Size matters in the airline industry.
That is why airlines have good reason to be concerned about the size of the luggage boarded on their aircraft.
The aircraft's hulls’ overhead bins have specific limits, and if passenger luggage doesn't fit in either the overhead lockers or under your seat, it can cause issues for the cabin crew.
It's their job to make sure that luggage & storage of luggage is handled safely and securely.
This is why airline companies must set size limits to make sure that everyone’s luggage will fit and ensure:
- Compliance with luggage size limits: Measuring luggage helps ensure that passengers follow the airline's baggage policies, which are based on size and weight restrictions.
- Timely boarding and safe storage: Dimensioning of luggage allows cabin crew and airlines to avoid any issues during boarding and luggage put-away.
- Fairness in cabin space: Baggage size restrictions ensure fairness among passengers. When passengers comply with luggage regulations, it ensures that there is enough space in overhead bins and cargo holds for everyone's belongings.
Why Are Dimensions of Luggage Overlooked?
Check-in staff or gate agents typically assess a suitcase visually.
If it seems too large, they may use a measuring tape or request passengers to place their luggage inside a regulation-sized frame (also known as a bag sizer) to ensure it fits the airline's size restrictions.
Dimensions such as length, width, and height of the luggage are most of the time simply not measured as thoroughly, instead, the airline staff more often use the eye test to determine if the baggage is within dimensions.
For this reason, more often than not, oversized luggage does get through. This is why it’s important to make sure passengers follow the regulations of the luggage size limits and make air travel safer and more efficient.
The reasons why dimensioning is often overlooked is due to 3 main factors:
- The need for timely check-in and boarding processes.
- Checking the length, width, and height of luggage can be tedious because of the available techniques for checking luggage measurements.
- When dealing with irregularly shaped luggage, like duffel bags, spotting outliers that exceed size limits can be tricky & measuring the dimensions of such luggage with a measuring tape is difficult.
Luggage Dimensioner for Airline Companies
Traditional dimensioning techniques such as measuring tapes are outdated and it's becoming easier to find a way around the regulation-sized frames.
Advancement in technology has provided a solution to dimension objects such as luggage quickly and accurately through the means of a portable device, showcasing if luggage meets an airline's policy size limit.
Mobile Dimensioning App
A mobile dimensioning app is made to measure the length, width, and height of objects such as luggage, using a smartphone or a tablet.
Optioryx mobile dimensioning app Dimmy allows check-in staff & gate agents to measure luggage right where it is without pulling out a measuring tape or requesting passengers to place their luggage inside a bag sizer.
Take advantage of the mobility and versatility of the app and start dimensioning anything, anywhere in a split second.
Learn more about mobile dimensioning or book a demo.