Getting overhead bin space
 

Even if I have a decent post count, most of my domestic flights are on Southwest, and I have minimal experience in a setting where there's a charge to check bags and people may be inclined to carry on more.

I have no status and am going MCI-ATL-MSY on a $59 fare. Is DL's boarding order some status categories, then in sections from the rear? In the first segment, I seem to have lucked into an exit row when they removed the original flight from the schedule: row 26 of an MD-88. Second segment: row 24 of a 738. To be sure of getting overhead space, how should I fit in among the gate lice? Can I get away with putting the bag over another row, preferably forward? I don't know if I'm reading right that, if I need to gate-check on the first segment, I'd need to go landside to ATL baggage claim and be pretty sure to miss the connection.

Pistols at 20 paces in the courtyard !!


You should be okay unless you have oversized carry on or excessive carry on items. On most fights I only see 1 or 2 people having to gate check a bag. Even if you have to gate check a bag its not the end of the world.

Just be in the gate area when boarding starts and you'll board "en mass" after all the various elites and pre-boards. As long as you're somewhere in that group, you should have space. You can put your bag in the first available space you find in the coach cabin as you make your way back. (Doesn't need to be directly over your head). As was mentioned, it's usually just the last 3 or 4 people who end up with no room....so if you're worried, try to be ready and board promptly when your zone is called.

If your fare is only $59 why not just pay to check a bag and lower your stress level?

If your bag is gate checked on mainline (which is what you're flying, based on the aircraft you reported), you'll claim it at your final destination's baggage claim. It is helpful if you have the info for your connection in hand when you board so that if you need to gate check, they can put the right flight numbers on it.

I do agree, it's only a couple people per flight who have to gate check.

Pay attention to boarding, some GA's will board Exit Row near the beginning with Elites.

Delta boards First Class.
Zone 1- Diamond, Plat, Gold
Zone 2- Silver
Zone 3+4= General Boarding

It all depends on how full your flight is. I've seen full flights, especially on the MD's where there is no bag space left for Zone 4. My best recommendation, don't linger and wait to board. Be ready to get into the mob the second boarding begins and you should be fine.

If you lucked into an Exit row you should have a Zone 2 boarding card.
Quick tip, always check at the gate for an exit row seat. Many medallion's who have exit row seats may get upgraded, thus leaving those seats vacant and ripe for the picking.

I just sent a compliment to Delta over my FC flight attendant last night that was trying to make room for a bag for a late boarding FC and was asking "Who's backpack is this?" No one in FC spoke up and she started towards the back. A guy in about row 10 said it was his, to which she said he couldn't put it in the FC section as that was for FC customers. To which he responded "I thought bin space was bin space". She said "It is, just not in FC!". You go girl!!!

Why give a business $25 unnecessarily? Makes absolutely no sense to me. I would have a higher stress level doing that than vying for overhead bin space :D

Exit rows don't get Zone 2 boarding. I sat in one on an MD88 before I made FO and boarded in Zone 3.

You Go Girl
 

I really love that. Give that FA an "A."

As a family, we sometimes board last to let everyone else go first, so we can take our time dragging in the kids, bags, and check the stroller. So pretty much anywhere there is enough space is where the bags go.. I think our bags were spread accross 10 rows of seats and on the other side 10 rows accross as well.

Only have to gate check 3-4 bags? That's optimistic.

On Elite/Business-heavy routes, I've seen way more than that.

I regularly fly DFW-DTW on Thurs. nights on an A319, and they typically have to gate check 20-30 bags! It is obsurd.

Then again, I've flown DTW-DEN on a 757 on a Saturday morning, full flight but about 50% of the bin space is empty.

You might be able to get away with it but a lot of the FAs on my recent flights have been looking for that and stopping people, honestly it's really annoying to have someone sitting further back take up the bin above my seat and just walk towards the back since they usually board first. I don't know about anyone else but it's pretty annoying to have to walk towards the back to put up my bag and have to fight to get back to it to get off the plane to make a connection because someone just had to have their bag further forward. If you are at the gate when boarding begins you should be able to get a bin for your bag (as long as it's not too big)

I flew LHR-AMS (KL) and AMS-BOS (DL) this past weekend. Given the cattle call nature of boarding KL/AF/AZ at LHR, I boarded quickly. I witnessed a few people, who were in the row behind me (3rd or 4th row in Y), put their bags up front over the European Select section. It annoyed me to see pax who were sitting up there (and had presumably paid much more) not have rooms for their bags because of people like those behind me. The FA's did nothing...:rolleyes: