cloudboy From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 586 posts, RR: 0 Posted (3 months 2 weeks 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 1633 times:
How did the the airlines come up with carry-on size limits? For the most part in the US they are pretty standard with a few exceptions, but differ internationally. I can kind of undertand the length (maximum depth of the overhead bin) but there is where the biggest difference is. For instance B6 and WN have longer lengths thn the other carriers. Where did they come up with for instance depth? Overhead bins can fit bags deeper thn 9in, and that space saved isnt really usefull to putting another bag in. Is it just random? Was there some kind of logic to it?
"Six becoming three doesn't create more Americans that want to fly." -Adam Pilarski
b727fa From United States of America, joined Jun 2011, 250 posts, RR: 0 Reply 1, posted (3 months 2 weeks 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 1512 times:
Carry-on sizes are basically "If it can be crammed, squeezed, smooshed, packed, stuffed, shoved, yanked, jerked, pushed or wedged in, it's legal. Wheels automatically make it a "carry-on."
My comments/opinions are my own and are not to be construed as the opinion(s) of my employer.
gizmonc From United States of America, joined Mar 2011, 194 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (3 months 2 weeks 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 1342 times:
Most carriers are members of IATA. General guidelines adopted by IATA are the guidelines that most carries adopt. However you will find there is wide variance of what carriers allow. Some carriers put weight restrictions on carry on. Some do not.
The International Air Transport Association (IATA) sets guidelines for cabin baggage/hand luggage/carry-on luggage size.[1] They are not mandatory, however, and individual airlines can and do vary their requirements. The IATA guideline states:
Cabin baggage should have a maximum length of 56 cm ( 22 in ) , width of 45 cm ( 18 in ) and depth of 25 cm ( 10 in ) including all handles , side pockets , wheels etc.
However the traveling public buys what ever luggage they choose. They pack these bags with so much that many times the bags are packed to the limit of the bag with every zipper on the bag undone and the bag overstuffed so to speak. Then they get onboard and try to cram the overstuffed bag in the over head compartment. Many times it will slide in but when the passengers tries to remove it it catches on the bin door and is stuck.
Sizer boxes were the norm for years basically if the bag does not fit in the sizer box it gets checked. I have had passengers argue with me that it fit on the last flight. If the bag gets stuck in the sizer box and they can not lift it out without tugging and pulling it gets checked.
I recently had a capt who said on his last fight he was going to have every passenger check every bag. I would love to be working that flight just for the satisfaction. At the arrival station the passengers will get up walk off the ac in record time.
gizmonc From United States of America, joined Mar 2011, 194 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (3 months 2 weeks 3 days 13 hours ago) and read 1331 times:
After I posted my last post I went to IATA.org and checked to see what carries are members. Most major carriers, AA, DL, US, are members but SWA and Spirit are not. Also I did not see Airtran on the list but since they are owned by SWA at this time they may no longer be a member.
cloudboy From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 586 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (3 months 2 weeks 3 days 11 hours ago) and read 1173 times:
But where did those numbers come from?
Airlines have bag sizers, and they have been more and more aggressive about using them. The problem is, as was pointed out above, people have bags that they have been using for years and yet they suddenly don't fit sizers. But then you get people trying to get creative so that they can keep hold of their luggage and now boarding and unboarding is even more difficult. I want to figure out what the logic is behind the size limits in the first place, and then figure out, from the airline AND customer perspective, how to best maximize the available storage space.
Obviously the length of the bag makes sense - that is the depth of the bin in most cases, and it gives just a little bit more so that there is room for the handle and wheels. How about bag height? 9in seems to be the standard. Where did that 9in come from? Plenty of bins I see are deeper than that, and there is space above the bags in the bin. This is space that could be effective used, but is there another reason why this limit is in place?
"Six becoming three doesn't create more Americans that want to fly." -Adam Pilarski
ftornik From Canada, joined Dec 2009, 44 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (3 months 2 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 1015 times:
Quoting gizmonc (Reply 2): The International Air Transport Association (IATA) sets guidelines for cabin baggage/hand luggage/carry-on luggage size.[1] They are not mandatory, however, and individual airlines can and do vary their requirements. The IATA guideline states:
Cabin baggage should have a maximum length of 56 cm ( 22 in ) , width of 45 cm ( 18 in ) and depth of 25 cm ( 10 in ) including all handles , side pockets , wheels etc.
IATA rules date from a time when most carrier operated 737s and A320s. With the downsizing of aircraft on U.S. domestic markets (RJ aircraft) the practical baggage space is often less, hence the gate-check. On a wide-body flight the actual space will often be more than the IATA guidelines.
More important than the space dimension is weight; your carry-on should never weigh more than 20 lbs.
Viscount724 From Switzerland, joined Oct 2006, 18460 posts, RR: 17 Reply 8, posted (3 months 2 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 978 times:
Quoting N353SK (Reply 6): Quoting ftornik (Reply 5):
More important than the space dimension is weight; your carry-on should never weigh more than 20 lbs.
Why?
Overhead bins on some larger aircraft often have a maximum weight limit of about 80 lbs (lots of variations), and they can probably hold about 4 bags, so a 20 lb. limit probably means that the limit isn't very likely to be exceeded.
However, some carriers have no weight limit on carry-on bags. If you can lift it into the bin it's legal. EasyJet is one.
BA's carry-on limit is 23 kg (51 lbs) and you have to be able to lift it into the bin without assistance. At the other extreme, LH and LX have a weight limit of only 8 kg (17.6 lbs). KL's limit is 12 kg (26 lbs) in Y class and 18 kg (40 lbs) in business class.
ftornik From Canada, joined Dec 2009, 44 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (3 months 2 weeks 3 days 9 hours ago) and read 958 times:
There are practical limits to the amount of weight the bins are designed for. Further if a bin pops open in turbulence or is opened after landing and articles have shifted, a 20 lb bag is heavy enough to cause serious injury.
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