I have noticed, in recent flights, that before boarding there is usually an announcement that there is going to be too much luggage for the overhead bins and the airline is therefor offering to check your bag through to your destination for free. So if you have a bag small enough to meet the requirement for overhead storage you can usually save the checked bag charge, typically $35-$50 a bag, by bringing the bag to the gate and checking it there for free. What are the costs' There is some risk that you will actually have to carry the bag on and stow it. You will have to run the bag through security so cannot use it for a pocket knife or something else that is allowed in checked luggage but not on the flight. You will have to take the bag to the gate. But you still get the benefit of not having to deal with the bag in the plane or transport it from one flight to the connecting flight. This suggests two things. First, the fact that there are too many carry-on bags to fit in the bins...
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