Southwest Airlines’ latest baggage rule hasn’t only affected passengers. Beyond frustrated customers, flight attendants have also raised concerns about the airline’s plan to address the issue.
At the center of the issue is Southwest’s decision to designate the overhead bin at the back of the aircraft exclusively for crew members’ luggage. The TWU 556 union, which represents Southwest flight attendants, responded by saying it “immediately rejected this unilateral decision.”
Crew Bin Moved to the Back of the Aircraft
The problem began when the airline switched to assigned seating and eliminated free checked baggage on January 27.
With assigned seating and the removal of free checked baggage, overhead bin space is insufficient for passengers seated at the front of the plane. These are the same passengers who paid more or have elite status allowing them to board first with their hand luggage.
Traditionally, the crew bin has been located in the first few rows. This lets flight attendants watch over their belongings. Some even have a lock and key.
The removal of free checked baggage triggered a surge of customer complaints. To address this, Southwest decided to move the crew bin to the back of the aircraft. According to the union, the airline has been “scrambling” to address these issues. The union says the airline should have foreseen these problems before implementing changes.
TWU 556 says “This situation is the direct result of poor planning by SWA [Southwest Airlines] Upper Management, and once again, the burden is being shifted onto Flight Attendants.” It added, “Members should know that TWU Local 556 has stated our strong opposition to the decision to move the forward Crew Bin to the back of the aircraft, and we will continue to do so.”
Southwest Flight Attendants’ Suggestions Rejected
The union proposed several alternatives, including moving the crew bin slightly farther back to rows 7 or 8. It also proposed closing the bin during boarding and providing crew members with a designated gate area to claim their checked bags. All of these proposals were rejected by the airline.
As a compromise, Southwest announced that it will install locks and keys on the crew-only bins at the back.
