Here was the mileage run itinerary this week:

LAX-JFK-MIA-UIO-MIA-LAX. That's five different departure gates.

Only at JFK was there a luggage "sizer" and did I get "detained" because my 22" Costco carry-on would not fit into the sizer (which is true). I explained at the JFK gate that I was in First Class on a 767, and the overhead bins are huge. In fact, I have yet to find a mainline first-class bin that will not accept this carryon. Nope.....no deal. Bag must be checked.

After an exchange of stone-cold stares between me and the lead gate agent, I relented, and said "you can check it to Miami, but not to Quito". Nope, no deal. Gate agent said that it must be checked to your final destination. I told him I was mileage running; I would only be in Quito for 90 minutes; and going to baggage claim in Quito was not going to happen. If I had to check the bag to Quito, I was not flying to MIA nor Quito.

Another round of "stone-cold" looks, and the "recently-applied" checked-luggage ticket was removed along with the comment "just this one time I'll allow you to slip through".

Moral of the story? My future mileage runs will now include a carry-on bag which properly fits in the sizer, and I'll shorten or eliminate any extra days of vacation attached to the mileage run (unless I just keep wearing the same underwear every day ).

I certainly am not blaming the gate agent. Rules are rules, even if they are inconsistently applied. My bag was too big. Just sharing my experience.