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Another carry-on bag battle brewing

Overhead bins on an Airbus A330 (Chris McGinnis)

Overhead bin space on an Aer Lingus Airbus A330 (Chris McGinnis)

Have you actually ever measured the dimensions of your carry-on luggage? All airlines set maximum dimension limits (length by width by depth); some of them (Spirit, Frontier) now charge passengers for overhead-stowable carry-ons, and some are getting more serious about enforcing the size limits (like Air Canada, which now won’t let bags in the cabin unless they have received an “approved” tag from airline staff).

And now the worldwide airline trade organization has proposed that its member carriers to adopt uniform size standards for carry-ons — standards that are slightly smaller than major U.S. carriers currently allow.

The International Air Transport Association wants the maximum carry on bag size to be 7.5″ x 13.5″ x 21.5″ — including wheels. That compares with an existing standard of 9″ x 14″ x 22″ at United, American and Delta.

Southwest and Virgin America offer consistently larger bins and both have a larger bag size limit of 24″ x 16″ x 10″. Alaska’s is even larger at 24″ x 17″ x 10″. All three use this as a selling point, so I’m not convinced this new standard is going to be adopted worldwide.

Southwest told TravelSkills: “We follow an FAA-regulated and approved baggage program and have no current plans to change our carry-on baggage size policies. Customers are still allowed to check two bags for free on Southwest and travel with carry-on baggage that meet the existing size policies.”

Plus, many of the newer aircraft flown by major US carriers now offer much larger bins capable of handling bags larger than these proposed limits.

IATA said it selected the proposed dimensions based on discussions with Boeing and Airbus about what size bags would best fit in overhead bins. It has also started talking with luggage manufacturers about developing bags with the new maximum dimensions. The proposed new bags would carry a tag that says “Cabin OK” to let gate agents know they’re pre-approved, size-wise.

Will this idea fly with U.S. airlines? With passengers? Would you go out and buy a new bag if your airline of choice requires it…or would you switch your airline of choice?

And consider this idea previously mentioned in the comments here on TravelSkills:  To get a grip on the seemingly uncontrollable carry-on bag issue, airlines should let checked bags fly free– and only charge for carry ons. What do you think about that solution?

NOTE: Be sure to click here to see all recent TravelSkills posts about: Big red tail back at SFO + Bumped out of first class by air marshall? + Newest Centurion Lounge + My favorite travel pants


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Comments

  1. It always makes for good people watching to observe the many flyers who seem not to care one whit that they are putting an item in the overhead that can easily fit under the seat. All those items added together equals the poor shmo at the tail-end of the line being able to place his/her roller-board in the overhead. I have always put one up and one underneath. I often help to rearrange items in the overhead to help someone fit their roller-board in. I recall AirTran flight attendants were quite adept at “politely” pointing out to that impolite flyer that “smaller item could reeeeally go under the seat and save space for the larger items”. I recall them being more pro-active and
    “policing” the aisle during the boarding process. It is all about being polite. Put yourself in the place of the person who’s flight was late connecting or had something happen that they are boarding last minute. Having that open overhead spot is a small victory!

  2. The reason I carry on is the flexibility to change flights or be able to go stand by on over booked flights. I carry a suit bag with pockets and that gets me thru most trips. If I fly overseas I make my family go with one bag only. They have to think thru what they really need. It also gives us flexibility overseas,

  4. One more thing again. What is the easiest airline to board, you guess it the one that doesn’t charge for bags. Southwest is the greatest experience.

  5. One more thing. I would welcome smaller carry on rules if the airlines would ease the cost of checking that one bag. Everyone of you remember the times that you could check bags for free, there was never this problem with carryon. Things were much more civil. So whose to blame, you guess it those airlines that are greedy and want more revenue from checked bags.

  6. I am sorry but there are no excuses. In the good old days of flying you could check bags for free, that is the reason for so much carry on these days, people are trying to save money. Funny how these guys never seem to mention that if they make it really hard for you to pack enough stuff in a smaller bag you will check it and in most cases cost you $25 to $35. I also think that the luggage industry has something to do with this because just think what happens with new rules, yes everyone has to go out and buy the right size bags so how many millions, possibly billions is the luggage industry going to make off this.
    Sorry, for the airlines to use the excuse that it’s not fair for those at the back of the line not to have a space on their planes is so wrong and I will tell you why. Those at the back of the line our the folks the airlines care less about, flyers with no status on their airline, flyers that only are on a flight one or two times a year. Also those at the back of the line are the ones flying coast to coast for $300 so it’s a joke when the airlines say they are thinking of these folks. The airlines don’t give a damn for them.

    So when we are seeing this happen think of the real reason for this, added baggage fees for passengers that have too much stuff to put in smaller bags.

    This is a crock of you know what. Again another reason to really hate these greedy airlines.

  7. I’ve flown many times, both domestic and international and can never figure out why in the heck I even HAVE a carry on. Once it is overhead, you can’t access anything in it anyway, why drag it along thru the airport with you. Of course I understand not wanting to put that expensive camera or computer in your checked luggage as it sometimes will ‘disappear’ in midair, but camera case and computer bag don’t take up that much room (at least mine don’t) so just carry those with you and you should be good to go. Even international flights, overhead carryons are useless, you can’t access anything. Put it in your luggage (or leave it HOME), travel light, pre-ship, or ship stuff home from your trip and don’t waste your energy lugging around useless weight. Besides, I’ve had TSA take things OUT of my carryon RIGHT IN FRONT OF ME and use the excuse it is not allowed! If I’d packed it in my check on, at least it would have had a CHANCE to get home!!!

  8. I never understood the shared space in the overhead storage area. I remember taking an Icelandair jet as a teenager and the overhead storage didn’t even have doors. it was just one long shelf that ran the entire length of the plane. One of the stewardesses (as they were called then) screamed at me nonstop in Icelandic because I had put a heavy object up there (a big vase with volcanic adornments that I had bought in Reykjavík) that could have fallen out and really bonked someone.

    I am waiting for the airlines to figure out a way to “monetize” (I hate that word) overhead storage in airplanes. I wonder if within a few years overhead storage will be partitioned into individual bins that passengers can pay for when they book their tickets.

  9. Most international carriers board really fast due to free check bag allowance and smaller carry on weight/size requirements.

  10. For me, the issue is finding a carry-on that complies with European (and Asian) airline carry-on size limits (they’re difficult to find in US luggage stores). Also, my 14″ notebook computer is part of the carry-on in Europe, v. includable as “personal item” on US airlines (which is more problematic).

    This is one area where we should be thankful that US airlines give us larger carry-on limitations. (I’ll settle for a 5-10 minute departure delay since it means I don’t have to check another piece.)

  11. I suspect the smaller size bags are to ensure that everyone can bring a bag vs. the “race to get a bin spot or be left out” that occurs on every US boarding today. If you have ever boarded on EasyJet or RyanAir, this slow, hustle-bustle cranky-attitude boarding doesn’t exist because their bag requirements are much smaller and carry-ons are paid. Consequently boarding is fast, pleasant, cabin-attendants smile and can do their job, and push back usually occurs early.

  12. Chris, do you know offhand how the IATA’s recommendation compares to the likes of Ryanair and easyjet?

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