Should the Government Regulate Carry-On Bag Size?

Archived Comments:

• pcquiet2 - June 22, 2009

  I think if the gov't can't agree to a fixed X+X+X dimension for all airlines, then stay out of it and let competition figure it out.

• MWyss - June 22, 2009

  LET'S FACE IT!! Letting the airlines handle ANYthing has been a joke--they need to be far more regulated. They simply refuse to enforce their own carry on regs! We have all been behind the jerk arguing with a flight attendant that his carry on will TOO fit in the overhead when she tells him he must check it!! Just give them ironclad rules & those who argue get kicked off the flight! YEA!!

• loser - June 23, 2009

  Yes, somethign must be done- restrictions to carry ons would speed up loading and get us on our way quicker - eliminate garment bags and flight bags regardless of size and this would make for a more comfortable flight - government regulations should be on eliminating baggage fees to encourage check in of baggage

• sidol - June 23, 2009

  Yes, regulate. I don't have baggage that meets the various measurements for the various airlines and hate figuring it out each time. A one size fits all is overdue. This would prevent those traveling "spacehogs" who always try to check their big bag and take up more space than they should. This keeps things fair and simple.

• freqflyer - June

  If there is to be hard and fast regulation of carryons by either govt OR airlines it should apply to everyone. Flight bags, for example, are required by deadheading pilots and apparently can't be stowed in the cockpit. FA's routinely march on ahead of passengers while toting 3 or more sizeable carryons which they stow over exit rows so as to avoid having to wait for checked bags themselves. And they presumably wouldn't be charged for checking them! The market has already sent passengers to those airlines who have increased their onboard luggage capacity over those that check everything for additional fees. Why would anyone want the govt to regulate this aspect of air travel, interfering with such competition? They have done an abysmal job of controlling other aspects. Some legislator either got perturbed when he flew or is pandering to voters.

• thomas73331 - June 23, 2009

  Seems to me that the government has more important things to be doing than worrying about this. I fly many times a year, and have never noticed that variations in carry-on bag size create problems that are so great as to require government intervention. Our country has bigger issues that the governmnet should be focusing its efforts to resolve.

• GAR722 - June 23, 2009

  A 22 inch max length would prevent tennis rackets from being carried on board, There is no way in hell that I would want to check my tennis rackets. That would be a disaster waiting to happen.

• ECDS - June 23, 2009

  Keep the government out ! They need to focus on real issues

• DRB - June 23, 2009

  In it's haste has the gov't even considered the different layouts and sizes of the overheads on the various types of planes? That is reason why certain airlines have different maximums or dimensions. If the gov't standardizes every dimension I lay odds that many a carry on bag won't fit in an overhead even tho it may meet the new requirements. I say keep the gov't out of this! The emphasis should be on the airline policing the carry ons (which I almost never see them doing!). When was the last time you saw a passenger voluntarily measuring their bag by placing in the frame at the gate? When was the last time you saw a FA ask someone to do that? See!!

• Anon - June 23, 2009

  I agree that there are bigger issues for the government to regulate besides carry-on luggage sizes. Sure people are abusing it, and there are those who don't. I would actually rather see more space in between row seats than more carry-on space. If airlines would maybe even stagger the rows a little bit the can keep the same number of seats on each row and everyone would have more space. Nothing makes me crankier on a flight (especially long international ones!) than the person in front of me who will put their chair back ALL THE WAY, not giving a damn about my discomfort. That is far more discourteous than those who hog up space in the carry on bins by having largere than allowed allowances...

• sojourner - June 23, 2009

  If you pass a law then you have to enforce it. If you are not going to enforce don't have the law! If the airlines really want to say money the enforcement of overhead luggage requirements would do it. How much time/fuel/etc is wasted on people who break the laws and make the rest of us wait.

• Anon - June 23, 2009

  I have medical stuff to bring on board the plane - new laws would be stupid. I already get hassled enough. What about ADA? Also if they want people to stop cheating bringing on big bags I've seen this happen over and over -Then stop charging us for bags in the cargo hold. I can understand weight limits and only 2 bags. The charges just tick me off.

• Blaze2165 - June 23, 2009

  No they shouldn't regulate it, unless the airline is totally controlled by gov't. It should be up to private industry to decide this, not gov't. If and when gov't decides this,than flying should be boycotted.

• sush - June 23, 2009

  Govt keep out of it, you have better things to do. Airlines be consistent AND vigilant. Flying has become very tiresome as it is. Every flier has to do their bit and be reasonable and think of their co- passengers and not merely of themselves.

• Quilter - June 23, 2009

  (1) Government has more important things to do. (2) Luggage manufacturers could be adversely affected by the cost of retooling. (3) The airlines need to enforce their stated rules.

• katehanni - June 23, 2009

  This is a revenue generating bill for the airlines. The less carryon baggage the more money they make in checked baggage. People see this for what it is. Congress needs to re-think this.

• earl - June 23, 2009

  Didn't say who the legislative sponsor is, would expect they're from Obama's party. More big govt for no good reason!

• trpetersons - June 23, 2009

  Government involvement...... oh, then they should regulate the luggage manufactures..... they are not regulating the airlines.....they are regulating us! We are the ones that need to buy luggage in the size they say....... or not get to board with it! IT'S US THEY ARE REGULATING.

• less gov - June 23, 2009

  what else can the goverment agencies get into? It seems they are putting thier collective fingers into everything. It is a wonder, do they have enough fingers?

• travelalot - June 23, 2009

  There is no need for Federal regulation on carryons. I can't believe anyone would suggest more government intervention. On the flights I've taken, there has been no problems - people seem to work it out - often helping each other.

• dmm - June 23, 2009

  The problem is that the airlines don't enforce the carry-on limits now. I continue to see people carry 2 large bags on board and then proceed to put them both in the overhead not allowing the rest of us room. The airlines can't even enforce making those who have 2 bags, put one under their seat. I don't like the government controlling either. But even if the government sets a standard, will the TSA agents enforce it? Most of the time now they're busy talking with each other and don't spend enough adequate time enforcing other areas.

• Let the government regulate the 22X - June 23, 2009

  18X10 size is fine provided that if you meet the size, the airline cannot deny you to bring it aboard. I have received abuses from a Delta attendant on a return flight that decided tha my bag was too big and refused me to bring it aboard. It met the above dimensions and in the same flight and type of plane in route to my initial destination I have no problems. As a consequence my $2600 camera was damaged and as always they are not responsible. We need a bill of rights for flyers; the airlines don't care about me or my property, just my money. They will start charging for carry-on soon.

• anonymous - June 26, 2009

  Anything under 16 hours, I now drive rather than fly.