As airlines have increasingly tried to monetise every aspect of air travel and some charge for checked luggage, many of us have grown accustomed to journeys with nothing more than our carry on luggage. This new reality presents another set of challenges. Overhead locker space is a hot commodity and many passengers take advantage of the lack of uniform specifications for the size of hand luggage.
This is why a global standard for the size of hand luggage is long overdue. As The National reported yesterday, the International Air Transport Association is planning to harmonise airline carry-on bags policies by setting a 55cm x 35cm x 20cm maximum size. This will end the confusion over different sizes acceptable by different airlines and speed up check-in and security processing at airports. While we might soon have to spend some money on a new suitcase, this will pay off in the long run.
