Originally Posted by
John Isaac
No--and neither should you. Don't ruin it for the rest of us and give them an excuse to crack down on us all.
Don't be quite so sure. Many manufacturers advertise their bags as fitting within airline carryon requirements, not mentioning that they've picked the IATA standard of 50 linear inches that many airlines don't follow. Most US domestic airlines run around 45 linear inches as a max. The advertising isn't incorrect; it just isn't very helpful. I suspect our OP got caught by this kind of advertising.
In addition, I've learned that soft-sided luggage may expand as much as 10% when fully packed over its advertised size. So that bag that says it's 45 linear inches may actually be almost 50 if stuffed to the gills.
The inconsistency of luggage advertising as well as domestic enforcement of size and weight requirements makes it difficult to purchase a bag that fits all airline requirements. I take a tape measure with me now whenever I need to purchase a bag in the store, and if I'm ordering a soft-sided bag online, I keep in mind my 10% rule, both when buying and when packing.