This is just one of those things. I was looking at flights in Costa Rica and the baggage allowance was 15 lb total!! I could have paid the extra or not had the luggage but ultimately I decided to drive. The airline decides the rules, we have to abide by them if we decide to purchase a ticket.

Ripping off your approved tags is childish and dumb. I have been upset with airlines and carryon allowance before as well.
Most recently my dad and I flew YYC SEA LAX DXB HKG SIN SYD KUL CMB AUH DFW YYC. Long trip lots of airlines. On the VERY last leg DFW YYC AA decided to make an example of my dad and check his suitcase. It was not oversize, overweight, or anything. They just insisted. We were fuming but were stonewalled completely. So we gave up. AA said "we're not Etihad". Yeah, obviously.