Jenn-Marie Mann, a flight attendant with Alaska Airlines, demonstrates how carry-on roller bags fit up on their sides in new larger luggage bins installed a Alaska Airlines 737-900ER airplane on Friday in Seattle. The new overhead compartments, which Boeing calls "Space Bins," can hold six standard-size bags in the same space that used to hold four. Alaska Airlines will be the first to use the new bins, both on new and retrofitted planes.

Alaska Airlines debuts bigger overhead bins

Friday, October 9, 2015 12:24pm
News State & Legislature

Alaska Airlines is rolling out a new feature that fliers are sure to appreciate — larger overhead storage bins.

The “Space Bins” debut today as Alaska receives its first new Boeing 737-900 aircraft. The bins will be seen first on the new aircraft and will be installed on other aircraft over time.

The bins promise 50 percent more space than is available on Alaska’s existing 737s — increasing capacity from 117 to 174 bags on a jet with 181 seats.

“Virtually everyone can carry on a bag, which is fantastic,” Alaska Airlines marketing vice president Sangita Woerner told USA Today’s Ben Mutzabaugh.

That newspaper was first to report the development.

According to Alaska Airlines, about half of its fleet of aircraft will be upgraded to the new bins by the end of 2017.