SouthernWorldwide.com – Traveling with only a carry-on can simplify your journey, keeping your belongings with you without the need to check a bag. However, this convenience often ends at the boarding gate.
Airlines frequently require passengers to check their carry-on luggage at the gate. This practice is most common on smaller, regional aircraft where overhead bin space is limited.
Travel expert Gunnar Olson, host of the Thrifty Traveler Podcast, explains that this happens when the plane is simply too small to accommodate the number of carry-on bags brought by passengers. The rising cost of checked baggage fees is a significant factor, leading more travelers to pack everything into their carry-ons.
“The planes are not built; they’re not equipped to handle everybody bringing a full-sized bag onboard,” Olson stated.
Some passengers have observed available space in overhead bins even when their bags are being checked at the gate. The primary reason for this policy, despite apparent space, is time efficiency during boarding.
A Delta Airlines spokesperson informed CBS News Minnesota that boarding is the most critical phase in ensuring an on-time departure. The boarding process can be significantly delayed by passengers who take extra time to stow their luggage.
Delta utilizes “optimization tools” to forecast whether overhead bins will be full on a flight. According to the airline, asking customers to check their bags at the gate is “always a last resort.”
For flights anticipated to be full, Delta offers passengers the option to check their bags for free at lobby kiosks. One traveler shared a similar experience with a different airline.
“Canada Air warned me when I checked in here at the airport that it was gonna be a full flight and they recommended I just check my bag for free. So I did,” she recounted.
To avoid having your carry-on checked at the gate, the timing of your ticket purchase can be crucial.
“My only advice would be to try and buy up to the next higher fare that would get you on board a little bit earlier,” advised Olson. By boarding earlier, passengers increase their chances of securing overhead bin space.
This strategy aligns with Southwest Airlines’ policy. A spokesperson for Southwest explained to WCCO that they typically request bags only from passengers in the final boarding groups. Certain overhead bins are reserved for customers who have purchased extra legroom seats.
Both Delta and Southwest, among other airlines, increased their checked bag fees this spring. This price hike was implemented to help offset rising jet fuel costs influenced by the conflict in Iran. The current fee for a first checked bag on Delta and Southwest is $45, a $10 increase from the previous price.
