Size really does matter.
 

No its not going to be a thread about that appendage though Im sure it will come up :lol:
A suggestion has been put forward by the International Air Transport Association (IATA) to standardize the size of a carry on bag.
Logically it makes sense as there are numerous sizes of aircraft and to have a carry on bag that is acceptable by all carriers makes perfect sense to me but No not all carriers agree.
Is this a conspiracy by Samsonite, Delsey, Tracker or any other luggage manufacturer to have the rules changed so they can sell more carry on bags.
Is it a conspiracy by the carriers themselves to not have you changing carriers when you fly.
Hell even Air Canada, Westjet and Porter all have different carry on size requirements so that extra inch or extra 2 pounds might make a difference to some.
Measuring 55 x 35 x 20 centimetres, the bag is smaller than many airlines' carry-on size limits, including those set by Canadian airlines WestJet, Air Canada, and Porter.
Although not a frequent flyer I do get to go on various different airlines.
So for example we use an aircraft that can seat 120 passengers. Im betting that there is not room in the overhead bins to fit 120 IATA approved carry on bags.
Now some will argue that not all passengers will take a carry on or will place their carry on under the seat thereby decreasing their leg room.
With a lot of airlines now charging for a checked in bag we have now seen customer retaliation by refusing to pay this $25 charge and resort to bringing carry on bags. Now Im ok with people bringing a carry on but lets be honest some are now starting to push the boundaries and have even been shamed with pics posted on various websites showing bags that are DEFINITELY not carry on.
Add into this the airlines will also let you take in addition to the standard carry on a personal item described by Air Canada as the following

Here are examples of items you can bring on board in addition to your carry-on allowance:

Coat or other outer garment,
Small purse measuring no more than 25cm x 30cm x 14cm (10in x 12in x 5.5 in).
Larger purses will be included in your carry-on allowance.
Infant care item (e.g. diaper bag),
Stroller - collapsed diameter not to exceed 25.5 cm (10 in) and length not to exceed 92 cm (36 in),
Child restraint device if a seat has been purchased for the child/infant,
Special needs items (see 'Special Items' section below),
Small electronic device such as cell phone or MP3 player.
Snacks or food to eat on board:
All food must be wrapped or in a container.
You may not consume your own alcoholic beverages on board.
Always purchase liquids after you've passed the security checkpoint.

So now we have that cleared up AGAIN has the aircraft enough overhead space to accommodate all of these items?
When doing cabin checks on arriving aircraft I have come to the conclusion that some DONT. Several of the overhead bins have crew items in them, a couple have the in flight entertainment gear along with first aid kits, breathing apparatus and a few more with blankets and pillows and not all overhead bins are the same size or there may be limitations due to bulkheads or other things where the size is reduced.
Im for the IATA proposal what say you fellow BE members?

Re: Size really does matter.
 

As a frequent flyer

I say get on with it, and make sure its not to big....

Re: Size really does matter.
 

Standard size is the way forward. Not only do the carriers have different specifications but the staff at different airports are inconsistant (or used to be, anyway). Boarding Westjet flights in Regina or Winnipeg the staff would routinely overlook carry-on bags that were slightly oversized while the same airline would make all passengers boarding flights in Vancouver or Toronto put their carry-on in the test frame every time. If I have to get a new bag I'm going to the thrift shop with my tape measure so the cost is no big deal for me anyway, and if you're a frequent flyer you'll get lots of use out of your purchase.

Re: Size really does matter.
 

In the good old days there were enough people not packing to the limit that everyone could find space. In the new connected age everyone wants to avoid fees for checked baggage and carry as much as possible so there have to be rules.

I was really surprised at the lack of standardisation- I think it's obvious that any pukka manufacturer should be able to tag a bag "cabin size approved".

Re: Size really does matter.
 

You will probably never get all airlines to agree on a standard carry on size and I doubt it will happen any time soon.

In my years of boarding passengers onto flights, 737's and smaller almost never had enough room for carry on's if the flight was full, 757's could almost always accommodate the carry on's with minimal gate checks.

On my airlines aircraft, about 5 bins were taken up for airline use depending on aircraft.

Regional planes, no chance of getting any normal size carry on inside the plane, the bins were too small, and still too small on planes like the Dash 8, but nothing can be done, small planes = small bins.


The tricky part is when the bins in the cabin are full, and the bins in the belly are bulked out and you have 20 carry on's you have to try and squeeze in.

Re: Size really does matter.
 

They should do away with carry on altogether. Just permit a shoulder bag and/or briefcase. Possibly have a priority baggage container or compartment where time-constrained customers could pay a premium to have immediate access to their travel bag.

Re: Size really does matter.
 

The you run into the issue of not having enough space for the checked bags. The cargo are on narrow body planes are not as large as one may imagine and if every single person had to check their bag, well you may not have sufficient space to carry all checked bags.

On a full 737-700/800 with people carrying on bags, its still tricky at times to get all the checked bags onto the plane along with cargo, and airlines are not going to give up cargo for checked bags.

It's not so much an issue with wide body planes, but narrow body planes can be tricky when you have a full flight and loads of checked bags.

Re: Size really does matter.
 

:eek: I don't trust my camera gear in the hands of baggage mishandlers- it would be a disaster!
I would agree that the things that people now bring on is bloody ridiculous

Re: Size really does matter.
 

Nope

Straight after 9/11 carry on was banned for a period of time, getting on and off the planes was really quick and easy

But baggage handling took longer.. never heard of a single case of plane full... (often planes back fill the extra space with cargo and Mail)

I'm told Gate times for the Airline went up and handling cost went up... so they pushed to get more back on the plane to save money

hence why they charge to put bags in the hold and would prefer carry on only... but smaller ....

Re: Size really does matter.
 

No need to tell me when I was living it and experiencing loading planes on a daily basis for years both before and after 9/11.

Did space run out on every flight, of course not, but it did happen and likely still does happen on narrow body flights when full.




Charging for checked bags didn't come for several years after 9/11 and were introduced to simply raise revenue at a time airlines (in the US anyhow) were hurting financially and needed to find every possible revenue source.

Re: Size really does matter.
 

Or a big overcoat with lots of large pockets.:zzz:

Re: Size really does matter.
 

There are few things more annoying than getting to your seat and finding all nearby lockers stuffed with carry on. It beggars belief how much hand luggage some people are allowed to take on.... one size-restricted bag, enough to hold your valuables.... that's the way to go! :thumbup:

Re: Size really does matter.
 

Well that's it isn't it. Anyone has been on a flight into Nigeria will have a whole 'nother angle on the luggage question.

The ex once haggled to bring on 8 books as "reasonable reading" as she could finish one book in an hour and it was an 8 hour flight. Of course these were the eight heaviest books thus taking a substantial lump out of the weight allowances.

Airlines experienced in flights into Nigeria (bizarrely not BA) have a specially arranged checkin area with dedicated re-packing area and plenty of scales, just so they can get the people checked in in a reasonable amount of time.

Re: Size really does matter.
 

I had a parachute as hand luggage and they took it away and put it in the hold. Totally useless.

Re: Size really does matter.
 

What makes me laugh, is women with a carry on bag and a massive "I guess what they think" is a hand bag. Which the hand bag is the same size as there carry on bag.

Though easy jet and Ryan air have cracked down on this.