Saturday, October 25, 2008

Continental Airlines Reduces the Size of the Bag Allowed On-Board

Beginning Nov. 1, Continental Airlines Inc. will reduce the maximum size allowed for carry-ons to 45 linear inches — the sum of the bag's length, width and height — down from 51 inches.

Continental spokeswoman Julie King said the change is being made to align policies of the Houston-based airline with those of its alliance partner airlines, including Delta, Northwest and Air France-KLM.

Passengers sometimes book a single ticket that involves travel on Continental and one of its partner airlines, which means currently customers could carry the bag on one leg of a trip but be forced to check it on the next.

King said there was no link between the change in carry-on policy and Continental's recent decision to charge customers $15 for checking a first bag.

Besides Continental's partners, many other so-called legacy airlines have a 45-inch limit on carry-ons, including American Airlines.

But AirTran lets 55-inch bags aboard, US Airways and Alaska Airlines allow 51-inch bags, Southwest sets the limit at 50 inches, and Frontier Airlines allows 49 inches.

No comments: