Would Force Travelers To Pay Hundreds In Fees, Or Buy New Luggage

U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer (pictured) held a news conference Sunday to urge major air carriers to scrap a proposed policy made this week that would reduce the size of carry-on luggage for travelers.

Currently, the maximum carry-on size for American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines is 22 inches tall, 14 inches wide and 9 inches deep. The global trade association for the airline industry, known as International Air Transport Association (IATA), recently proposed standardizing carry-on luggage to a size of 21.5 inches tall, 13.5 inches wide and 7.5 inches deep, which would reduce carry-on bag sizes by more than twenty percent. Schumer explained that if this proposal becomes reality, air travelers may be forced to spend hundreds of dollars on new luggage in order to meet the new criteria. In addition, travelers who may normally rely on carry-on luggage when traveling may be forced to check their bags and therefore, spend money on fees they’ve never been subject to prior.

“Enough already,” said Senator Schumer. “The airlines already charge more for checked baggage, pillows, peanuts and head phones. It's got to stop somewhere.”

“With already sky-high airfares, travelers should not be forced to spend hundreds of dollars on new carry-on luggage to fit this newly proposed policy for airlines,” said Senator Schumer in a news release. “I am urging airlines to ground any attempts to change the current carry-on luggage policies that travelers are already familiar with and accustomed to. Air travelers should not be forced to pay more fees or buy new luggage.”

At a summit last week, IATA proposed a new standardization of carry-on luggage: 21.5 inches tall, 13.5 inches wide and 7.5 inches deep.  The IATA claims that this size is the ideal size for cabin storage space and would combat the problem that travelers commonly face in which the aircraft carrier runs out of storage space by the time they board the plane. Major international airlines including Lufthansa, Emirates, Air China, Avianca, Azul, Pacific, China Southern, and Qatar have already agreed to adopt the proposed policy, which could hurt U.S. travelers abroad. As many as 40 other airlines have expressed support of the idea under the premise that it would streamline the boarding process. This poses a problem for many individuals in the United States. Schumer also pointed out that IATA this week also projected industry profits to reach an all-time high of nearly $30 billion in 2015.

American Airlines, Delta Airlines and United Airlines currently allow carry-on bags that are 22 inches tall, 14 inches wide and 9 inches deep.  Southwest allows carry-on bags that are 24 inches tall, 16 inches wide and 10 inches deep. Spirit airlines allows carry-on bags that are 22 inches tall, 18 inches wide and 10 inches deep.  IATA’s proposed carry-on size limit is 21% smaller than the sizes that most U.S. airlines allow.

Schumer urged major airline carriers to not adopt the newly proposed carry-on size policy. Schumer explained that passengers may be forced to pay more for their current bags with the new system, or would have to purchase new bags to adhere to the regulations.  Schumer went on to say that this policy puts an added stress on travelers who have already purchased bags and will now have to seek out acceptable pieces of luggage.  Schumer explained that the newly proposed policy places an additional financial burden on travelers who are already spending hundreds to thousands of dollars for flights.

(Images from file)

FMI: www.schumer.senate.gov