I know this is going to generate significant antagonism for me from this group. However, my pet peeve is carry-on.
On a flight from ATL to DCA last week, my up-front seat mate was a woman who had turned her "carry-on" bag sideways under the seat in front of us, taking up all of the space. I had to ask her to turn it so that I could get my briefcase (the only thing I normally carry on) under the seat in front of me. She reluctantly did that. Then, when we had landed, she spent what seemed like hours getting another, larger bag out of the overhead. She was also carrying a purse; so she was violating Delta's "two carry-on" rule. I know that most of you carry on everything you plan to use on the trip. I just think you ought to check it. In over forty years of flying, I've never lost a bag. The closest I ever came was at DFW, when they sent it to the wrong carousel. That cost me 20 minutes. And I check stuff that I COULD carry on.
The bottom line, from my view (which is probably going to differ from most of yours) is this:
You don't really gain much from carrying your bags on board. In fact, you may lose, since you have to sweat from the carrying, especially if you have connections.
If you check your bags, (and especially if you're an elite member on Delta) they'll be first on the baggage claim conveyor.
You don't have to worry about people like me cussing you (usually not out loud) when you try to stuff that too-large "carry-on" in the overhead bin.
You're safer. The less stuff there is in those overheads, the less stuff there is to fall on your head if there's an accident.
I could go on and on, but I've had my say.

Phil ... you're a lucky man!

Delta's lost my bags a few times ... not a lot, but enough to be significant. You're quite lucky if they've never lost yours ... odds are sooner or later they will though!

As for being first on the conveyor belt ... In my experience the Priority tags help occassionally at best!

Phil ~ oops ... didn't mean to come out like that, you're still right though! People carry on way too much. I typically carry on my roll aboard and a computer, and the computer goes under the seat, and the roll aboard in the overhead. I just wish people would use the underseat storage more ...

I've never had luggage lost but I have had luggage shredded, crushed, ripped and mutilated. Everything from broken zipper pulls to a hard-sided bag that looked like it was dragged down the runway or attacked by a bengal tiger!

Phil - I agree with you about the frustration of other passengers with too much carryon luggage - it should fit in the space beneath their feet/in a proportional space in the overhead locker.

When I can I like to take my luggage as carry-on only, as that saves a fair bit of time (and the possibility of theft in third world countries) However: that does not mean taking more than the fair amount of space! If you have too much luggage it's almost always possible to take something out (do you really need 5 changes of clothing for a 3 day trip?)

That said, some aeroplanes don't even have enough storage space for the standard amount of handluggage - there is nothing more frustrating than taking an 'airline approved' roller aboard and being unable to fit it in anywhere... some airlines will allow you to check these items just before you board, so that in effect they are checked handluggage.

Incidentally, I don't think that woman's handbags/purses are generally considered to coiunt towards the handluggage limit, though, once they reach a certain size, perhaps they should!

It's usually infrequent travellers who are the worst culprits.

You are lucky never to have lost your luggage. I once spent ten days in Bophuthatswana with nothing to wear...

Luggage handlers aren't known for their gentleness or sensitivity, MA - I too have had seemingly impregnable luggage completely destroyed... using a 'fragile' label seems to treble the carnage. Compression straps seem to help prevent things from being strewn everywhere once the locks have been shattered.

Luggage never lost - but delayed (and that oftens means delivery a full 24 hours later for incoming flights from Switzerland).

This happened 3 times last year - always when connecting at LHR from UA's code-share flight with British Midland (Zurich-LHR) and than UA to the USA.

I managed to do this years round-the-world with only soft handluggage (and I was very proud of that).

Philforest.. I'm ready to direct significant
antagonism... NOT AT YOU BECAUSE YOU ARE RIGHT AND A GOOD MAN... but at these people
who somehow get on the plane with shopping bags full of stuff plus a backpack or the baby stroller people. I notice MOST gate agents don't stop people (although they wanted me to check my briefcase because she said "It looked too big." It fit in the size
all and my business stuff and a change of clothes and toiletries are in there... in case of lost baggage.

I have airlines sent my bags to other states
several tiems (most recently, New Orleans where I had no clothes because CO made me check EVERYTHING!!!) The bags ended up in Denver, then Houston then Orleans the next night (The bags should earn us ff miles for
their traveling!)

I take two bags max, one I check and one carry on filled with emergency stuff. I will
put the bag under the seat so the other flyers have room.

A few times I will have a second bag, a giant
Harrod's green shopping bag with cats all over it where I carry Christmas/Birthday gifts or stuff I pick up shopping. I try to put this in the seat in front of me or in first the closet. But I'll try to be considerate of other flyers and give them room for baggage if they give me that extra
few inches for my big 6 ft 2 body! CATMAN

To check or not to check -- that is the question.

For me -- it all depends how much luggage I have, if I have upgraded or not, if I know it is a full flight and if I have a connection.

If I have more than my garment bag and computer bag, I will check all but the computer bag.

If I upgrade (usually on American) I will carry on my garment bag and computer bag -- the garment bag hangs well in the front closet.

If I dont upgrade and know that the flight is not full (thank god for Personal AAccess), I will carry on as much as I can -- apparently none of you have flown into LaGuardia (NY) at 11:30pm on the last flight in and still wait 45 minutes for your luggage.

Connections are a tricky one. Flying American means hubbing through Chicago or Dallas. If I have to connect and dont have too much luggage, I will carry on (upgrading or not). Most times I will check even if I dont have alot of luggage to avoid dragging my luggage, computer and body from gate 1C to 34C in Dallas or H20 to K3 in Chicago.

And on thing I learned the hard way. I was on a flight from NY to Greenville SC via Dallas(AA) and Charlotte (US) (long story). I checked in my bags from LGA to CLT. I had an 1-1/2 hour wait time. I figured I would get my bag from AA and carry it onto the US flight -- so I only checked the bag from LGA to CLT. We get delayed at LGA for 1 hour. We arrive in CLT with 1/2 hour for me to make my connecting flight. Unfortunatley, my bag stayed in CLT while I went to Greenville. My bag arrived the next day and I leared if I am going to check -- check it all the way through.

I carry my laptop in a laptop backpack and a small bag with my toiletries, reading material and purse. Yes, a purse does count as one item no matter how large it is.

I stopped carrying on my small rolling suitcase after I hurt my back one time taking it down from an overhead compartment. It's not worth the pain to save the few minutes.

I only check for trips longer than 4 days, or when I do not have a confirmed upgrade and think there's a chance of waiting for one at the terminal.

It's actually the main benefit of being elite on CO (or any airline) - board while there's still room in the bins. I work off of the assumption that if you're not one of the first 10 or 20 people on the plane, you won't find room to wedge a waistpack in, much less a standard carry-on.

The new "crackdown" on carry-on luggage is a joke, and reveals the actual problem. They have NEVER enforced these rules across the board - making a system where cheating is the only way to have a chance. That's why people drag their portable closets on board - because they can. Just ask yourself how many oversize bags you've seen on any recent flight.

If there were benefits to following the rules, and liabilities for not, the system would fix itself. These are just a few ideas off of the top of my head:

$25 travel voucher or 500 ff miles if you do not bring a carry-on (bigger than a purse or lunchbox) on board.
All bags fitted through a "sizer" at the gate, no exceptions. $25 fine and / or forfetiture of seat (wait for the next flight) if you refuse to cooperate.
$25 travel voucher or 500 FF miles if checked bags are not available within 30 minutes after gate arrival.
50% refund of ticket price or mileage reward if bags are not available within 3 hours of gate arrival.

Believe me - with financial incentives for both sides, the problem goes away.

Sorry if I'm too harsh today - flying EWR to LAS in 4 hours, and not looking forward to the usually LOUD people in sweatsuits who's enormus carry-ons usually make the flight late.

Dave

Whenever I am flying internationally I carry, inside my handluggage, a (n empty) black drawstring bag, which I whip out at the duty free shops and fill up with booze, etc. It's easier to carry (over the shoulder) than the duty free bags, & can be squeezed in anywhere.

TropicalFlyer - always pack the light things in the bag which goes into the overhead compartment, and put the heavier things at your feet. I once took a 15 kg roller on a series of connecting flights: I could barely lift it over my head... (the luggage allowance on that route was 20kg, and, being a student, I couldn't afford to pay excess baggage charges) It can be difficult to make an incredibly heavy piece of handluggage look as light as a feather when parading past a series of eagle-eyed airline staff...

I'm surprised at the massive and rapid response to my posting. I'm even more surprised at its positive nature. I would have expected you folk to be the ones who carry on tuns and try to stuff too-large carry-ons in the overhead. Oh, well, what's life without surprises?
Mileage Addict: I've also had "indestructible" luggage damaged. But, then, that stuff's always too big to carry on, anyway. And who's to say it was really the airline's fault? How about the luggage manufacturer? The couple of times it's happened to me, the airline paid, and quickly, for repairs to the luggage. Sure, it doesn't look like new, and sure, I don't use it any more. I blame the manufacturer for misleading me.
Baobab: I can't comment on third world countries, because I never go there (although Russia might now be considered a third world country). My comments are directed at domestic travel - I no longer travel much internationally, although I communted to Russia about six times a year in the 70's.
CATMAN: (Note that I put that in caps). I think I may go even a bit farther (further?) than you. The only thing I carry on is my briefcase. In there, I have the "necessities" package given to me by BA several years ago. It includes all the necessities (tooth paste, tooth brush, etc.). Shaving will be a problem, since I have used an electric or years, and this is a blade. But it works, and I've never had to use it. Underwear, etc., I figure I can wear for a second day. If I have to, which seldom if ever happens.

I still haven't told you guys my really favorite story - and maybe never will.

Beckles:
I agree that the red tag seldom brings your bage out first, but it does often bring it out early