Taking hand luggage on board a flight saves time and money – but it isn’t exactly stress free.
If you’re last to board, those overhead lockers can be packed full. So, you’re forced to jam your bag into a space it definitely won’t fit in, or relinquish it to cabin crew, who place it miles away from your seat.
But now, there’s a solution, as new overhead bins are being introduced to some Airbus planes, potentially saving travellers from panic.
Last year, Airbus, the leading manufacturer of commercial planes in the UK and Europe, announced that it would be retrofitting some of its planes to include the new and improved Airspace L bins.
These new bins will be more than half the size again of the previous A320 bins, offering 60% more room, and allowing space for three extra bags per bin. The trick here is that bags will be stowed vertically, not horizontally.
And now, it looks like passengers will finally see the new bins onboard as Lufthansa is the first airline to receive 38 of them in January 2025, just three months away.
Other European airlines, including Iberia and Swiss also said they’ll introduce the new bins.
It could be good news for travellers’ wallets too. With more space, airlines may decide to offer more generous luggage allowances, or even reduce the cost of individual bags per passenger.
And, it could even mean less delays, as time isn’t wasted while passengers find somewhere to stow their bags.
Airline workers have a secret name for people who queue early to board
Some people chose to queue up the minute that gate opens, and it turns out, airline workers have a cheeky name for them: gate lice.
Urban Dictionary perhaps has the best definition for gate lice:
‘Passengers, often inexperienced flyers in [economy] class, who crowd around or line up at a gate at an airport completely blocking the boarding area and preventing First and Business Class passengers from being able to get on the plane when they’re allowed to.
‘They can also cause delays and confusion if a passenger in a wheelchair needs to board as the chair has to plough through the mass of gate lice hovering around the gate.’
‘When it’s time to board, they have to be shooed from the front boarding area to the back of the line, delaying the flight for everyone.’
For some, it’s due to practicality: to make sure there is room for your bag, but psychologist Dr Audrey Tang also thinks it’s about feeling in control.
She previously told Metro: ‘Queueing for boarding as soon as we are able to can help us to feel in control, which in turn makes us feel less stressed.’
‘This is more likely to be true for people who have experience of being late.
‘Knowing you have faff time, especially with luggage or children, can also play a part.
‘Maybe some people just like to be first, but it’s largely to do with keeping ourselves calm.’
The new Airspace L bins will allow passengers to store roller bags up to 61cm high, 38cm wide, and 25cm deep, meaning bags will be stacked vertically, maximising space.
While popular airlines among UK flyers, such as Ryanair and Easyjet are yet to confirm when the new bins will be introduced, they are expected to follow suit in the future.
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