172driver
BEagle, I don't really get yours. Can you explain what difference it makes to take a normal size carry-on or the DfT/BAA invented size? While I'd agree that the rules were abused in the past, the good ol' 115cm rule made and makes perfect sense - not every bag can be squeezed down to 16cm high! And please don't start any 'security' argument - we all know that 'security' is used to cover all and any abuse of power these days.
That's easy to explain. Smaller bags mean shorter search times for security, larger bags mean longer search times. At the moment longer search times would mean BAA would have to provide more staff which will cost them money.
You can just imagine the phone conversation between man from DfT and the exec at BAA.
Man from DfT says to BAA exec "we have to start letting people bring on hand luggage, can you handle it ?
BAA exec says "only if the bags are small, very small. We suggest 45 by 35 by 16"
Man from DfT says "thanks"
Exec puts down the phone, lights another cuban cigar and goes back to reading the latest Mercedes brochure