I see lots of comments around the frustration surrounding carryon luggage and overhead bin etiquette. I myself board early and locate my single item in the bin above my seat. I know especially in the US that the checked bag fee exacerbates the issue, but was wondering what the airlines do with all the empty space in the hold below with reduced checked baggage? Freight? Or is there still a reasonable amount of checked baggage also (for those who aren’t light travelling “road warriors”)?
All airlines will look at carrying some freight to help with route profitability. But a lot of LCCs are quite happy to proceed with no bags (or close to it) below deck to save on fuel.
Of course if pax show up with extra baggage unannounced they’re also very happy to extort them for the privilege of checking bags into the hold!
The US has the odd policy of paid check in at the counter and free check in at the gate (go figure). I think southwest is the only one that doesn’t do this. In terms of etiquette a fellow (male) passenger criticised me for helping a lady with getting her carry-on down. I just responded ‘it is called being courteous’, Met by a ‘harrumph’!!! It also saves time for everybody, but all for themselves seems to be the attitude.
While counterintuitive to current practice, what if pricing was reset to promote use of the hold instead of carry on?
The reasons carry on is used so heavily now are twofold - user experience and cost. The reason cost exists is because the airlines try to recover the cost of having to resource bag loading into the hold.
Given just using carry on is a much better user experience and presumably the unit cost of another bag in the hold is low as soon as there is one bag going under, it would seem to make sense for the airlines to charge a premium for the enhanced user experience carry on bags provide. Lowering the use of the lockers through price differentials would also enhance the experience for those paying and for those who currently don’t by speeding up the onboarding and offboardibg processes.
Now to be shouted down ... :)
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Overhead bin rage...
SimonFrost
SimonFrost
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 10 Jul 2013
Total posts 70
I see lots of comments around the frustration surrounding carryon luggage and overhead bin etiquette. I myself board early and locate my single item in the bin above my seat. I know especially in the US that the checked bag fee exacerbates the issue, but was wondering what the airlines do with all the empty space in the hold below with reduced checked baggage? Freight? Or is there still a reasonable amount of checked baggage also (for those who aren’t light travelling “road warriors”)?
whoppersandwich
whoppersandwich
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 11 Dec 2017
Total posts 125
All airlines will look at carrying some freight to help with route profitability. But a lot of LCCs are quite happy to proceed with no bags (or close to it) below deck to save on fuel.
patrickk
patrickk
Qantas
Member since 19 Apr 2012
Total posts 736
The US has the odd policy of paid check in at the counter and free check in at the gate (go figure). I think southwest is the only one that doesn’t do this. In terms of etiquette a fellow (male) passenger criticised me for helping a lady with getting her carry-on down. I just responded ‘it is called being courteous’, Met by a ‘harrumph’!!! It also saves time for everybody, but all for themselves seems to be the attitude.
Steve987
Steve987
Member since 23 Feb 2015
Total posts 268
While counterintuitive to current practice, what if pricing was reset to promote use of the hold instead of carry on?