Catman: Im aware of the arguments for as much carry-on as you can manage, but I find it hard to buy them. In forty years of travel, I've had checked baggage "lost" just once, and then it was just on the wrong carousel at the right airport, at the right time. I've had it delayed twice, and both times it was delivered to my hotel in a reasonable time. I generally travel with a briefcase and a bag that could be carried on. I check the carry-on, and I've never had an unusual delay in picking it up. The briefcase is my carry-on.
I just can't understand "delays" as an excuse for not checking bags. You can't count on the plane arriving within fifteen minutes of scheduled time, and bags are almost always off the plane within fifteen minutes after arrival. If you're scheduling meetings with less than fifteen minutes leeway, you're not being very realistic. Better would be to schedule with forty-five minutes leeway.