000 flights operated by these aircraft.

Breaking Off More Than They Could Tape: American Airlines’ Unorthodox Maintenance Solution

by Gary Leff on February 20, 2024

Feb 20 2024

American Airlines flight 2707 from Dallas to Austin was delayed over an hour on Monday night. The carrier’s maintenance technicians tried to tape an overhead bin in place – but it wouldn’t hold.

Faced with the choice of making a 9 p.m. flight even later – and potentially pushing crew past their minimum duty hours, where the entire flight would have to be cancelled – they decided not to spend any more time trying to fix it.

Gate Checking Madness: Why Bigger Overhead Bins Aren’t Solving the Airline Carry-On Crisis

by Gary Leff on February 15, 2024

Feb 15 2024

You’re allowed to carry bags onto the plane – but only if there’s enough space on board. That’s the main reason it’s better to board planes early, rather than being last onto the plane. Priority boarding is a benefit to ensure you get access to carry on bin space – even though no one wants to spend more time on board the aircraft than they have to.

Overhead bins are stuffed full, and passengers are forced to gate check their carry on bags, even though airlines are installing bigger overhead bins – bins that are supposed to have enough space for everyone. And it didn’t used to be this way!

Business Passenger Removes Economy Bag from Overhead Bin: The Poors Can’t Use My Space!

by Gary Leff on January 30, 2024

Jan 30 2024

A business class passenger sparked controversy by removing an economy passenger’s bag from the overhead bin, claiming entitlement to the space. With nowhere left to stow the coach passenger’s bag, it was gate checked.

Olympic Dreams on the Line: How American Airlines Risked a Marathon Runner’s Journey

by Gary Leff on January 28, 2024

Jan 28 2024

Ashlee Powers was flying American Airlines to the US Olympic Marathon Trials. She has an American Airlines credit card so that she can have priority boarding, which should mean better access to overhead bin space.

Despite plenty of space available still for bags on board, including directly above her seat, Ms. Powers was stressed on the way to the most important moment of her life, having been made to give up her Olympic running gear.

American Airlines Passenger Threatened With Arrest: No Room For Mom’s Ashes In The Overhead Bin

by Gary Leff on January 10, 2024

Jan 10 2024

The announcement that overhead bins were full, and everyone still remaining to board would have to gate check their carry on bags, came at the worst possible moment for one American Airlines passenger. She was carrying her mother’s ashes.

When she explained that to the gate agent, she says she was told to “take them out of the bag and hold them.” She doesn’t share whether her own reaction to this was intemperate, but says that she was “yelled at” and threated with arrest.

Overhead Bin Wars: Are You Guilty Of Carry-On Crimes?

by Gary Leff on December 7, 2023

Dec 07 2023

When you’re flying in the ‘back of the bus’ you don’t get a lot of person space. Airline coach seats are small. You get the space underneath the seat in front of you for your feet. And there are overhead bins.

Traditionally, you can bring a carry on bag on board and a personal item. That carry on goes in the overhead bin, and the personal item like purse or laptop bag goes by your feet. But these are social norms, not rules. Some passengers are going to put their personal item up in the bin, too. What do you think about that?