The airline trade group, the The International Air Transport Association (IATA), has mooted a proposal to further shrink the size of carry-on luggage:

The International Air Transport Association has put out a recommendation that cabin bags be 21.5 x 13.5 x 7.5 inches to create more space for passengers to store luggage.

Airlines set their own carry-on limits but the recommendation, if adopted, could lead them to trim bag sizes at most major carriers.

No North American carriers have yet accepted the IATA guidance but Emirates, Lufthansa (DLAKF) and seven others have.

Southwest Airlines (LUV) and American Airlines (AAL) said they don’t have any plans to change carry-on guidelines. Southwest passengers would be among the hardest hit if IATA’s recommendation becomes standard across the industry. They would lose about 40% in bag space.

Yes, the secret to the airlines is making the cargo customer experience crappier and crappier, until the consumer longs for the bliss of dealing with Comcast customer service.

I long for the invention of the Star Trek transporter system.