Air Canada cracking down on carry-ons
Air Canada has begun cracking down on oversized carry-on bags as it plans to launch a $25 fee for the first checked bag beginning next month.
The carrier has begun with a trial program at Pearson International Airport in Toronto with extra staff at gates to make sure carry-ons are within size and weight limits, Air Canada spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick said.
"This will facilitate an orderly transition to the implementation of a domestic first checked bag fee beginning in November," Fitzpatrick said.
The airline suspects that passengers will try to avoid the new fee by bringing larger carry-on bags, which could lead to delayed take-offs, according to aviation consultant Robert Kokonis.
If the carry-on is too large, "the gate staff tag the bag, and that bag has to be manually taken down the jetway stairs to the tarmac, into the plane," Kokonis said.
"Nobody wants to hold up a flight, especially their own," he added.
Air Canada cabin baggage rules provide for "one standard article and one personal article" on to its planes per passenger free of charge.
Each article has a maximum weight limit of 10 kilograms.
Standard articles should be no larger than 23 x 40 x 55 centimeters, and personal articles are limited to 16 x 33 x 43 centimeters.
Analysts estimate the new fee could generate up to $100 million a year for the airline.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
France prepares for a massive strike across all transports on September 18
Turkish tourism stalls due to soaring prices for accommodation and food
CCS Insight: eSIMs ready to take the travel world by storm
Germany new European Entry/Exit System limited to a single airport on October 12, 2025
Airlines suspend Madagascar services following unrest and army revolt