GBTA Says Proposal to Slash Carry-on Baggage Size Must Be “Permanently Scrapped”

Alexandria, VA (June 19, 2015) – Three-quarters (74 percent) of travel managers oppose IATA’s recently recommended guidelines that standard carry-on baggage sizes be reduced to dimensions about 20 percent smaller than what most major airlines currently allow according to a poll of travel managers conducted by the GBTA Foundation, the education and research arm of the Global Business Travel Association.

Wednesday, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) put this recommendation on hold and now GBTA believes it should scrap the proposal entirely.

“This new data demonstrates overwhelming opposition to the IATA proposal from business travelers, and the proposal should be permanently scrapped, once and for all. If enacted, this proposal gives business travelers the option to buy a new bag or pay for checked luggage – either way there is yet another added fee,” said Michael W. McCormick, GBTA executive director and COO. “This clearly struck a chord as it goes beyond the issue of just decreasing the size of carry-on baggage, it is symbolic of the constant cost pressure the airlines are putting on the business traveler.”

In a press conference on Sunday, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) railed against the proposal saying it will not only put a dent in family’s wallets, but will also hurt business travelers. GBTA Members agree with the Senator as 64 percent of travel managers say the new guidelines would dramatically impact their business travelers and an additional 31 percent say their travelers would be somewhat impacted.

“I am pleased that the International Air Transport Association has heeded the call and plans to reassess its proposal, which could shrink a traveler’s carry-on luggage by more than twenty percent,” said U.S. Senator Charles E. Schumer. “Many travelers have had their go-to bag for years, and this policy could have forced passengers to purchase new luggage or instead pay extra to check their luggage. It is good news that this plan has been stalled, and I will continue to press the airline industry to ensure that proposals that could hurt consumers never get off the ground.”

Methodology
This survey of travel buyers living in the United States and Canada was conducted online between June 17-18, 2015. In total, 292 individuals were invited to participate in this study via email with 78 responses for a response rate of 27 percent.

CONTACT: Colleen Lerro Gallagher, +1 703-236-1133, cgallagher@gbta.org

About the Global Business Travel Association
The Global Business Travel Association (GBTA) is the world’s premier business travel and meetings trade organization headquartered in the Washington, D.C. area with operations on six continents. GBTA’s 9,000-plus members manage more than $345 billion of global business travel and meetings expenditures annually. GBTA and the GBTA Foundation deliver world-class education, events, research, advocacy and media to a growing global network of more than 28,000 travel professionals and 125,000 active contacts. To learn how business travel drives lasting business growth, gbta.org
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Colleen Gallagher

Vice President, Communications
+1 703 236 1133
cgallagher@gbta.org

Marianne Varkiani

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mvarkiani@gbta.org

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