Check you bags, board with Zone 2
 

Just heard this while waiting for my flight: "We have a very full flight to Houston and we will run out of overhead space. If you are in Zone 4 or 5 and would like to go ahead and check your carryon, you will be able to board with Zone 2."

Doesn't that defeat the purpose of boarding early? I know if I don't have anything going in the overhead, I wait to get on towards the end.

It does defeat the purpose of boarding early to secure bin space, but it serves a very good purpose of giving people an incentive to gate-check before boarding. Even if it means you just end up smooshed into your Y seat for 10 more minutes (a bad thing, not a good thing) people still are very motivated to be "before everyone else."

If you've gate-checked your carry-on, what's your incentive to board earlier?

I guess the good news for the later boarders is that your earlier boarding hasn't negatively impacted them.

Well some people essentially have two carry on bags so they will still try to place the 2nd bag in the overhead compartment instead of under the seat in front of them. Kind of like the people who insist on placing jackets and other items in the bins which take up space that could be used for larger items.

I suppose unscrupulous people could get their bag tagged, board in Zone 2 and rip the tag off on the way down the jetway.

I'm glad I'm always in Zone 1 so I can stow my bag except for those unfortunate tight connections when I have to run to make the final call.

I believe the GA takes the bags when the passenger volunteers to take the early boarding/check bag trade. At least when I've seeen them doing it, that's how it's gone. Maybe different GA's do it differently though. If they all follow that process, though, it closes that loophole.

Most of the GA's I've seen give you the bag bag and ask you to leave it at the end of the jetway but I'm sure the approach varies. I can't say I watch that closely so I'm not basing this on a large sample of data! :)