IATA agrees new cabin luggage dimensions
 

At the AGM in Miami this week, IATA have agreed a standard cabin luggage size for all airlines to adopt. The recommended size is 55 x 35 x 20 cm (or 21.5 x 13.5 x 7.5 inches) . According to IATA this gives everyone a chance to have their cabin luggage on board in aircraft with more than 120 seats.

This seems a really small size - I thought most wheelies are 40 cm at least, and some airlines allow 45 cm.

Also - while on the one hand standardisation is nice, it seems to be harking back a little to the old cartel days.

Here's a direct link to the article/press release.
If United or Delta adopt this, my TravelPro carry on will be rendered useless!

http://www.iata.org/pressroom/pr/Pag...-06-09-02.aspx

Here's the official press release. If you follow the link there's a pdf with more details.

http://www.iata.org/whatwedo/ops-inf.../cabin-ok.aspx

Interestingly the official pdf gives measurements in inches slightly larger than posted by BlackBerryAddict in the original post: 22 x 14 x 8. Which converts to 55.88 x 35.56 x 20.32, in other words slightly larger when measured in inches than in cm. Since this is all still at the proposal stage, I imagine that the airlines and luggage manufacturers will resolve the ambiguity before this is all finalized. The proposal calls for a universal label on luggage that all airlines will respect, at least for dimensions. Weight allowances will still vary by airline. And airlines can still permit larger bags if they so choose.

Personally, I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger on the Rimowa Salsa Deluxe Hybrid IATA I was looking at a couple of weeks ago. If this goes through that would have been a very expensive $700 mistake. I'm putting my buying plans on hold until this is all resolved.

So much for the Topas Stealth 32.0 Cabin IATA I was about to order...

Hmmm, saw this yesterday, didn't get the chance to pose my thoughts till this morning - discussion thread already under the Travel Buzz subforum ;)

But, those of us with slightly oversized softside carry-on might fly under the radar (under the old "guidelines") as long as we don't overpack - took another look at my TLS Weekender Convertible (full sized @ 22" x 14" x 9") should be okay with the straps tightened up & not stuffed, with no wheels to protrude.

I do got a stinky feeling that many of the current "spinners" with 4 wheels are not going to make it - fees for the airlines or down into the basement/garage or attic for use as storage, and/or, the nice ones being put up for "sale" on eBay.

On a related note, we cruise every year nowadays to relax, sometimes twice - and, the mass cruise lines like Carnival & NCL already got rules in their TOC for luggage size & weight limits, although not enforced as it would be a nightware for ship turnaround days with as much as 7,000 to 8,000 pax. checking their giant "trunks" and 15,000 pcs. of bags handled between the pier porters (outsourced) and ship crew once they are loaded in a matter of hours - while screening for banned items & the rum/whiskey runners ... :D

IATA agrees new cabin luggage dimensions
 

I see discussion is in the travel buzz section. I thought luggage discussions belong in travel products.

existing thread, fyi

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...ze-limits.html

If someone stows their bag as they should (wheels first) it is only a .5" decrease in size where it matters for most aircraft currently being used. This will be a 3.6% increase in capacity at most.

I fail to see the need for reducing the length measurement.

If the Boeing "space bins" weren't configured in sections like they currently are there MIGHT have been a potential win there. As they currently exist I don't think the change in height from 9" to 7.5" will result in any real extra capacity.

Better idea: have travelers store their bags properly. If it doesn't fit, check it. The capacity gains from enforcing this would be much more pronounced.

As I said in the TravelBuzz thread, I think it would be a great idea for the airlines to have a standard carryon size. The thing is, we effectively already do: 22" x 14" x 9" (or its metric equivalent). So why not just go with that? What's gained by making everyone who already has a currently compliant hard-sided rollaboard buy a new one that's only trivially smaller?

One of the other threads had a photo from Boeing that may have a clue. With the somewhat smaller dimensions the bags can all go in on their side, meaningfully increasing the number of bags that can be stowed.

I guess they need more space since less legroom means more passengers (and bags). Also by charging flyers to check bags, more are being carried on board and need space.

That is a patented design for Boeing aircraft. The overheads need to be changed significantly to make it happen. In the process of finding example dimensions to show how ridiculous this change is vs. actual overhead size.

Ok, these are the dimensions of the bins for the aircraft with the new bins that can have bags stored sideways. I think the space bin measurement may be about an inch off or the engineering of it impacts how it is measured. My 14" wide bag fits on its side without issue in the new designs (perhaps it measures side wall height - not actual open room because of the open space above):
http://www.aa.com/i18n/aboutUs/ourPl....jsp#!gen-info

These are dimensions of bins for aircraft which have old-style bins. Different plane, but limited information is available and it gives you a good idea:
http://www.aa.com/i18n/aboutUs/ourPlanes/boeing757.jsp

No way in hell will my bag fit in sideways unless it is a Boeing "space bin"... even if it loses .5" in width.

I'm bummed. My husband and I were gifted with two Rimowa Salsa Air cases as a wedding gift. They've been on ONE trip (I won't let hubby use one for business travel!) and now it sounds like the lovely cabin trolley may be headed for the rubbish bin.

Thank you IATA. I just got my IATA cabin sized Rimowa. :mad:

Hopefully *A airlines will keep the old IATA dimensions for a while or do what they do best and ignore the IATA recommended dimensions. :D

My Goruck GR1 complies with that new standard...

http://www.goruck.com/gr1-black-/p/GEAR-000066

...BUT, it does not, of course, have that IATA label.

If all this comes to pass, I wish they would make retroactive labels available for bags that comply.