Riddle me this: while airlines specifically state the maximum allows dimensions for carry-on luggage (regardless of how strictly they adhere to it) why do luggage companies:

1) mark their luggage as "carry-on" when it's clearly too big
2) don't include wheels/handles/external pockets in their dimensions

This just blows me away. I have to hunt down Amazon.com reviews to find the real dimensions for Samsonite spinners because their website hides the fact that most of their carry-on luggage is technically too big.

The gate checkers have no obligation to allow over-sized carry-on luggage, and they CAN tell you to pay the checked luggage fee if they are feeling like dicks that day. Am I the only one that feels that having an extra inch of luggage space isn't worth the risk of having a bad flight (and PO'ed people behind you)?