Particularly on low-cost flights and in the lower fare classes on longer flights, the issue of overhead baggage has become a perpetual struggle for both passengers and airlines.
After airlines started making it more and more expensive to bring a stowed bag on a short flight (mainstream carriers will generally include at least one free suitcase on a transatlantic flight), more passengers have been trying to reduce their expenses by packing all their items into a carry-on and bringing it aboard the plane. While this is a great strategy individually, this creates overhead compartment crowding and leads to airlines having to check the larger overhead bags for free when room runs out.
Related: Internet agrees on one simple rule of plane overhead storage etiquette
Air carriers have been looking at different ways to overcome the problem and, on March 26, United Airlines (UAL) announced that it would be making the overhead bins on some of its newer…