It’s not just air travelers who get confused by the variety of charges, weight limits and size regulations placed on baggage by all the airlines. The carriers themselves are often befuddled by their own byzantine systems, especially when it comes to travelers transferring between airlines over the course of a long flight. That’s why the the International Air Transport Association announced today the creation of a central database that will provide carriers, travel agents and passengers with all the info they need about their bags.

Explains the IATA’s Director General and CEO:

Baggage rules are becoming increasingly complex and confusing. We must improve transparency so that travelers know what to expect… Airlines have a variety of different rules and fees depending on the number of bags checked, class of travel, frequent flyer status and routings. ACBR will put all of that information in one place so passengers can have a complete understanding of baggage fees before they buy their tickets—even for complicated journeys.

The IATA believes this database will speed up check-in times at the airport and cut down on inter-airline disputes over charges.

Airlines are to submit their relevant info to the IATA by September, with the goal of having the database up and running in early 2011.

Question is: Will this do anything to cut down on lost luggage? Or can it help find that bag I never got back from my flight in 1995? Probably not…

IATA Brings Transparency to Baggage Rules – New Simplifying the Business Project
[IATA press release via Seattle P.I.]

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