A lower deck container for loading onto an aircraft has compartments for receiving one or more items of passenger luggage, for example a conventional suitcase. The compartment include opposing support surfaces spaced from one another so that an item of luggage to be stored in the compartments may span between said support surfaces. The spacing is configured for permitting the passage of a conveyor device which is used loading and unloading operations. Hence, the compartments define a vertical pathway for the passage of a loading/unloading device between the support surfaces (FIG. 2).