Most airline staff I've encountered are quite complimentary regarding the Alu. cases. " Nice luggage " or something along that line.

I once flew LAX to Frankfurt, arriving on 9.11. The Lufthansa flight was quite full and the desk staff at LAX was adamant about one piece of hand carry only, so they took my Rimowa alu roll-on at no charge ( I held onto my attache + PC ).

Absolutely disgraceful flight: I specified and paid for a seat for my long legs, but was asked to move into one in the back near the head ( seat at an angle to the fuselage, no leg room, no eating tray, corpulent XXL woman overflowing fat rolls next to me, so at least I was warm ). Leaving the plane I was offered a cheap bottle of Champagne as a gesture. Thought about complaining but the bad news from New York had just started, so I let it pass and continued on down to Milano Malpensa in a shuttleflight with a better seat. Good thing I only had a thin Alu attache case.

If airline staff ask for IATA approved gear to be checked through they just probably do not know the product or measurements. The scout motto being " Be Prepared " I would suggest the following be considered in the nicest possible way:

1. I keep it to either a Rimowa attache or IATA standard roll-on, but not both.

2. I always make and take a PC generated copy of the luggage I use which includes the actual linear measurements. It has never come up but probably will some day, and I think might prevail against a desk employees' bad day, judgement or measurement.

I hope this is helpful.