United Airlines is to start charging to use overhead bins

Enh. If they would actually enforce the supposed rules they already have in place for carry-on bags, they wouldn't need to do this. Usual penalise the many instead of dealing with the few crap.

I only fly Southwest. Bags are free. I never fly with just a carry on.

I miss Continental.

We only fly Southwest unless we're going overseas, and then it usually has to be United. And we hate them with a fiery passion.  And no, we're not carry-on abusers.

That's not how it works at all.  You're assigned your boarding position when you make your reservation.  Pay a little extra and you're in the A group every time.

The gate agent. And I have seen them do it. All you have to do is say "if you have more than 2 items, you'll be asked to wait to board until the end, and we'll need to check any more than 2 items. Pull your medications and your batteries out, or start combining now." And then actually do it. "Ma'am, you have a carry on, a briefcase and a shopping bag. Either combine it to 2, or you'll need to step to the side so we can check one."

It's not that hard, but it's not enforced often, so nobody bothers to comply.

My thoughts exactly! We pay to check our luggage because I travel with my razor, medicines, soap, etc. and then someone else comes on the plane with 37 pieces of crap with them. I carry a Vera Bradley briefcase with my computer onboard and it fits under the seat in front of me.

I recently flew from Boston to Dallas and I would say 80 percent of the travelers carried on an overstuffed suitcase they then proceeded to jam into the overhead bin space. The plane ran out of overhead space very early in the boarding process.

I do think more people choose to carry on to avoid paying the baggage fees. It's a consequence of the airlines trying to nickel and dime everyone.

That said I get that it can take a while for your bags to come off the plane and into baggage claim. Logan is horrible about getting bags off planes/to baggage claim quickly.

if I understand correctly - if you fly basic economy, you are only allowed one small bag that will fit under the seats. If you fly other than basic economy - you can still bring your carry ons.

Looks like it will still need to beenforced at the gate by checking tickets and making sure if you have a carry on you ticket is not basic economy.

While I agree with the idea, there may be a slowdown at the gate when the basic economy ticket holders carry ons will need to be gate checked.

We're in the same boat! We're 20 minutes from our airport too! I'd rather pay for a half tank of gas than thousands of dollars on a flight with multiple stops when I can fly straight through from Buffalo.

Thanks basketdiva. That boarding method makes more sense.

Exactly. It will need to be enforced both at the gate - have all bags too large to fit under seats been paid for, if not take payment or check them then - and on the plane - are all bags in the bins the paid for bags (sometime people put things that would fit under a seat in an overhead bin), if not identify the owner and return the item to them. Double the work that they can't even manage now it seems. Plus people in emergency exit rows aren't allowed anything under their seat - will they be allowed to put small items in the bins for free? Then you have to have a way to distinguish between their unpaid but permitted items and other unpaid but not permitted items. 

As a consumer I don't much care, I'll continue to choose the flights/airlines that give the best value to me - not always the cheapest. But as a business decision? From where I'm sitting, it doesn't look to stack up.