American Airlines has good news for its most anxious travelers, they have removed the baggage sizers from their boarding gates!!! Those metal frames straight from hell where you had to fit your suitcase like playing Tetris on hard mode, say goodbye because you won’t be seeing them anymore!
It’s a pretty big change, especially considering that airlines are tightening control over carry-on luggage more and more… (have they ever weighed your suitcase and you took a deep breath knowing it fits correctly in the cabin?). So if your bag is usually a tight fit, not anymore!
No more metal sizers
The company has started removing bag sizers from all airports in the U.S. with the sole reason of avoiding bottlenecks in the boarding area, especially on very full flights (we accept that excuse, honestly).
What are bag sizers?
They were structures used to check if your suitcase met the exact size requirements, but the reality is they slowed down boarding and created very unnecessary tensions between passengers and gate staff (the bag sizers kept getting smaller…). Long lines, someone struggling to fit the suitcase in the frame, arguments… and boarding stopped for minutes. That’s over.
What staff will do from now on
Of course, the logical question after this news is what will happen now. They will still check the size of the bags, but only with a visual evaluation (don’t try to board with a family-sized suitcase…). If they think your luggage doesn’t comply, they can ask you to check it at the gate.
United was the first… and
United Airlines made this same decision a few months ago. Now, American becomes the second major U.S. airline to apply this policy across the board. They want to optimize operations and improve punctuality, and the others will likely follow.
And for passengers…
One of the most stressful boarding moments disappears: squeezing your suitcase in and praying that if you have to check it, it arrives intact at your destination.
But careful, this doesn’t mean the rules are gone, the allowed measurements and weights remain exactly the same, but now it depends on the staff’s judgment. Let’s hope they turn a blind eye!
Possible consequences
Most likely, some bags will end up in the hold at the last minute, especially on very full flights, but maybe you won’t have to pay those usual $70 extra.
Tips to avoid surprises
Here’s a list of tips so you don’t play roulette at the gate:
- Flexible backpacks that fit well in overhead bins are better than hard-shell suitcases, especially on crowded flights where you probably won’t have to check them.
- If you have to check your bag, take anything fragile out and put it in a small bag you can keep under the seat, you don’t want it to suffer the wrath of the cargo hold.
- And, as always, arrive early and stay calm, no one wants to argue over a suitcase at 7 in the morning.
American Airlines wants a more visual and less “mechanical” system, fewer barriers and more convenience for travelers (while also calling for shared responsibility between passengers and staff).
And think about it, every airline is different, but removing the sizers might set them apart from the competition. For now, they’ve won us over!
We’ll have to see how this works in day-to-day operations, whether it really speeds up boarding… or ends up creating new headaches.