Airlines to reduce size of carry-on luggage?

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

There is a proposal out from IATA for airlines to reduce the size of carry-on luggage:

http://www.frequentflier.com/blog/ne...ost-consumers/

This stinks. I always try to avoid checking bags and travel lite to do so. When I have too much stuff and have to check bags, then they seem to always get delayed or damaged or both. The luggage throwers and baggage mishandlers employed by the airlines are not people I want to turn over my bags to. If airlines are going to pull this stunt of reducing carry-on size, there should be some consumer legislation to make them absolutely liable for any damage or any delay of checked bags, with no excuses about handles or wheels, etc.

[Tommyboy Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Tommyboy]

I read in today's paper that the backlash from passengers are causing the airlines to think twice about reducing the size. You know that we are paying customers and if enough people raise an objection, the competition will take care of the issue. Of course, the competition is growing smaller and smaller with acquisitions and mergers.
Tom

[easyrider Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close easyrider]

Yup, that will suck to have to buy another piece of luggage. That would be my biggest complaint. I remember flying on Aligiant Air to Las Vegas and at that time they had a smaller than the norm size for carry on. I had to check my carry on. I remember complaining about that.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

Yup, that will suck to have to buy another piece of luggage. That would be my biggest complaint. I remember flying on Aligiant Air to Las Vegas and at that time they had a smaller than the norm size for carry on. I had to check my carry on. I remember complaining about that.

European LCC's are a bit smaller, too, and my carry-on fits the sizers of Ryan Air and Wizzair, but this new size is a good bit smaller than the European LCC's.

Some of the European LCC's make just about everyone put their carry-on in the sizer. It was amusing one time at Bucharest when someone tried to jam a hard size bag that was just slightly too large into the WizzAir sizer, and after a lot of squeezing and pushing managed to get it in, but then, even with the gate attendant's help could not get it back out. They had to let the rest of us board without sizing our luggage. I also remember right when all of this got to be a major thing with the LCC's, and I was waiting to board an Air Baltic flight in Vilnius when a RyanAir flight was boarding at the next gate. They made everyone dip their luggage and about a fourth of them had to go back and check it. RyanAir charges a lot for last minute checking of luggage, so the airline made out like bandits on that one. I heard that RyanAir gives their gate agents a cut for every passenger they catch with carry-ons that have to be checked at that extra fee, so that is why they make such a big point of checking everythiing. Air Baltic, on the other hand, did not check any sizes of hand luggage.

[OldManBeholder Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close OldManBeholder]

European LCC's are a bit smaller, too, and my carry-on fits the sizers of Ryan Air and Wizzair, but this new size is a good bit smaller than the European LCC's.

Some of the European LCC's make just about everyone put their carry-on in the sizer. It was amusing one time at Bucharest when someone tried to jam a hard size bag that was just slightly too large into the WizzAir sizer, and after a lot of squeezing and pushing managed to get it in, but then, even with the gate attendant's help could not get it back out. They had to let the rest of us board without sizing our luggage. I also remember right when all of this got to be a major thing with the LCC's, and I was waiting to board an Air Baltic flight in Vilnius when a RyanAir flight was boarding at the next gate. They made everyone dip their luggage and about a fourth of them had to go back and check it. RyanAir charges a lot for last minute checking of luggage, so the airline made out like bandits on that one. I heard that RyanAir gives their gate agents a cut for every passenger they catch with carry-ons that have to be checked at that extra fee, so that is why they make such a big point of checking everythiing. Air Baltic, on the other hand, did not check any sizes of hand luggage.

Funny story, good money maker ... but horrible customer care with that.
I realize airlines are trying to shave costs and all ... but I hope they dont make them even smaller.

[chriskre Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close chriskre]

I'm not opposed to them reducing the size of a carry-on.
Here in Miami we have lots of flights to Latin America and the Caribbean and many people would take a
refrigerator in their carry on if they could get away with it.
It takes forever to board and deboard a flight with all these "carry-ons" most of which should have been
checked in the baggage compartment.

One of the reasons I usually fly AA is because I get the pre-boarding or Group 1 boarding with the credit
card.
It's totally worth it just to have someplace to put my carry on.

In Spain where they merged 6 flights from alliance airlines into one flight, it was chaos with the carry-ons.
They made everyone check their carry-ons which delayed the flight tremendously and pissed off everyone.
I think this is more of a problem in Europe where there is so much merging of the one world alliance airlines.
I've not seen 6 flights merged into one here in the USA. Crazy system the Europeans have developed.

[riverdees05 Platinum Contributor Find all posts View Profile Close riverdees05]

The current size, if enforced, should be OK, in my opinion. But when you see what people carry on, even on Southwest, a lot of them exceed the limit.

[bigfrank Administrator Find all posts View Profile Close bigfrank]

If you ask me, Rather than change it just enforce what you currently have. I see a lot of people coming on with 3-4 carry-ons If you have a child, then have the child carry it on, A 2 year old should not count for an extra 2 piece's of carry on, I would bend the rules to include a diaper bag a purse and a carry-on

[Traveler86 Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Traveler86]

The current size, if enforced, should be OK, in my opinion. But when you see what people carry on, even on Southwest, a lot of them exceed the limit.

Well that's the whole thing, there isn't a current size. Every airline does it's thing. And Southwest allows very large carry-ons. With the new IATA standard this will shrink like 40% in size.
Before I take the airplane I always check http://www.carryonluggage.info/carry...ight-and-size/ to be sure I can use it as carry-on luggage on the airline I'm flying with.

[Spence Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Spence]

It's a scam, paid for by the luggage industry!

[vintner Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close vintner]

DW goes on with her carry on luggage, a backpack (her purse equivalent) and her CPAP. That is medical, so she gets that allowed.
I carry on my luggage and a computer bag.

And when possible, we gate check the carry on luggage and pick it up with the other luggage. We just don't have to pay for that extra luggage that way.

[Carolinian Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close Carolinian]

DW goes on with her carry on luggage, a backpack (her purse equivalent) and her CPAP. That is medical, so she gets that allowed.
I carry on my luggage and a computer bag.

And when possible, we gate check the carry on luggage and pick it up with the other luggage. We just don't have to pay for that extra luggage that way.

I try to travel light to avoid checking anything. I have had too many instances of luggage that was damaged or delayed or both by the airlines baggage mishandlers / luggage throwers.

[FamilyTraveler Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close FamilyTraveler]

I think it has to do with the size of the plane too. For example, international flights are larger aircrafts and can accomodate the standard carry on size. However, the smaller domestic air crafts are smaller and the carry on overhead compartments are smaller as well. I remember having my carry on fit fine on my international flight, but my connecting domestic flight my carry on had to be tagged and stowed under the plane. I was happy that I didn't have to pay to check it, but still....kind of defeats that purpose of having a carry on.

So on that note, I understand it, but not on international flights. I think it isn't fair and airlines are becoming more and more of a rip off. Charging now for pretty much everything. It's ridiculous. Again, I understand why they are doing it. Since it's becoming easier and easier for more people to fly cheaper and cheaper, some airlines are struggling financially and need to come up with ways to gain more revenue. On most airlines even the pilots and flight attendants have to pay for food. They don't get fed on the company's dime (not that the food is ever good or edible). This is also part of the reason for so many mergers and acquisitions because of a need to stay afloat.

As a consumer and frequent traveler though, I do not like how expensive everything is getting and how the travel experience and customer service is beginning to suffer.

[FamilyTraveler Junior Member Find all posts View Profile Close FamilyTraveler]

And when possible, we gate check the carry on luggage and pick it up with the other luggage. We just don't have to pay for that extra luggage that way.

Yup, that's what I meant. Gate check.