Struggling to close the overhead bin on your flight? Flight attendants have a sneaky trick to make it easier
KEEPING charge of hundreds of passengers in the air is no easy feat, which is why cabin crew have a million tricks up their sleeves to keep journeys running seamlessly.
One of the trickiest issues at the beginning of a flight - especially short haul no-frills journeys where everyone has hand luggage only - is getting passengers in their seats on time.
This means getting everyone's bag packed away in overly cramped overhead bins and strapped down in their seats ready for take-off.
To help them achieve this, airlines have installed secret switches on the side of the bins to make them easier to pull down and push up.
A contributor on came across the secret while listening to a flight attendant being trained.
He said: "In some large planes, the overhead bins are so large and high that they don't close with a door, but the bin itself comes down when open."
He continued: "If you include the weight of the bin itself and all the luggage it might contain, this can get pretty heavy, so the bin contains a pneumatic system that slows the bin down on its descent.
"That comes handy on the way down, but requires more effort to push closed, but there’a a trick.
"On the side of the overhead bin, you can find a small locking device.
"In one position, the hydraulic system is on (good for down, hard for up), and in another position, the hydraulic system is off (no good for down, easy for up).
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"Unfortunately, the trick comes with a secret that is only passed from senior flight attendants to junior flight attendants."
Last year, Sun Online Travel also revealed other secret plane features you never knew existed - from hidden handrails to buttons that give you more space.
We also covered the secret words your airline crew don’t want you to understand.