Why not everyone can bring a trolley into the cabin

"Every passenger can store their trolley in the cabin." Something many passengers think, but in reality, it doesn't always work out. The struggle for cabin luggage space, let me explain it to you:

The struggle for luggage space: passengers in dispute

On busy flights, it’s common for passengers to argue with the crew or each other because their hand luggage trolley can’t be brought into the cabin, even though they booked one.

When the overhead bins are full, the trolley must be stored as checked luggage in the belly of the plane. This not only leads to dissatisfaction but also delays and a messy boarding process. But change is on the way.

Trolleys vs. passengers

It’s important to understand that the number of spaces for hand luggage trolleys in the cabin does not match the number of passengers onboard. Not every passenger can store a trolley in the cabin.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8, for example, can carry 189 passengers. Unfortunately, there’s room for only 118 trolleys in the cabin. This is because the trolleys have to be placed flat in the overhead bins.

Boeing knows this issue and is now offering a solution called the "Space Bins Configuration." By installing larger overhead bins in the same aircraft, trolleys can be stored on their side, allowing up to 178 trolleys to fit in the cabin. This represents a significant increase of 60 trolleys.

Photo: Boeing.com

"Space Bins Configuration"

Look at the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787, these aircraft have overhead bins that are specifically designed to store hand luggage trolleys on their side, rather than flat.

This provides much more space to store trolleys efficiently and ensures that more luggage fits in the overhead bins. The old system, where trolleys had to lie flat, offered less space, allowing only 3 to 4 trolleys per bin, whereas the new system allowing 5 to 6.

On the other hand, aircraft like the Embraer E190, often used for shorter flights, still have much smaller overhead bins, where only two trolleys can fit.

This difference in storage capacity is a key factor in how much luggage can be brought into the cabin and contributes to the passenger and crew experience and satisfaction.

Easier and faster boarding

In addition to the extra space provided by new luggage storage systems, they also allow for faster and more efficient boarding. The crew or passengers often have to "puzzle" to store all the luggage.

This was not only time-consuming, but it sometimes led to delays. Thanks to the improved overhead bins, which have greater capacity, passengers and crew can store luggage faster and more easily, shortening boarding times.

The result is smoother boarding and less stress for both passengers and crew.

The solution is here

Although bringing a hand luggage trolley into the cabin seems simple in theory, there’s much more involved due to limited space. Hopefully, efficient luggage bins will soon be installed in more aircraft.

By: Rico Valkenborgh | March 27, 2025