Having to check a carry-on at the gate can be frustrating, especially if it is within the allowed dimensions and there’s enough overhead bin space. An American Airlines passenger has called out the carrier for a domestic flight with plenty of overhead bin space that still forced her to gate-check her carry-on. This comes amid the Fort Worth, Texas-based airline stating it will use bag sizers at gates despite an earlier rule change ending this practice.
The passenger spoke to TheTravel about exactly what transpired that led her to having to check her carry-on at the gate. She slammed her recent experience with American Airlines, saying that she’s “gotten better service on budget airlines.”
Breakdown Of American Airlines Flight That Forced Passengers To Gate-Check
Lori Cole, a space operations instructor, shared on X an image of the empty overhead bins aboard her flight. She explained the situation in the caption, tagging American Airlines.
“Forced carry-on bag checking is out of hand. Bin after bin available. I don’t buy it with the full flight argument,” she wrote.
The airline responded to the post, writing, “It’s important to our customers that carry‑on items are able to be brought on board when space is available, and we’re sorry that wasn’t the case for you.”
American Airlines then asked for her confirmation code to share the feedback with the appropriate team.
Cole further explained the incident to TheTravel, stating that her flight was on June 22 from Chattanooga, Tennessee to Dallas, Texas.
American Airlines’ only nonstop service between those cities is from Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport (CHA) to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW), which is roughly a 2-hour flight.
The trip was off to a rocky start due to a delay.
“The flight was late, and messages said it was due to maintenance,” Cole told TheTravel.
She went on to explain that airline staff announced that “all passengers in groups 6 and above were required to check carry-on roller bags.”
She noted American Airlines did not ask for volunteers — a frequent practice among airlines. When Cole asked why bags were being checked, the gate agent responded that it “was a full flight.”
Cole explained why this reasoning did not make sense.
“This plane was the same model of the one that we arrived on, which had plenty of room for bags given the bin design,” Cole told TheTravel. “Given the number of people in those groups, it was clear that bin space was going to be available, and I even told the agent that.”
Airline staff tagged bags and checked them anyway.
More Details On American Airlines Flight That Forced Gate-Check
Cole said some passengers didn’t listen to the airline staff’s requests or check their bags. This turned out to be the correct response for those wanting to put their carry-ons in the overhead bins.
“When group 9 was called, they were permitted to board without checking the bag. Even after group 9 boarded, there were numerous bins completely empty,” Cole told TheTravel.
She confirmed that American Airlines didn’t use the sizers at the gate and that passengers’ “bags were the approved size for carry on roller suitcases.”
American Airlines’ maximum carry-on size is 22 x 14 x 9 inches.
Cole added that she’s experienced gate-checking before on United Airlines flights from Denver International Airport (DEN) to Colorado Springs Airport (COS), due to full bins, smaller overhead bin dimensions, or a “weight balance issue.” The real reason wasn’t any of those issues, however, Cole said.
“In this case, American was late, and it became clear that they wanted to make up time boarding and deplaning faster, especially because of close connections,” she told TheTravel.
She said that she’s “gotten better service on budget airlines.”
American Airlines did not immediately respond to TheTravel‘s request for comment in time for publishing.
Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time that this has occurred on an American Airlines flight.
Another Incident Of Gate-Checking And American Airlines’ Policy
In Feb. 2024, an American Airlines passenger shared an image on Reddit showing an overhead bin space with plenty of room.
“Had to gate check our bags…told that the overhead bins were too full. This pic was 30 seconds before they closed the door,” the traveler captioned the post.
People in the comments weighed in, with one person noting Cole’s point that this practice is used to rush the boarding process when a flight is delayed.
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“The agents are supposed to check with the crew to see how overhead bins are filling up during boarding. That doesn’t always happen. It gets frustrating because I [sometimes] see this happen to passengers, and they are told ‘the flight attendants said the bins are full,’” one person wrote. |
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“I’m a ramp agent. At our station, the gate agents do this often and we don’t even know why,” another person wrote. |
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“This is the one thing they can do to speed up boarding if they’re behind,” another added. |
The carrier outlines its carry-on rules on its website.
“You can bring only one carry-on item along with your personal item. Your carry-on must fit in in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you. If it doesn’t fit, it will need to be checked. Be sure all your carry-on items are labeled in case they are checked. Some airports and planes may have additional carry-on restrictions,” American Airlines states.
While American Airlines’ rule is clear that the carry-on must fit in the overhead bin, passengers should be aware that factors beyond their control can result in a gate check.
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