The Real Reason Airplanes Never Seem to Have Enough Overhead Bin Space As any seasoned traveler knows, the secret to a smooth, efficient flight is to travel light. When you only take a carry-on and a personal item, you avoid bag fees and can head straight to security when you arrive. But what about when you find yourself in that late boarding group, and there's no overhead bin space left? Airlines created this problem by charging checked bag fees. That's when many people started traveling with only carry-on luggage. And the airlines are just now getting around to fixing the issue with larger overhead bins. Until all planes have new, larger bins, the only way to make sure you don't have to gate-check your bag is to board early.
