The Carry On Conundrum: A Tale of Overbooking and Overage The airline industry has devised a way to squeeze more profit out of passengers by gate checking carry on luggage, citing "overcrowded" planes.
However, this practice is less about optimizing cabin space than exploiting passengers' willingness to pay extra for convenience.
Airlines have been raising checked bag fees to exorbitant levels, making it increasingly attractive for travelers to pack everything into a carry on.