Large Overhead Bins?
 

Sorry if this has been posted recently. I did a search, but all the relevant threads were a few years old. Are the larger overhead bins on all aircraft? I vaguely recall an announcement about Boeing Space Bins a few years ago, but I have no idea if they've installed them fleetwide. I'm just wondering if it's worth reserving an aft-cabin seat on a full flight for a "C" boarding group for earlier access to the bins. TIA!

They’re not on all planes. That said, I rarely ever see bags checked these days unless they’re oversized.

The 737-800's don't have the space-saving bins, whereas all of the -900s and MAXs do. You can fit oversize bags into the space-saving bins but nothing over 10" or so in depth in the -800's (without squishing it).

Close. Three of the 800s have the Space Bins while the rest don’t. All of the 900ERs and MAX9s have the Space Bins while the classic 900s (N3XXAS) don’t.

I just flew DEN-SEA on Saturday. I watched an entire plane load of people load with some pretty questionable carry-ons. I even found myself wishing that Alaska had a sizer and enforced their carry-on rules. I saw huge, over-stuffed bags forced down the aisle with owners wearing equally large back packs bashing into people as they went down the aisle. Then, boarding came to a standstill as these same people tried to stuff these into the bins. I didn't just see this once, it was a common occurrence.

There was the usual gate announcement asking for volunteers to gate-check for free. Only a few took up the offer. Checked luggage was ready and waiting by the time passengers hit the washroom and took the train to baggage claim.

You have probably already figured out that trying to stuff the kitchen sink into the overhead bins is a pet peeve of mine.......

Good to know. I don’t think I’ve ever encountered either of these exceptions.

Also the -700s don’t have space bins due to being delivered before they were available.

Another plane I've managed to avoid in flying hundreds of thousands of miles with AS. That said, I thought some of the -700s have received the new interior. Did that not include the space-saving bins?

Nope, no space bins on the updated -700s.

Seems nuts to me they wouldn't update them on the -700s when updating the seats/new cabins. The sleeker slope of the space bins really makes things look much newer design wise than the older style. Probably not worth it given the smaller amount of -700s in the fleet, and that they prob only have a few years left before they're gone anyhow.

On my flight Thurs out of SEA, there were repeated announcements in the boarding area for people to volunteer to gate check their bags due to the flight being "nearly full," and also warning that everyone in groups D and E would need to gate check their carryons if they didn't get enough volunteers. We were on a -900ER which, of course, had space bins. The flight left with at least 20 empty seats and I saw no sign of anyone unable to stow their bag(s) after boarding. Do gate agents account for whether the plane has space bins or not before making these announcements?

I expect the agents account for what notices are showing on their screens (whatever HQ or flights ops are feeding them) and not on actual conditions.

Don't forget the A320's that have the smallest bins of all. The A321's have the Airbus equivalent of Space Bins.

I have always said that if AS really wanted to incentivize people to gate check their bags, they should offer 2500 miles, $25 credit vouchers, or (even better) cash to get volunteers!

I’d bring extra bags :)