DALLAS — United Airlines (UA) will install larger overhead bins on its Skywest-operated (OO) Embraer E175 fleet. These new bins will provide more room for passengers' roll-on carry-on bags. UA is the first airline to upgrade the overhead bins on the E175.

The new bins will accommodate up to 29 carry-on bags on the regional jets, an 80% increase in space. By the end of this year, UA says 50 aircraft with a 76-seat configuration will have these bins installed.

Every E175 aircraft outfitted with these overhead bins will also have braille and tactile placards to enhance accessibility as part of a larger initiative announced by the airline in 2023.

United is in the process of retrofitting its domestic narrowbody fleet and has more than 200 mainline aircraft outfitted with bins large enough to fit every passenger's carry-on bag.

The carrier plans to expand the larger overhead bins offering to more than 150 aircraft by the end of 2026.

Impact on Passengers, Baggage Handling

United estimates that installing the larger overhead bins on the E175 fleet will nearly eliminate the need for one million annual passengers to gate-check their bags on more than 150,000 E175 flights. This change will significantly reduce passengers' inconvenience and streamline the baggage handling process.

SkyWest is the world's largest E175 operator and operates over 700 daily departures to over 140 destinations, as United Express. UA and United Express operate an average of over 4,000 daily flights to over 350 airports across six continents. The partnership between UA and OO allows for expanding services and implementing equipment improvements.

Having larger overhead bins on its OO-operated Embraer E175 fleet is a welcome upgrade from UA; it means fewer checked bags for passengers and better operational efficiency for the airline. However, it remains to be seen how the move will affect boarding times.