IATA Pulls Cabin OK Program to “Reassess Initiative”
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APEX Insight: Just last week, IATA launched an initiative to standardize carry-on that could end the guessing game passengers begrudgingly play when determining whether a bag is cabin-compliant, but now, the association says it’s reconsidering the program.
When IATA announced guidelines for a new carry-on size at its 71st Annual General Meeting in Miami last week, the media honed in on the fact that the dimensions fell short. “Smaller,” “shrinking,” “squeezing” and “downsizing” were tossed around repeatedly in the headlines, playing back like a dark B-side of the Daft Punk track, “Harder, Better, Faster Stronger.”
The new specs for the “optimum” carry-on – 21.5 x 13.5 x 7.5 inches – devised by IATA airline members and aircraft manufacturers, would “theoretically” mean enough overhead bin space for every passenger on an aircraft of 120 seats or more, such as a packed Airbus A319 or Boeing 737. Now, a week later, the association says they are holding off on the rollout of the Cabin OK program.
“Our focus is on providing travelers with an option that would lead to a simplified and better experience. While many welcomed the Cabin OK initiative, significant concerns were expressed in North America. Cabin OK is a voluntary program for airlines and for consumers. This is clearly an issue that is close to the heart of travelers. We need to get it right. Today we are pausing the rollout and launching a comprehensive reassessment of the Cabin OK program with plans to further engage program participants, the rest of our members, and other key stakeholders,” said Tom Windmuller, senior vice [resident, Airport, Passenger, Cargo and Security (APCS), IATA.
Some Early Adopters
While Avianca, Azul, Caribbean, Cathay Pacific, China Eastern, China Southern, Emirates, Lufthansa and Qatar Airways were first to accept IATA’s new guidelines and Windmuller said at least 30 more airlines were likely to follow, Air Canada and WestJet stated they would be sticking to their current carry-on policies which permit bags of slightly larger dimensions.
If Cabin OK Were Still OK
Instead of having to size up a bag, flight crew could simply wave through luggage with the blue IATA Cabin OK logo located near the handle. The suitcases would also don a unique identification number that allowed registered bags to be traced from a mobile app. Okoban, which calls itself “The Global Lost & Found Solution,” was partnering with IATA to ensure that new suitcases being manufactured by Samsonite, Tumi and Delsi qualified for the seal of approval when they were set to arrive in stores later this year.
While Quartz reported that the shrunken dimensions had 40 percent less volume than the previous IATA guidelines, they were also only a couple of inches shy of the carry-on measurements specified by numerous airlines including Air Canada, Air France, All Nippon Airways, KLM and Scandinavian Airlines.
“This is a program that’s designed to make things easier for everybody – first and foremost, for the passenger,” said Windmuller in a press release video during the initial launch of the program. “For the airlines it means faster turnarounds because there will be fewer bags that need to be taken down onto the ramp and put into hold.”
Big Bin Theory
At the Aircraft Interiors Expo in Hamburg this year, Boeing introduced its “space bins” that have 50 percent more baggage room than that currently on their 737s. The extra room cuts into headspace, but the extra 2 inches adds just enough height for suitcases to stand on their side, allowing more bags to fit. Boeing 737s already in service (approximately 5,000) can be retrofitted with the “space bins,” and Alaska Airlines will be first to provide the roomier overhead space this year. Other positives of a lower overhead ceiling would mean easier access to the reading light and air vents, especially for shorter people, bringing to question the need for smaller carry-on.
Heavy Load Warning
While the benefits of a widespread carry-on shrinkage are still debatable, there is one side effect that is not. Recently, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) called out airplane emissions as a leading cause of global warming and the Obama administration vowed to take a stance on airplane greenhouse gas regulations. According to an IATA summation, every 5.5 pounds reduced on an airplane is equivalent to one ton less carbon emissions per year. Now there’s a fact that holds some weight.
A version of this story, originally published June 12, 2015, was updated to reflect the news from this press release on June 17, 2015.