I'll offer another example. Last year I was on a YYZ-YYC-OGG itinerary. After boarding the YYZ-YYC flight, a delay occurred on the ground. It became clear I was going to misconnect at YYC. So I simply bailed, left the airport, went home and rebooked for two days later. If I had had checked baggage -- with stuff that I absolutely need -- how would I get reunited with it?

Two days later, on my rebooked YYZ-YYC-OGG itinerary the YYZ-YYC flight, again, was delayed. But I was able to make the connection (barely). They actually held the flight for me. There were others on the same itinerary who had baggage. They did not make the connection. If I had had baggage, it probably would have gone onward to YVR because that's the itin they protected me on (YYC-YVR-OGG). But there's no way I wanted to go to YVR (YVR-OGG rouge flight) so I probably would've just bailed and either returned to YYZ or just stayed in YYC. Again, how would I get reunited with my baggage and the stuff in it that I absolutely need.

These situations come up all the time. There's NO WAY I'm taking a flight that separates me from my two small, but essential, carry-on items.