IATA Announces Global Guidelines For Size of Carry-On Bags
Jeff Edwards June 11, 2015
Is that carry-on bag IATA approved? The size limits for permitted carry-on luggage is about to shrink.
The largest association of airlines in the world has decided to answer the question of what qualifies as a carry-on bag. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is setting universal standards for defining the size limits of carry-on bags across all carriers. Major global airlines, including Lufthansa, Emirates and Qatar Airways, have already agreed to accept the non-binding rules on carry-on bag sizes.
Once the new rules are in effect, luggage manufacturers will be able to apply to use an “IATA Cabin Approved” logo on bags that meet the new universal carry-on criteria. The IATA expects that as more airlines adopt the new size limits the seal of approval will become a must for bag makers.
“The development of an agreed optimal cabin bag size will bring common sense and order to the problem of differing sizes for carry-on bags,” IATA Senior Vice President Tom Windmuller said of the new initiative. “We know the current situation can be frustrating for passengers.”
“This is a program that’s designed to make thing easier for everyone, for and foremost the passenger.”
While universal standards for in-cabin bags will take a lot of the guess work out of flying with carry-on items, for both staff and flyers, there is a trade-off. The IATA has proposed dimensions of 55 x 35 x 20 cm (21.5 x 13.5 x 7.5 inches) for carry-on luggage on flights with 120 or more passengers. These size limits for carry-ons are slightly less than many airlines allow now.
Though most flyers will not likely feel much of a difference as a result of the slightly smaller carry-on standards, travelers in North American, where carry-on policies are more relaxed and checked bags often come with fees and restrictions, may start to feel the squeeze. At the time of reporting, no North American airlines have announced plans to participate in the program.
[Photo: iStock]
I could live with 21.5 inches high, but 13.5 inches wide is ridiculous. And by the way, they cheated us Americans* when they converted metric to inches in the article above. I calculate 21.6 5X 13.75 X 7.87 inches vice 21.5 x 13.5 x 7.5 inches. Looks like every fraction of inch will matter! *Also Liberians and Myanmarans!
"These size limits for carry-ons are slightly less than many airlines allow now." A 21.5% reduction in volume is not just "slightly less." Perhaps all the luggage manufacturers will just make 9" rollers that collapse to 7.5 inches. So they can still put that "IATA approved" logo and yet keep things pretty much as things currently are.
Some two cents of mine: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/now-space-everyones-carry-on-bag-pipe-dream-michael-alexander?trk=prof-post
It's stupid! Don't they realize that not only will this inconvenience passengers, especially crew members, but it will also cause more traffic through security check points on many types of connections that would require a person to leave the terminal to transfer a bag?
Where is the evidence that these slightly smaller dimensions accomplish positive outcomes (more bags loaded in overhead bins, under seats, etc.) vs. 9"x14"x22"? That's right, there is none because half an inch doesn't matter and the 1.5" less in depth doesn't mean you'll be able to stack two bags on top of one another in an overhead. Even if you could, wouldn't you risk overloading the overhead bin maximum weight limit? Why yes, you would. IATA, you're absurd and obviously in collusion with luggage makers.