AA100k

Yes. Most companies that sell carryon luggage are aware of the rules (of the US3) and make rule compliant products. Also, I measure every bag before I purchase it, knowing that I don’t want to risk a gate check and I’m sure most other experienced travelers do the same. And your original statement was 90% not “the majority of bags,” so don’t take my response out of context.

C17PSGR

I am very confident that my Briggs & Riley and my Travelpro will fit the sizer if they are not overstuffed/expanded

If they don't and I get called on it, its definitely not a nightmare, albeit an inconvenience. If I'm in international J, definitely an annoyance. But Annoyance on Elm Street doesn't sell tickets!

Antarius

Now you are splitting hairs. The point is, it certainly isn't the minority of people. If 96 people were compliant and 4 were not, it is a wildly different situation than if 50 were not, 90 were not etc.

Its like the difference between people stopping for stop signs in the US vs Bangladesh. And you're saying stop signs work in Dhaka because SOME people stop at them

Antarius

The hotel does have a federal government who has set the rule. But my point is not whether or not AA can catch people if they are not in compliance - yes they can. We can agree and let that point go, as we all agree here.

That doesn't address the point I've been making for the last several pages, about the common sense validity of this rule. And how, by badly enforcing a rule that a large number of people aren't complying with causes delays, frustration and generally detracts from the overall process.

enpremiere

When reading this intellectually stimulating thread, this arguably sizer-friendly carry-on luggage comes to mind.

And to think that the fellow can still board with a personal item as well!



Image credit: Roatan Backpackers

hbtr

Most companies may know the rules but there are a LOT of 15” wide or 23” tall bags in the stores that are labeled “carryon.” And while like you I bring my tape measure when I go shopping for luggage, I never see anyone else measuring bags...

i don’t know about the majority of bags but there are quite a few bags on board that are clearly larger than mine, which is just borderline at 22x14x9.5 (squishes enough to fit in the sizer - comfortably - if I don’t overpack).

Mark_T

There really are very few (if any) bags that list as 22x14x9 that are actually within those limits as they almost invariably ignore the handle on top even if they do include the wheels, which is rare.

I'd probably side with the 90% over-sized suggestion.

You have to go significantly under the published limits to actually be certain of being fully compliant.

Even my Timbuk2 CoPilot (small) is over the limit as the wheels sit a little further back than the back of the case making it 10" deep. That bag looks tiny compare to most bags I see going onboard.

Just take it as a given that if stopped the odds are your bag, like the one that started this thread, is actually over-sized despite what it says on the label.

99% of the time it is not a problem, just accept that the 1% happens, and do it with good grace.

AA100k

Agree completely! A forever lost checked bag is a nightmare, a gate check a minor inconvenience. I’ve been gate checked for late boarding on occasion and i wasn’t traumatized.

I have never been asked to place either bag in a sizer in over 35 years of consistent high mileage business and leisure travel across several airlines (although sizers are a relative recent development). I have however, placed my various spinner bags in a sizer voluntarily just to make sure they didn’t exceed the lines. One time I measured the sizer height with a tape measure and it was 22.25” to the top edge of the gray line.

AA100k

I’m reminded of the Saturday Night Live episode of the boarding of Flight 314 some years ago.