Should be interesting. Some very irate passengers there!

Wonder if it would work here?

Reading that article suggests that holdalls will be a no go!

Holdalls do normally have one flat surface, so they should be OK.

http://www.dubaiairports.ae/before-you-fly/baggage/baggage-regulations

Wow not much notice for passengers!

As Judith has said a hold-all does have at least one flat surface , this is obviously to do with the baggage system as irregular items can jam up the system and cause delays . I have noticed that DXB has got extremely busy in the last few years and any type of delay has a really bad knock on effect . From some of the packages I've noticed on trolleys to be checked in it does seem that some people are taking the kitchen sink , and if you want everything to run smoothly you need strict rules if problems are being caused .

Mmmmm -some of the soft bags I've seen being taken on flights don't really have a "flat surface". They are more like kit bags.
For some destinations where you have an onward connection eg going on a small aircraft, the instructions actually specify soft bag . Safari holidays come to mind.

This is for luggage going in the hold , what you take on a flight as hand luggage is not a problem as it's not going through an automated baggage system , what people take on a flight ( by hand ) is another issue altogether .

I've regularly used a rucksack for checked in hold baggage and never had a problem with it being accepted as long as it was put inside a zip up bag designed specially for the purpose but I guess I won't be doing the same via Dubai anytime soon!

Perhaps this link helps explain the extent of the problem in terms of unconventional baggage that I've also seen myself while at DXB airport. http://www.thenational.ae/uae/20170302/dubai-airports-bans-irregularly-shaped-luggage Baggage that jams the system causes delays that inconvienience passengers especially at a very busy hub airport

Never seen any packages like that when flying off on my holidays but it does make sense. Of course it is logical when you think about it. Modern baggage handling systems are designed to handle nice neat packages so I wonder when we shall see something similar here.

Now if they could only do something about hand luggage! I have seen a great variety in the overhead lockers which makes it difficult to even put my small back pack in.

@andy66 - I realise its for hold luggage - but I've seen people checking in kitbags and large soft holdalls - I've even done it myself.
Wonder what will happen to those going on tours in the Far East/Oz as they frequently fly via Dubai. One of the tour companies I was looking at recently even advise clients NOT to take rigid suitcases because of the problems on smaller planes and coaches.

I have a large soft holdall and a small one, both have a flat side., so there shouldn't be a problem. Dubai airport aren't saying you have to use rigid cases just those with one flat side, I have seen people checking in kit bags but not every time I fly. So I see just a very small amount of travellers will have to change their luggage if using Dubai airport.
I think the major problem at the baggage handling is the oversized irregular shaped packages like some of those in the picture.
My local airport has regular flights to Eastern European airports and foreign workers use these flights to travel home for visits and I've see all sorts of shapes of packages being checked in, same thing in some middle eastern airports where foreign workers are travelling back to their home countries.

I don't think there will be any problems for passengers using conventional luggage including kit bags , what I see they are trying to eradicate is luggage like the ones in the link I gave and those with straps and ties that can come lose and get caught in the luggage system . It might seem extreme that they are taking tough action but with DXB being such a busy airport and very much a hub the need to move and transfer baggage without delays is crucial to its operation . My local airport has regular flights to Eastern European airports and foreign workers use these flights to travel home for visits and I've see all sorts of shapes of packages being checked in, same thing in some middle eastern airports where foreign workers are travelling back to their home countries.
I've seen whole flights of young male Indian workers who I guess are travelling back home either for time off or end of contracts , in Dubai many Indian origin people work in construction or manual work , SE Asians work in hotels and hospitality jobs and Western Europeans generally have management jobs . As the joke goes .... EMIRATES stands for English Managed Indian Run Arabs Taking Enormous Salaries .

Just to clarify , I copied in a quote from Judiths post about flights with foreign workers , but it didn't show as a quote !! And just got stuck in the middle of the post

I've seen the same on flights to Cuba, Judith, with friends and relatives taking things for family back home. This was especially true in the days of Cubana flights from Gatwick to Havana via Holguin because their standard checked luggage allowance, even for economy passengers, was 44kgs. That extra 24kgs of baggage these days would cost me £110 extra with Thomas Cook flights to Holguin and from what I can see with Thomsons it would be even more with them!