Airline industry says carry-on bags should be smaller

Millions of fliers could have to buy new luggage if an airline industry recommendation for smaller carry-on bags takes hold.

The trade group that represents most of the world's big airlines issued the recommendationTuesday, calling it part of an "initiative to optimize the accommodation of carry-on bags."

The goal, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says, is two-fold.

A standard maximum allowance for carry-on bags would streamline restrictions that currently vary by airline. A carry-on allowed by one airline, for example, could be stopped at the gate by another.

But IATA's "optimal cabin bag size" recommendation also calls for most airlines to trim the size of the bags they currently allow. In addition to standardizing the process, IATA says doing so "means … theoretically everyone should have a chance to store their carry-on bags on board aircraft of 120 seats or larger."

Space in the overhead storage bins tends to be a rare commodity for late-boarding passengers.

While IATA's proposed smaller carry-on maximum would "theoretically" fix that, it would also render obsolete the carry-on bags of millions of passengers.

IATA's recommendation would cap the size of cabin luggage at 21.5 inches tall by 13.5 inches wide by 7.5 inches deep. That's smaller than the carry-on maximum currently in place at many airlines, including the three biggest U.S. carriers: American, Delta and United. The limit at those airlines stands at 22 inches tall by 14 inches wide by 9 inches deep. Southwest allows carry-ons that are 24 by 16 by 10.

But IATA's recommendation is just that. Though the trade group is an influential mouthpiece for the industry, airlines are not obligated to adopt the carry-on standards. That remains up to each individual carrier.

So far, no major U.S. carriers have indicated they'll go along with the plan.