Abstract: A method for improving boarding of passengers and baggage onto a flight, comprises, at a predetermined time before the scheduled departure of the flight, determining an eligible carry-on baggage items count of carry-on baggage items eligible for treatment as checked baggage items. The eligible carry-on baggage items count is based on predetermined criteria comprising at least one of an aircraft type for the flight, a passenger load factor for the flight and carrier historical data relevant to the flight. If the eligible carry-on items count is greater than zero, then an offer to a passenger on the flight to have the passenger's carry-on baggage item treated as a checked baggage item is communicated, and the passenger's communication in response to the offer is received. For each accepted offer, decrementing the eligible carry-on items count.