Airplane overhead bins are a shared space. Travelers have a lot of misconceptions about that, with some people (especially in premium cabins) thinking that they “own” the overhead bin space above their seats. That’s simply not the case… well, unless you’re flying Condor, it seems?
How Condor lets passengers reserve overhead bins
A Fly Guy’s Cabin Crew Lounge notes how Germany’s Condor allows passengers to reserve overhead bin space on flights. It would appear that this program has been around for over two years, since September 2022.
As the airline markets this, the program allows you to “board your flight with no stress whatsoever,” and “with the certainty that there is guaranteed space reserved for your hand baggage.” This program is available in economy on a majority of flights throughout Condor’s network, from short haul services to long haul flights.
Overhead bins can be reserved up to 48 hours before departure through the “My Booking” feature, or while checking in online. Pricing starts at $18 (USD) per flight, and you can select the specific overhead bin that you’d like to reserve. As far as the restrictions go:
- Each passenger can only reserve one overhead bin
- Reserving an overhead bin doesn’t allow you to bring more luggage onboard, beyond your allowance
- If you reserve an overhead bin, your boarding pass will show exactly which bin you reserved
- Passengers in business class, premium economy, or those sitting in emergency exit rows, already have designated overhead bins, so can’t reserve them
Here’s how Condor’s previous CEO described this program back in 2022, when it launched:
“Many travellers are familiar with this situation: you are sitting at the gate, boarding begins and you wonder whether your hand baggage will still find a place in the overhead compartment. Condor guests can now relax and simply reserve their own baggage compartment online in advance – ideally directly in combination with a seat. This makes flying even more relaxed.”
I’m curious about the logistics of this program
A Fly Guy’s Cabin Crew Lounge made a video about the ability to reserve overhead bins on Condor, and I have all of the same questions.
How does the crew enforce this? Are the reserved overhead bins closed until the passenger arrives, or how does it work? Also, presumably if you reserve a bin, it’s not actually exclusively for you, but you’re simply guaranteed that you can put your belongings in it, along with those of others, right?
As much as this seems silly, I’ve gotta say, this kind of seems like a smart way to monetize something that passengers value, and it’s not something we’ve seen at many airlines. One of the primary reasons that boarding can be so chaotic on many airlines is because people are worried if there will be overhead bin space for their bag.
This plays into that fear, and is basically free money for airlines. If someone has a “guaranteed” overhead bin, then the crew can always just ask anyone else to move the luggage that’s in that bin, for those who didn’t pay for it.
A lot of airlines sell priority boarding, with many passengers buying it because they want to ensure they can get overhead bin space. Selling guaranteed overhead bin space almost seems like a better value, in terms of eliminating the stress of needing to board early.
Look, I’m not saying I want to see this expand, but it’s creative!
Bottom line
Condor is the only airline I’m familiar with that has an option for passengers to reserve overhead bins. Many passengers fear not having space for their carry-on, so it’s a smart concept. I’m still curious about the logistics. I just can’t believe this program has been around for over two years, and I wasn’t familiar with it.
What do you make of Condor’s program to reserve overhead bins?
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