Shelby Knowles / Bloomberg via Getty Images
Southwest Airlines’ long-running free bags policy has had a welcome side effect: Its fliers were less likely to complain about having to gate-check their carry-ons.
But the airline’s newest policies, which take effect late next month, could change that, since travelers who soon will have to pay for bags likely will be more inclined to battle for space in the overhead bins. That, in turn, could mean more grumbling from passengers who wonder why they’re asked to check bags—then see bins that appear less-than-full once they board.
“We do expect a decrease in checked bags at the ticket counter,” a Southwest spokesperson said in a statement provided to Investopedia. “However, we are working to keep the travel experience seamless and as hassle free as possible for our customers and our employees.”
This is a common frustration with U.S. airlines. Delta Air Lines (DAL) passenger Karah Preiss posted her annoyance with the carrier on X last September, after she “was forced to gate check only to get on the plane and see a ton of empty overhead bins. Hate to have to wait for checked bag I didn’t intend to check.”
“Across the industry, boarding is the most consistent barrier to an on-time departure and the boarding process can be slowed down by customers needing extra time to store their bags due to lack of overhead storage,” a Delta spokesperson said in a statement to Investopedia. “We use optimization tools to predict when overhead storage will be full, and while sometimes customers are required to check their bags at the gate, it is always a last resort.”
I experienced this myself last fall after flying from New York to Boston. The gate agent announced that passengers in higher-numbered boarding groups would have to check carry-ons because there wouldn’t be overhead bin space when it was their turn to get on the plane.
