Cabin luggage-USA Aircraft Group Corporation

Date: 2025/12/13

1. Cabin luggage rack

This is the place where passengers store their carry-on luggage directly in the cabin.

· Location: Located above the passenger seat.

· Capacity and limit:

· Size limit: It is usually required that the length of the luggage should not exceed 55-56 cm, the width should not exceed 40 cm, the height should not exceed 25 cm (that is, the size of about 20-inch suitcases), and it can be completely placed in the luggage rack.

· Weight limit: generally 10-15 kg, depending on the airline.

· All luggage must be able to close the door of the luggage rack safely.

· Design features:

· Curved design: make full use of the dome space of the aircraft cabin.

· Safety lock: with a buckle, which can be locked automatically or manually during take-off, landing and bumps to prevent luggage from slipping.

· Pressure relief plate: The bottom of the luggage rack is usually designed with a pressure relief plate, which is part of the cabin emergency pressurization system.

· Storage items: small suitcases, backpacks, handbags, clothes, etc.

2. Hold

This is the place where checked baggage and cargo are stored in the abdomen (main cargo hold) and tail (some models) of the aircraft. The luggage checked by passengers at check-in is stored here.

· Location and classification:

· Front cargo hold: located in the front abdominal compartment of the aircraft.

· Rear cargo hold: located in the rear belly compartment of the aircraft (the most common main luggage compartment).

· Bulk cargo hold: usually located behind the rear cargo hold, with a small space, used to store late luggage, cargo mail, wheelchairs, strollers, etc.

· Loading and unloading and operation:

· Loading method: Luggage and goods are loaded into containers or in bulk.

· Containers: Wide-body passenger aircraft (such as Boeing 777 and Airbus A330) use standard-sized containers and cargo plates.

· Bulk: Narrow-body airliners (such as Boeing 737, Airbus A320) are mostly in the form of bulk, and the luggage is manually stacked in the cargo hold by the porter.
· Loading and unloading equipment: use ground equipment such as luggage trailers, conveyor belt trucks, lifting platform trucks, etc. Containers use special trailers and loaders.

· Environmental characteristics:

· Non-pressurized cabin: The rear cargo hold of some old models may be non-pressurized cabin.

· Temperature: The temperature during flight is lower, usually between 5-20°C, but it is not as cold as the high altitude outside, because there is warm air from the cabin and the heat of electronic equipment.

· There is no fixed oxygen supply: Therefore, living animals must be placed in a special cargo hold with temperature and pressure control (usually the front cargo hold will have this condition).

· Capacity unit:

· Cargo hold capacity is usually measured by cubic feet or the number of loadable containers (such as LD3 containers). For example, the rear cargo hold of a Boeing 737-800 can hold about 1200-1400 kilograms of luggage and cargo.

· Security and monitoring:

· Smoke detection and fire extinguishing system: The cargo hold is equipped with an advanced smoke/heat detector and a fixed halon or a new type of environmentally friendly fire extinguishing agent fire extinguishing system.

· Hatch lock indication: There is an indicator light in the cockpit to show whether the cargo door is completely locked.

· CCTV monitoring: Some new models (such as Boeing 787 and Airbus A350) are equipped with cameras in the cargo hold, and the crew can check the internal situation on the cabin screen.

Brief introduction of the baggage transportation process

1. Check-in: Passengers check in their luggage at the check-in counter and collect the baggage slip (including RFID or barcode information).

2. Sorting: Baggage is automatically sorted to the corresponding flight exit through the conveyor belt system.

3. Loading: According to the instructions of the load balance department, the ground staff reasonably distributes the luggage and cargo to the front and rear cargo holds to ensure the balance of the aircraft's center of gravity.

4. Flight: Luggage is transported in the cargo hold.

5. Unloading and delivery: After the plane arrives, the luggage is unloaded and transported to the conveyor belt for passengers to pick up.

Important notes

· Prohibited consignment items: lithium batteries (mobile power supplies), power banks, lighters, flammable and explosive goods, etc. are strictly prohibited from consignment and must be carried with you (it is usually forbidden to carry lighters).

· Fragibility and valuables: It is recommended to carry them with you. Consigned baggage will inevitably be squeezed and bumped during transportation.

· Baggage tracking: Modern Airlines' APP usually provides baggage tracking service, which can check whether the luggage has been loaded, arrived and other information.

In a word, the luggage compartment of the aircraft is a space that has been precisely designed and highly systematic, combined with safety, efficiency and maximization of space utilization. It is an indispensable part of modern aviation logistics.