Culture

The Incredible Shrinking Carry-On Bag

IATA just announced a new size guideline that’s smaller than most U.S. airlines’.
Passengers wait to check in at Logan International Airport in Boston, December 21, 2009.Michael Dwyer / AP

And you thought flying couldn’t get any worse.

Thanks to a new recommendation from the International Air Transport Association (IATA), air travelers the world over may soon have to replace their carry-on bags with smaller ones. Yesterday IATA announced an “optimal” carry-on size guideline of 21.5 x 13.5 x 7.5 inches—about 21 percent smaller than what major airlines such as Delta, American, and United currently allow, the Washington Post reports.