United Airlines has become the latest carrier to try to improve the boarding process by addressing the issues involved with overhead bins.
But where JetBlue is conducting an experiment to charge passengers $5 to have their carry-on bags put through as checked luggage, United is trying to solve the problem with mathematics.
The airline announced it plans to add larger overhead bins that will accommodate more luggage, approximately one regulation-size carry-on for every passenger on domestic flights.
USA Today noted that on a 179-seat Boeing 737-900, that translates to room for an extra 65 bags.
Toby Enqvist, United's senior vice president and chief customer officer, said the goal is to end the need to check bags at the gate. And if you're a traveler who has ever had to endure a lack of overhead bin space and then been forced to give up your carry-on to be checked and placed in the luggage bin, well, you know what we're talking about.
Enqvist also believes the larger bins should prevent passengers from having to wander the aisles several rows beyond their seat looking for bin space.
"With the one-to-one (bag) ratio, all that stuff goes away because everyone will have rooms for their bag,'' he said.
The airline will start adding the overhead bins next year and plans to have it on 80% of its mainline jet fleet by 2023.
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