Flight attendants consistently warn against four suitcase types:
- Flimsy soft-sided bags without internal structure. These collapse under the weight of other bags in the overhead bin, which crushes contents and jams the bin.
- Expandable suitcases in the expanded position. A bag that measures 22 inches compressed can measure 24 inches expanded, which triggers gate-check.
- Cheap hard-shell ABS plastic. These crack on impact and are heavy, which eats into weight limits.
- Unmarked black bags. Identical to dozens of others on the carousel. Easy to pick up by mistake or steal.
The crew preference is a fixed-dimension hard-shell cabin trolley with solid zippers, durable wheels, and an identifying feature (colored ribbon, distinctive strap, luggage tag) for baggage claim.