I’m the type of traveler who takes pride in going on vacation with nothing but a hand luggageyour days of gloating may soon be over.
New plane cabin designs that focus on maximizing space could result in a reduction in the amount of space under each seat.
With a focus on thinner seats so more can be packed into a cabin, this means less space to comfortably store both your bags and your legs.
Of course, the top boxes are still an option. But some budget airlines, especially those in Europe, only allow travelers to fly with a bag that fits under the seat unless they want to pay an extra fee.
Luckily, Australian airlines allow us to take carry-on luggage on board without having to pay extra fees.
But if you plan to travel on budget airlines in Europe or Asia, you may encounter different rules.
Irish airline Ryan Air only allows you to take one small personal bag, such as a handbag or laptop bag (40x20x25 cm), which must fit under the seat in front of you. For anything bigger you have to pay a fee.
Other low cost airlines such as Wizz Air in Europe and Frontier, Spirit and United in the US have comparable policy.
Expert Christopher Elliott wrote in one USA today article: “When an airline announces a new cabin interior, it often goes to thinner seats, which allows it to add more capacity.
“Installing extra rows of seats usually means that there is less legroom.”
He said that on a recent short flight in the US, there was not enough legroom to sit comfortably with his legs pointed forward. “I had to lean to the side for the short ride.”
Anyone with long legs knows that some low-cost Australian airlines have similar space issues, especially on planes flying short trips of less than a few hours.
One aircraft designer thinks we should do away with overhead bins altogether and forget the idea of carry-on luggage.
“I would say we’re at a breaking point. We’ve reached the maximum we could achieve,” said David Young, an aircraft cabin designer.
“Maybe we don’t need a carry-on bag at all. Someone needs to get out and say, ‘We’re not doing this anymore. This is not the right experience for air travel.'”