The International Air Transport Association recently announced their proposal that carry-on bag guidelines should be changed to allow only bags that are almost 20 percent smaller than what is currently allowed by the majority of popular airlines. Since the announcement, the International Air Transport Association has briefly stalled the proposal, which is receiving criticism from frequent travelers.

A recent poll by the GBTA Foundation, which conducts and compiles research for the Global Business Travel Association, stated that 74 percent of travel managers are in opposition to the proposal, with 64 percent saying the proposal would dramatically impact business travelers and 31 percent saying business travelers would be somewhat impacted. The poll surveyed 78 travelers in the United States and Canada between June 17-18.

In light of the proposal being put on hold, the GBTA is now demanding that the proposal be thrown out entirely.

Michael W. McCormick, GBTA COO, is stated as saying, “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. 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.”

The Global Business Travel Association is headquartered in Washington D.C. and operates worldwide as a top business travel and meetings trade organization. GBTA has over 7,000 members working in business travel and meetings, and reaches over 150,000 contacts with their research and events pertaining to the business travel industry.