Earlier this week in Miami, IATA held its Annual General Meeting where member airlines gathered to discuss the industry at large.
As part of these sessions, a proposal has been adopted to redefine what the proper dimensions should be for a carry-on. The result? a new ‘preferred’ dimension for a carry-on piece of luggage of 21.5 x 13.5 x 7.5 inches. According to my abacus, this will result in Carry-On trolleys becoming 20% smaller that what is currently in place.
In comparison, Lufthansa’s current carry-on policy allows for a 21.6 x 15.75 x 9 inch piece of luggage to be brought into the cabin of their aircraft.
DOES THIS MEAN THAT YOUR ‘PREVIOUSLY’ COMPLIANT CARRY-ON IS NO LONGER ALLOWED?
No. The new guideline passed by IATA is not law but simply a direction and guideline going forward for airlines and luggage manufacturers. The idea behind the new dimensions suggest that a slightly smaller carry-on will enable more passengers to bring their carry-ons aboard instead of being forced to ‘gate check’ them; especially on aircraft that seat 120 or more passengers.
However, the new guideline suggests that bags compliant with the new dimensions will be given priority as far as being allowed on board. How will this be enforced? I don’t know and I don’t think enforcement is likely or quite honestly, possible.
So before you start panicking that your $700 Rimowa is no longer welcomed aboard, fear not. The new policy simply means that future generations of carry-on luggage may be a little bit smaller. OK, a LOT smaller. IATA has already gone as far as merchandising the new change by creating a ‘Cabin OK’ logo on luggage that meet the new measurement criteria.
Thus far seven airlines have signed on to the concept including Lufthansa, Emirates, Air China, Qatar, Avianca, Azul, Cathay Pacific and China Southern. No US based carrier has agreed to the new policy as yet.
Lufthansa’s carry-on rules are much tighter for weight than for size: You are only allowed 8kg (two pieces in Business Class). I had the LH ground staff in Germany at check-in weigh my carry-on and check it in because it was more than 8kg! I never had trouble with the gate agents or flight attendants, so I’d recommend to do online or kiosk check-in to avoid an overly rule-based agent!
The issue I see coming is that if US based carriers do not implement these new rules, what happens to the traveller booked on an onward connection with one of the airlines that DO comply with the new guidelines?
This happened to me last year when I flew UA to Frankfurt and then was told by a gate agent for my connecting FRA – AMS flight that my bag was too big and needed to be checked! FYI my bag was 22x14x9. Having said this, on my return flight from AMS to FRA, they did not say anything…nor on a Swiss-LH connection…so it seems not every gate agent checks.
seems to me this is likely more about collusion to earn more baggage fees; as opposed to reducing acceptable bag size “to help fit more bags in the overhead” I’d suggest it’s a ploy against unknowing travelers to make them pay at the ticket counter to check bags that they thought would be allowed as carry-ons
Ugh… just bought 2 new rollaboards for summer trip to Europe and now this crap? Do you think Lufthansa will hassle a business class passenger about a couple of inches on their bag? I REALLY do not want to have to check a bag (or buy ANOTHER new one so soon)!
Andrew, No I don’t LH will give you an issues. If your bag looks like what a ‘normal’ carryon should look like you’ll have no issues. Especially since you would be standing in the Business Class / Star gold lines. I’ve never even been approached by a gate agent other than to check my BP and passport. The people that I see get pulled out for weight and sizing issues are usually economy passengers trying to board with Hockey or Military rug sacks. Like I mentioned, the new sizing is not law, just a target they are shooting for with new bags.