Major airline shocks travelers with drastic baggage policy change—check your bags now

Travelers are being urged to revise their packing strategy to avoid having a last-minute surprise at the airport if their baggage doesn’t fit their airline’s criteria

Travelers need to make sure their carry-on bags are the correct size(Image: (Getty Images))

Traveling by plane means you need to ensure your baggage meets certain criteria when it comes to weight and dimensions.

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While most airlines have similar requirements that aim to make traveling with different companies smoother, there are some exceptions which means you need to double-check that your bags are the right size in order to avoid any penalties. Currently, American Airlines policy allows a carry-on bag to be 22 x 14 x 9 inches, including wheels and handles.

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Usually if your bag is slightly larger, it is checked into the cargo hold at no extra charge and you can then retrieve it on arrival. The airline also allows a personal item such as a small bag measuring no more than 18 x 14 x 8 inches which must fit under the seat in front.

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However, travelers are now being urged to revise their packing strategy as these measurements and policies are not always set in stone – and could change based on the size of the plane and the airport you are flying from. For example, Miami International Airport is known for strictly enforcing size limits and rejecting bags that barely exceed the rules.

American Airlines are also tightening their baggage policy(Image: Getty Images)

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On September 1, 2024, a wave of new regulations came into effect in Europe, with tighter rules about what qualifies as an acceptable bag. This means that AA, alongside other carriers, are also tightening their standards to ensure consistency and avoid confusing passengers with differing regulations.

Because of this, the popular airline could start turning away passengers who exceed the carry-on baggage limits, even if it’s only for a small margin. While this only applies to Europe at the moment, it’s extremely important to be sure of your luggage dimensions to avoid delays and further costs also when flying in the US. According to Forbes, last year airlines received $33 billion in revenue from bag fees – a 15% increase from the bag fees earned in 2022. If more passengers are forced to check their carry-ons, these fees could go up even more.

Meanwhile, AA is also trialling a scheme that will make international layovers a lot easier for passengers. Inbound flyers to the US will now be able to make their connection without needing to claim and recheck luggage on certain routes.

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The initiative, launched by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), means that travelers with a layover can simply make their way through the connecting airport with their carry-on luggage, giving them more time to relax and enjoy the airport facilities. The first route to trial the initiative went live on April 9 on the American Airlines service from Sydney to Los Angeles. Before the flight landed, CBP personnel were sent scanned images of checked baggage X-rays captured in Sydney, allowing them to review the images while the passengers were still in the air.

Known as the International Remote Baggage Screening (IRBS), the change meant that flyers switching to connecting flights in LAX didn’t need to collect their luggage for X-ray screening when they landed in Los Angeles. However, they’d still need to go through the usual TSA screening in LAX with their carry ons.

American Airlines could be set to tighten their baggage restrictions(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

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In a statement, CBP said, “This collaboration highlights CBP’s dedication to improving security protocols while facilitating the flow of international travelers through select U.S. ports of entry.” They aim to expand the initiative to other routes and airlines in the future if it is successful.

“We are excited to collaborate with CBP on this innovative initiative,” said Gary Tomasulo, Vice President of Global Corporate Security at American in a statement. “By leveraging advanced technology and working with Sydney Airport and our vendor partners BagCheck and Brock Solutions, we are enhancing safety and security while streamlining the CBP baggage inspection process to make global travel smoother and more convenient for our customers.”

In a separate scheme launched in February, the One-stop Security program was launched for inbound London Heathrow flights, which allowed passengers from Dallas-Fort Worth and Atlanta to go directly to their connecting flights, without needing to collect their bags and have them rescanned.

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