Hi Degreecy -

We always place our Rimowa carry-on cases in the overheads wheel first. Compared to the 10+ hours Trans Atlantic leg, a short haul for us is flying across North America, or up from Rio to Fortaleza, or Manaus. Thus far, no problems.

Typically, I take a Rimowa LH Notebook case on top of that case, and remove it from the built-in sleeve and pull handle first, set it in the seat, place the carry-on case in the bin, and then the Notebook case in the bin, on top of that.

If I need something on a Transatlantic flight, it comes from my wife's purse over her case, or my Notebook case ( in effect, my " purse. " )

A few helpful points:

1. Our Topas cases have little plastic runner strips on the back. That will protect the case if it is placed on it's back in a bin, or under a seat. Not upside down, which may damage the face of your case, if a nice FA attempts to place your case in a bin for you.

2. In Y class, and sometimes A + C class, keep your eye on your case, once it is in the bin. Those arriving late and tardy at boarding, will sometimes huff and puff down the aisle, open the bin your case is resting in, and then attempt to jamb, wedge, or pound in a briefcase, or carry-on case, etc., at the last minute.

This is where your luggage case investment may quickly earn a few unwanted dings, scratches, and dents. In the flash of an eye.

If and when you see this coming, first look around and take stock of the other options available, and BEFORE IT HAPPENS, stand and assist the other passenger to a better packing solution. Do it nicely but be firm. That will also help the longevity of your Rimowa case and the contents inside.

Additional options might be another bin, under the seat, or an FA finding an alternative storage location. ( Doing one UK flight, a Barrister/Attorney passenger insisted he and his briefs above be together, and not in a forward bin. I would have been fine with an extra glass of champagne, but the FA went further and upgraded us to make his accommodation. )

3. We travel in the Tropics, and clean and maintain our Rimowa cases, inside and out. Rimowa Alu cases require different cleaning products than the polycarbonate models on the exterior. The monkeys and snakes we find in our room at night at the Ariau Towers Hotel, above Manaus, are the big ones. Insects, etc. are not so easy to detect.

Before we depart, we check the wheels, locks, straps, pockets, fabric, mesh tension plates, pull handle, and the body of the case. The inside receives a final spray of 71 % Isopropyl, or alcohol. Everything should function as intended at that point. Then we pack.

Arriving wherever, once jet lag is over, our cases are rechecked, cleaned, and sprayed. For the reason above, we keep our cases closed and locked when not used. Returning home, it is a good idea to do the cleaning cycle immediately, perhaps outside on the back porch.

Are we being a little " Too Swiss " about this ?

Perhaps we are. But our Rimowa collection, since 1965, is clean, and fully functional, each and every piece. If we have a different need for a given flight, we have a case to meet the need, large or small, ready to go immediately. It just takes 5-15 minutes to do this, including spraying the interior ( which even SA scorpions etc. don't like ), and one can find spray Isopropyl 71% anywhere in the world.

I hope this is helpful.