Qantas to trial new overhead bins

[Philip Argy]

This is a most interesting development:

http://www.ausbt.com.au/qantas-trials-boeing-737-upgrade-to-fit-more-bags-in-overhead-bins

I wonder what adjustment will be made to loading sheets to take account of the larger bins - will carry on now be weighed, for example?

[Stephen Brown]

All that will happen is people will take larger bags or more of them. As soon as people know there's more space they will take advantage of it. That's whats happening at the moment.

On a personal note the thing that really ****s me about these roller bags are the people that bring them on the plane, then find they are so heavy they can't lift them into the overhead bins. If you can't lift it, don't bring it. I'm just waiting for the lawsuits directed at the airlines to start from people with bad backs from lifting the bags to the overhead. It's bound to happen.

[Sarah C]

All that will happen is people will take larger bags or more of them. As soon as people know there's more space they will take advantage of it. That's whats happening at the moment.



Bingo. It is just shifting the goal posts, the same problem will exist no matter how much space there is.

All airlines should just bite the bullet and enforce the limits more.

[Adrian B]

Dumb question, does it take longer to disembark all pax on a 737, or unload the cargo hold? I am just thinking that this may improve turnaround times if you have less hold based luggage to off load. Obviously depends on pax behavior and courtesy, something that seems to lack these days. Apparently its a race to get from the back row to the front before the door opens.........

Just a thought...

[Rowan McKeever]

I can't speak generally Adrian as I don't fly all that often, but in my experience there's been a number of times I've sat in a window seat waiting for a gap (not in a hurry those times) and the holds have been completely emptied while I've been watching out the window.

My comment would be that it makes a very noticeable difference with those airlines that DO use both forward and aft doors for boarding / deboarding compared to the one that doesn't... but then you get those people in row 25 who couldn't possibly bring themselves to NOT board through the airbridge!

[Thomas Collins]

All that will happen is people will take larger bags or more of them. As soon as people know there's more space they will take advantage of it. That's whats happening at the moment.

I disagree. It is about ground staff and crew policing company policy at the gate before the customer boards the aircraft, and again on-board should someone "slip through".

[Lawrie L]

Also flight attendants are not allowed to help pax to lift the heavy suitcase up to the overhead bin due to OHS reasons and worker compensations!... so pax have to carry it up by themselves.

[Raymond Rowe]

Maybe if the baggage guys did not take so long to unload then people would put bvags in the hold.I have waited up to 45 mins for bags.Never again.

[Nigel C]

The baggage guys must work safely. Quickly, sure, but safety must be the priority.
Perhaps there were unforseen circumstances that led to delays in the bags coming through? With your years on the tarmac Ray I'm sure you've seen plenty of delays for a plethora of reasons.

[Ray P.]

Personally, I can never work out why baggage handlers moving a bag between the baggage cart and the belt loader or vise-versa (usually a distance of around 2') feel compelled to literally 'throw' the bag.

Honestly, I have flown hundreds of times and I have never, ever seen a baggage handler 'place' a bag on anything. It's no wonder people have large carry-on bags.

[Brad M]

Tiger was it Ray ?

QF only offloading pax via the front door makes it slow , and the holds are normally empty by the time the last pax are off....if there is not heaps of mail freight or similar...

DJ using rear stairs makes pax movement alot faster, and quicker turn arounds too...

[Zac M]

BUMP

VXC is possibly the aircraft, One of my colleagues mentioned a 737-800 without the seat back with different overhead lockers overnighted in CBR on Thursday night. The two 738s in CBR on Thursday night were VZL and VXC so safe to assume VXC...it had some down time at the beginning of the month.

[Brad Myer]

Yep VXC is the trial aircraft...

It has:

*New style overhead bins
*New modern overhead panel design
*Improved cabin lighting
*Fixed divider between J and Y class

If successful the improvements will be rolled out on all the original non IFE B73Hs.

Cheers

[Dave C]

Flew on it the other day.

Looks Awful. Bins are too low, and no curtain between classes makes it feel like a classic. Fail.

[Ash W]

Some pics can be found in this link.

Dave interesting to hear the bins are too low. Now whilst a different product I have read elsewhere that the retro bins are the same size and style as those on the newer BSI 737's.


http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/qantas-frequent-flyer/1428994-737-refurbishment.html

[Dave C]

Yes. The bins seem to be much lower than the sky interior ones. They look very similar except that they look like a home job, rather than the great look on the BSI ones. And when they are open, they seem to come right out into the aisle. The old bins were better.

[Zac M]

I cleaned VXC yesterday and the lockers are terrible, they hang way to low and require the crew to close them before cleaning can commence, they are left closed for boarding. Personally I feel that they are too big and make the cabin feel a little claustrophobic, That said the divider looks better that the standard one.

[Ash W]

So I take it they are bigger than those on the BSI aircraft? If so it is a surprise because they look the same as those in BSI 737's.

[Zac M]

Yeah they are bigger, and come down at a lot lower.

[Thomas Collins]

Bins are too low

Good. Easier for smaller people to place/remove luggage without having to reach so considerably...

[Zac M]

They are in no way good, they are too low, pax, crew and ground crew can easily injure themselves on them, they are a workplace hazard for myself and colleagues if you ask me, I would love to see a slightly smaller version that doesn't hang as low.

[Ash W]

Well seeing as this is a trail, I hope your feedback and that of other crew and pax gets feed back to management and the company that makes them.

[Gareth U]

I think they are fantastic for crew and customers and fail to see, with some situational awareness, how they constitute a hazard.

[Zac M]

When you have six minutes to be on and off an aircraft you do not have time to be ducking under lockers, at 6ft 2 I have enough trouble with the BSI lockers and 734 monitors, without having something that sits even lower than those.

[Thomas Collins]

So overall, the new bins are an excellent solution to support greater overhead locker space for customers.

The most important element.