Travelers, Welcome to the Revolution in Overhead Bin Size
Everything’s tight in an airplane cabin. But when there is adequate room, travel sure gets easier. Take overhead bins.
Boeing and Airbus both manufacture new single-aisle airplanes that have much larger overhead bins—enough space for all passengers to put a roll-aboard bag on its side. The bins, launched six years ago by Alaska Airlines on Boeing’s 737, have been a huge hit with customers, and airlines.
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Space in overhead bins is so prized that people stay loyal to an airline just for early boarding status, which doesn’t get you much except for available bin space. Some passengers pay extra for early boarding just to avoid having to check a bag. Woe be the passenger who has to endure the walk of shame back to the front of the packed plane and have his or her carry-on bag checked.
For years airlines were selling ticket-holders false hope. Everyone gets to bring one carry-on bag and one personal item such as a purse or backpack. But the truth was if everyone brought their full allocation, there wasn’t enough bin space. That simple math got a lot worse for passengers when airlines crammed more seats into their jets, reducing legroom and pushing heads closer together with thin webbing in seat backs instead of thick foam. American went from 148 seats on a Boeing 737-800 to 160 and now 172. The bins didn’t get any bigger, so more passengers were competing for the same overhead bin space. It got even worse when most airlines started charging fees to check bags in 2008 and passengers responded by loading up free carry-ons.
Alaska asked Boeing to come up with a solution. Engineers at Boeing had already been working on ideas to reroute wiring and pipes in the ceiling and create more bin space. The taller Space Bins sit 2 inches lower, reducing some headroom, and pivot up and away from the aisle as they are pushed up into the ceiling. A standard 60-inch bin can carry four bags laid flat, Boeing says. The 60-inch Space Bin can carry six turned on their side. The most common 737, the 737-800 and its newer same-size version, the 737 MAX 8, has room for 118 bags in standard configuration, Boeing says. With Space Bins, the 737 MAX 8 can carry 178 bags—enough for the 172 passengers American packs in.
Boeing says about half of all MAX deliveries have the bigger bins installed. It is an option for airlines—and some still don’t want them. Southwest, for example, is sticking with standard bins because it offers two free checked bags and doesn’t want pack rats in the cabin.
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https://www.wsj.com/articles/travelers-welcome-to-the-revolution-in-overhead-bin-size-11634119200 (subscription)
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