Nov 21, 2016, 8:48 pm
Last edit by: JDiver
American Airlines Carry-On Baggage Limits
Strict enforcement directive issued 28 August 2015)
Strict enforcement directive issued 28 August 2015)
American Airlines Carry-on baggage (link)
Q. Why is AA suddenly becoming so picky about sizing bags?
A. AA formulates carry on baggage policy that meets FAA criteria as well as airline established criteria; these are submitted to the FAA and if approved become the airline's policy. If the airline repeatedly violated their FAA-approved policy, they can be held accountable by the FAA. Recently, during an FAA audit, AA was found to be violating its FAA-approved carry on policy.
What can I carry on?
You can bring 1 carry-on bag and 1 personal item per person (exception: infants. Exception: some regional aircraft have insufficient bin space for otherwise "legal" bags, so carry-on bags might be limited, or even prohibited. If the latter, they will usually be "valet checked" airside and delivered at the jetway before you enter the gate area.
Carry-on bag
Your carry-on bag should be: You can travel with horizontal rolling and/or hanging garment bags as your carry-on bag if: You can also carry on a soft-sided garment bag of up to 51in or 130cm (length + width + height)
Personal item
Your personal item must be smaller than your carry-on, able to fit under the seat in front of you and can include: Additional allowed items
You can also bring: Liquids and restricted items
TSA allows certain duty-free liquids through security in your carry-on bag if they’re properly packaged in a security tamper-evident bag (STEB). If you’re traveling with liquids or are unsure about any item, please contact the TSA.
For more, e.g. special items, etc. please use link
Q. Why is AA suddenly becoming so picky about sizing bags?
A. AA formulates carry on baggage policy that meets FAA criteria as well as airline established criteria; these are submitted to the FAA and if approved become the airline's policy. If the airline repeatedly violated their FAA-approved policy, they can be held accountable by the FAA. Recently, during an FAA audit, AA was found to be violating its FAA-approved carry on policy.
What can I carry on?
You can bring 1 carry-on bag and 1 personal item per person (exception: infants. Exception: some regional aircraft have insufficient bin space for otherwise "legal" bags, so carry-on bags might be limited, or even prohibited. If the latter, they will usually be "valet checked" airside and delivered at the jetway before you enter the gate area.
Carry-on bag
Your carry-on bag should be:
- Up to 45 inches (22 x 14 x 9 in or 115 centimeters (23 x 36 x 56 cm) including handles and wheels
- Able to fit comfortably into the sizer we’ve provided at the airport
- Please note, you’ll also need to be able to lift your bag into the overhead bin
- They fit comfortably in the bag sizer
- They measure up to 22" length x 14" width x 9" height or 115cm (56 x 36 x 23 cm)
Personal item
Your personal item must be smaller than your carry-on, able to fit under the seat in front of you and can include:
- A purse
- A briefcase
- A laptop bag
- Similar items such as a tote
You can also bring:
- Outerwear such as coats, wraps and hats
- A book or newspaper
- A small bag of food to eat on the flight
- An approved safety seat for a lap or ticketed child
- A pillow or blanket
- An umbrella stroller for a lap or ticketed child
- A diaper bag for a lap or ticketed child
- Duty free items
- Assistive devices (e.g. wheelchairs, walkers, portable oxygen concentrators, CPAP machines etc.)
- Breast pump
TSA allows certain duty-free liquids through security in your carry-on bag if they’re properly packaged in a security tamper-evident bag (STEB). If you’re traveling with liquids or are unsure about any item, please contact the TSA.
For more, e.g. special items, etc. please use link
22 x 14 x 10
So today I took measurements of the sizer at my airport... There is obviously some slippage and subjectivity in the eye of (s)he who must be obeyed due to the open ended 1/4" lines outlining the baggage dimensions placed either horizontally or vertically. But, strictly speaking, the outside edge of the lines are 22' and 14". The depth is a definitive full 10 inches from the back board to the inner side of the metal tube running low laterally across the front of the sizer. This is the current sizer that I measured:
22 x 14 x 10
...We are given a 22 x 14 x 9 but there is some room to maneuver. We have 22" and 14" with a very subjective but limited amount of slippage. And there is definitely 10" of depth.
The subjectivity would be greatly reduced if the sizers were constructed, as Delta's, to form a full sided box.
Those on the margin should really test their bags in advance in all of the different positions to see which allows the most favorable view of its size if required to use the sizer at the gate.
So today I took measurements of the sizer at my airport... There is obviously some slippage and subjectivity in the eye of (s)he who must be obeyed due to the open ended 1/4" lines outlining the baggage dimensions placed either horizontally or vertically. But, strictly speaking, the outside edge of the lines are 22' and 14". The depth is a definitive full 10 inches from the back board to the inner side of the metal tube running low laterally across the front of the sizer. This is the current sizer that I measured:
22 x 14 x 10
...We are given a 22 x 14 x 9 but there is some room to maneuver. We have 22" and 14" with a very subjective but limited amount of slippage. And there is definitely 10" of depth.
The subjectivity would be greatly reduced if the sizers were constructed, as Delta's, to form a full sided box.
Those on the margin should really test their bags in advance in all of the different positions to see which allows the most favorable view of its size if required to use the sizer at the gate.
AA e-mail to customer re: carry on baggage
and
Comparison of USA airlines carry-on limits Apr '25 by Outdoor Gear Lab
and
Airline carry on variances and the new IATA recommended standard
and
New IATA recommended standard vs. current common
[/CENTER]
AA carry on / carryon baggage rules & enforcement (master thd)
Jun 20, 2017, 11:22 pm
#931
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: SBA & LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold, BA Lifetime Blue, Marriott Gold, and many others
Posts: 1,152
LAX is weird -- sometimes they turn a blind eye to anything and sometimes they gate check a bag if it's a half-inch too high. It's almost like they're consistently inconsistent.
Jun 21, 2017, 2:34 pm
#932
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Wesley Chapel, FL
Programs: American Airlines
Posts: 29,993
Watch out for John at A1 phx today -- bag police
This guy is stopping EVERYONE and putting their bag in the sizer and causing a lot of heartache. He said my 20" roller is too big and showed everyone the new bag sizer at the gate. I tell him I'm gate checking it anyway as it's a CR9. He huffed and puffed until he finally relented.
I heard him behind me saying "no you can't push the bag down. It's too stuffed!"
Be warned!
ETA The flight attendant just came on the horn to say "sorry for the late boarding. I hear we have a problem with a gate agent. Sorry about that"
I heard him behind me saying "no you can't push the bag down. It's too stuffed!"
Be warned!
ETA The flight attendant just came on the horn to say "sorry for the late boarding. I hear we have a problem with a gate agent. Sorry about that"
Jun 21, 2017, 9:04 pm
#933
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: SoCal
Programs: AA EXP, HHonors LTDia, Marriott Plat
Posts: 639
This guy is stopping EVERYONE and putting their bag in the sizer and causing a lot of heartache. He said my 20" roller is too big and showed everyone the new bag sizer at the gate. I tell him I'm gate checking it anyway as it's a CR9. He huffed and puffed until he finally relented.
I heard him behind me saying "no you can't push the bag down. It's too stuffed!"
Be warned!
ETA The flight attendant just came on the horn to say "sorry for the late boarding. I hear we have a problem with a gate agent. Sorry about that"
I heard him behind me saying "no you can't push the bag down. It's too stuffed!"
Be warned!
ETA The flight attendant just came on the horn to say "sorry for the late boarding. I hear we have a problem with a gate agent. Sorry about that"
Jun 22, 2017, 10:40 am
#936
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
Yes, PHX seems to be stricter than most. I'm not sure if it has to do with training or that the FAA checks PHX agents more often. Usually, when they are strict about bags, it means that the FAA personnel are in the airport somewhere monitoring.
It's worth repeating: the GA's are PERSONALLY liable for violations of the carry-on rules. That means that can be and have been personally fined and AA does not necessarily pay the fine.
It's worth repeating: the GA's are PERSONALLY liable for violations of the carry-on rules. That means that can be and have been personally fined and AA does not necessarily pay the fine.
Jun 22, 2017, 10:50 am
#938
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: USA
Programs: AAdvantage, MileagePlus, SkyMiles
Posts: 4,159
Yes, PHX seems to be stricter than most. I'm not sure if it has to do with training or that the FAA checks PHX agents more often. Usually, when they are strict about bags, it means that the FAA personnel are in the airport somewhere monitoring.
It's worth repeating: the GA's are PERSONALLY liable for violations of the carry-on rules. That means that can be and have been personally fined and AA does not necessarily pay the fine.
It's worth repeating: the GA's are PERSONALLY liable for violations of the carry-on rules. That means that can be and have been personally fined and AA does not necessarily pay the fine.
Jun 22, 2017, 10:59 am
#939
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,728
The actual bag size isn't mandated by the FAA. BUT, the airlines are required to have a policy in regards to carry on baggage. The fine would be for failure to enforce the airline's policy - by having the policy, it basically becomes FAA enforceable.
Jun 22, 2017, 10:59 am
#940
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Join Date: Jun 2001
Programs: DL 1 million, AA 1 mil, HH lapsed Diamond, Marriott Plat
Posts: 28,190
No. A carrier sets its own limits but then is responsible for enforcing those limits.
§ 121.589 Carry-on baggage.
(a) No certificate holder may allow the boarding of carry-on baggage on an airplane unless each passenger's baggage has been scanned to control the size and amount carried on board in accordance with an approved carry-on baggage program in its operations specifications.
§ 121.589 Carry-on baggage.
(a) No certificate holder may allow the boarding of carry-on baggage on an airplane unless each passenger's baggage has been scanned to control the size and amount carried on board in accordance with an approved carry-on baggage program in its operations specifications.
Last edited by 3Cforme; Jun 22, 2017 at 11:44 am
Jun 22, 2017, 11:10 am
#941
Join Date: Apr 2011
Programs: US Airways Gold, American Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Gold
Posts: 111
Personally I wish they would enforce more often, my bag meets the requirements, plenty plenty do not, people get on and push and push to get their bags to just barely fit in the overhead.
The size of bag allowed, is the size per the rules, not the dimensions you can shove in an overhead bin.
The size of bag allowed, is the size per the rules, not the dimensions you can shove in an overhead bin.
Jun 22, 2017, 11:15 am
#942
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: LAX
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold but PlatPro thanks to LPs
Posts: 4,439
That's something I don't understand. I assume GA's are already paid pretty low on the totem pole, and they have to put up with customers all day, and management. Why would they be held personally liable for something that's purely work-related? Doesn't make any sense at all.
(eg Clawbacks from Wells Fargo executives.)
GAs have conflicting responsibilities. They have to get everyone on board and get the plane out on time.
Too many large carryon bags delay passenger boarding as people stand in the aisle struggling to get their large bag into the overhead bin, thus delaying the flight. Checking each and every carryon bag for size compliance similarly delays boarding.
The GA has to balance between the two extremes in order to get the flight loaded and out on time.
As far as I am concerned, I have a carryon bag that easily fits in the sizer. I can get it in the overhead bin without trouble. If they have a sizer check, it goes in and out in seconds, and I am on my way. No worries.
Jun 22, 2017, 11:18 am
#943
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
Personally I wish they would enforce more often, my bag meets the requirements, plenty plenty do not, people get on and push and push to get their bags to just barely fit in the overhead.
The size of bag allowed, is the size per the rules, not the dimensions you can shove in an overhead bin.
The size of bag allowed, is the size per the rules, not the dimensions you can shove in an overhead bin.
If more GA's were consistent, the problem would go away. While it's a pity that this flight was delayed, the cause was not the GA for enforcing his employer's rules, but the pax who try to break them.
While I don't think that you will see too many $11,000 fines imposed on individual GA's, they may be low level, but it's their job to enforce the rules.
There is an alternative, one which nobody likes. If you show up at the gate with a non-compliant bag, the bag will only be checked if it can be without delaying the push. Nobody wants it to get to that.
Jun 22, 2017, 11:21 am
#944
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AA
Posts: 14,728
Jun 22, 2017, 12:39 pm
#945
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SNA
Programs: AA EXP, UA 1K (until it expires then never again), *wood Plat, Marriott Gold
Posts: 9,239
+1 - The GA deserves kudos and the FA ought to be counseled.
If more GA's were consistent, the problem would go away. While it's a pity that this flight was delayed, the cause was not the GA for enforcing his employer's rules, but the pax who try to break them.
While I don't think that you will see too many $11,000 fines imposed on individual GA's, they may be low level, but it's their job to enforce the rules.
There is an alternative, one which nobody likes. If you show up at the gate with a non-compliant bag, the bag will only be checked if it can be without delaying the push. Nobody wants it to get to that.
If more GA's were consistent, the problem would go away. While it's a pity that this flight was delayed, the cause was not the GA for enforcing his employer's rules, but the pax who try to break them.
While I don't think that you will see too many $11,000 fines imposed on individual GA's, they may be low level, but it's their job to enforce the rules.
There is an alternative, one which nobody likes. If you show up at the gate with a non-compliant bag, the bag will only be checked if it can be without delaying the push. Nobody wants it to get to that.
Ehh no. There's a very big difference between noticing a large carry-on and enforcing the rules and making every passenger size their bag thus slowing the boarding process and delaying the flight. Sounds like this GA is the one who needs counselling and if s/he lacks the sense to eyeball bags and only pull out those that are on the bubble or clearly too large vs making everyone size their bag they should be put in a more menial job that matches their cognitive abilities.