Carry on Baggage Allowance - The ever shrinking bag, What's your allowance?
Carry on Baggage allowance, What are my carry on baggage limits? Are you wondering "what is my carry on allowance for a specific flight, or on a multi flight itinerary? - We will try and answer these questions for you.
Caution, these comments are based on our understanding of the rules at the time of writing(June 2015). You should check each airline's currently published rules on Carry on Baggage Allowances. If you are still unsure of what rules apply to your trip, you should call their reservations lines for an answer. If you booked your airline tickets through Paragon Travel our agents will be please to assist you in resolving this or any other issue.
Firstly carry on baggage allowance rules are changing and perhaps more importantly the enforcement of the rules.
Why are the rules and enforcement of the carry on allowances changing?
Travelers are searching for the least expensive airfares. To address this the airlines have in many cases "unbundled the fares" . Do you remember the days when an airline ticket included, 2 free checked bags, a decent meal, drinks with and without alcohol (the good stuff too), peanuts, china plates and cups, plenty of room for your legs and knees , no extra charges for pre assigned seat selection. AND do you remember what we used to pay for those tickets? A lot more than we pay on average today.
Today we pay less for airline tickets than in the past. If you are willing to be uncomfortable, bring your own meal, go thirsty, bring no baggage, read your own book or iPad, you will save money compared to the ticket prices from the past.
To reduce costs and maintain profitability, airlines have increased the number of seats on a plane, created premium economy seats with extra legroom, reduced the legroom for the cheapest seats, charge the passengers extra for seats with more leg room and started charging extra if the passengers choose to check baggage. The result has been that more and more passengers are bringing "Carry on Baggage" and the imagination runs wild when they decide what constitutes carry on baggage.
Airlines staff have been very reluctant to enforce the size and weight rules, for fear of offending their clients. The result is over stuffed overhead bins, with many passengers having to gate-check bags that should have fit on the aircraft, delayed departures, slow disembarkation times and missed connections.
As of June 2015, changes are being made and enforced by the airlines.
The majority of Airlines for the past decade or more have had carry-on allowances of one standard size bag 21.5 x 9 x 15.5 ) inches (23 x 40 x 55cm) and 22 Lbs. (10KG) and one personal item of 6 x 13 x 17 inches (16 x 33 x 43 cm) 22lbs (10 KG).
The Major US airlines have reduced the allowable size of carry on bags 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm) note the allowance is now 1.5 inches narrower than in the past.
Air Canada has not yet changed theirallowable carry-on sizes, but they are now vigorously enforcing the current carry on baggage allowance. Starting in Toronto at the begging of June 2015 extra staff have been assigned to the boarding gates to check the sizes of the carry on bags.
IATA ( The international Air Transport Association) has passed a resolution recommending that the Carry on baggage be further reduced in size to 21.5* 13.5 * 7.5 inches (55*35*23 cm). the goal being that all passengers on aircraft of 120 or more seats should have a reasonable expectation of there being space onboard for their carry on bag. Several international airlines have indicated the intent to adopt the new size rule ( KLM, Lufthansa, Emirates and many more)
When you are buying your new carry on bag, do not buy a good one that will last you a lifetime, it will be too big for the allowances before it wears out.
Carry on Baggage Allowance Links for some airlines:
Air Canada Carry on (15.5 inches wide)
American Airlines
Westjet Carry ON
Porter ( Wider at 16 inches that the norm)
Delta Airlines, Carry On
United Airlines Carry on (14 inches width)
KLM
British Airways Carry on , ( bigger at 22*18*10 Inches)
Will the carry on allowances change? Yes, When? several times.
Caution, these comments are based on our understanding of the rules at the time of writing(June 2015). You should check each airline's currently published rules on Carry on Baggage Allowances. If you are still unsure of what rules apply to your trip, you should call their reservations lines for an answer. If you booked your airline tickets through Paragon Travel our agents will be please to assist you in resolving this or any other issue.
Firstly carry on baggage allowance rules are changing and perhaps more importantly the enforcement of the rules.
Why are the rules and enforcement of the carry on allowances changing?
Travelers are searching for the least expensive airfares. To address this the airlines have in many cases "unbundled the fares" . Do you remember the days when an airline ticket included, 2 free checked bags, a decent meal, drinks with and without alcohol (the good stuff too), peanuts, china plates and cups, plenty of room for your legs and knees , no extra charges for pre assigned seat selection. AND do you remember what we used to pay for those tickets? A lot more than we pay on average today.
Today we pay less for airline tickets than in the past. If you are willing to be uncomfortable, bring your own meal, go thirsty, bring no baggage, read your own book or iPad, you will save money compared to the ticket prices from the past.
To reduce costs and maintain profitability, airlines have increased the number of seats on a plane, created premium economy seats with extra legroom, reduced the legroom for the cheapest seats, charge the passengers extra for seats with more leg room and started charging extra if the passengers choose to check baggage. The result has been that more and more passengers are bringing "Carry on Baggage" and the imagination runs wild when they decide what constitutes carry on baggage.
Airlines staff have been very reluctant to enforce the size and weight rules, for fear of offending their clients. The result is over stuffed overhead bins, with many passengers having to gate-check bags that should have fit on the aircraft, delayed departures, slow disembarkation times and missed connections.
As of June 2015, changes are being made and enforced by the airlines.
The majority of Airlines for the past decade or more have had carry-on allowances of one standard size bag 21.5 x 9 x 15.5 ) inches (23 x 40 x 55cm) and 22 Lbs. (10KG) and one personal item of 6 x 13 x 17 inches (16 x 33 x 43 cm) 22lbs (10 KG).
The Major US airlines have reduced the allowable size of carry on bags 22 x 14 x 9 inches (56 x 36 x 23 cm) note the allowance is now 1.5 inches narrower than in the past.
Air Canada has not yet changed theirallowable carry-on sizes, but they are now vigorously enforcing the current carry on baggage allowance. Starting in Toronto at the begging of June 2015 extra staff have been assigned to the boarding gates to check the sizes of the carry on bags.
IATA ( The international Air Transport Association) has passed a resolution recommending that the Carry on baggage be further reduced in size to 21.5* 13.5 * 7.5 inches (55*35*23 cm). the goal being that all passengers on aircraft of 120 or more seats should have a reasonable expectation of there being space onboard for their carry on bag. Several international airlines have indicated the intent to adopt the new size rule ( KLM, Lufthansa, Emirates and many more)
When you are buying your new carry on bag, do not buy a good one that will last you a lifetime, it will be too big for the allowances before it wears out.
Carry on Baggage Allowance Links for some airlines:
Air Canada Carry on (15.5 inches wide)
American Airlines
Westjet Carry ON
Porter ( Wider at 16 inches that the norm)
Delta Airlines, Carry On
United Airlines Carry on (14 inches width)
KLM
British Airways Carry on , ( bigger at 22*18*10 Inches)
Will the carry on allowances change? Yes, When? several times.
