Delta’s Overhead Bag Valet: Genius or Idiotic new fee?

Delta started testing a new program called “Early Valet” this week. The service has airline employees take tagged carry-on bags at the gate and place them in the overhead bins above the passenger’s assigned seat. It is being touted as a solution for quicker boarding of passengers as Delta believes their employees should be able to load the bins faster then passengers.

Numerous articles cite that the flights with this service are routes that typically ferry a high number of vacationers. The idea being that clueless vacationing families who don’t travel often are the source of boarding delays.

But I have some hesitations on if this is going to be remotely helpful. Sure it could save a handful of minutes (one source said each minute costs airlines $30, so I see the savings when you multiply this out across multiple flights) but it just seems like another money grab with added fees.

One key concern I have is the cost. If this new fee is equal to or lower than the checked bag fee, I fear more people would choose the Valet service over the Checked Bag fees. Why?

Well for one it would be cheaper, and thus more popular. It would essentially be cannibalizing their existing fee structure while simultaneously creating MORE carry on bags than there were before. It would also cannibalizing the sale of “boarding early” or earlier zone fares for those that only cared about getting on the plan earlier to snag overhead space.
I also think its popularity would increase because people would have the security of having their bag with them for almost the entire trip duration, so no wondering if the bag will get lost. That is one of my biggest reasons of why I carry on vs checked is the stress. I’ll happily check my bag going home. But on the way to a destination? Nope, that bag is not leaving my sight!

If the fee is more expensive than checked bags then the budget vacationer still won’t pay the checked bags fee or overhead valet fee.

But there are so many other questions on the logistics of this plan:

How would it be limited to vacationers? I can see many business travelers taking advantage of this service so they can shave off time waiting.
Is there a limit on how many people can take advantage of this service? Obviously not everyone can put their bags in the overhead bins. And what happens if an entire family uses the service? A single family can take up the bin space overhead of 3-4 rows. All those other passengers next to them out of luck?
Is there sizing requirements? I hate when people put their small purses or backpacks in the overhead bins, and not under their seats, and then those with rolling suitcases have to gate check their bags. Priority should be using the space under the seat in front of you first, then the overhead bin if you need it.
Will this also mean that carry on bags will be weighed? I just imagine a poor flight attendant stuck trying to lift a massively heavy bag and injuring themselves, and then the airlines instituting a bag weighing policy like they do those mock overhead bin sizers. Thats going to add time and likely lead to more fees.
When would people decide to use this service? I’d be pissed if I paid to find out it was not a full flight and there was plenty of bag space!
How do you corral those who did use the service into boarding efficiently? They aren’t going to want to wait behind the “cheapskates” that didn’t opt to use the service. So they will likely linger and wait until the end. Seems like it could add extra minutes at the end as they “leisurely stroll” onto the plane.

I just see this as adding to the “gate lice” problem. Now that there will be less open overhead space to compete for with more people will line jump, push, shove their way more aggressively onto the plane. It is this that is causing the boarding headaches as you have angry Gate Agents trying to play the role of a Kindergarten Cop trying to keep order. This won’t reduce the overall timing and costs associated with a flight. So some people opt for this service? The airlines will now have to deal with more gate checked bags and then dealing with those same bags post flight. This seems like the timed saved during boarding was just lost.

And frankly, I don’t see it worth the money unless this “Valet” service includes someone to lug my bag from curbside, past security, and through the terminal. Paying for someone to spend less than 5 minutes handling my bag vs me just doing it myself? Yeah I’ll likely do it myself.

Simply, if you want quicker boarding, people need fewer carry on bags, so just lower the checked bag fees!