On our return trip, we intended to have two carry on bags but the airline said there was no room in the overhead bins, and we had to check them. They of course got lost along with our checked bags and it took three days to get them back. Being home it was less of an inconvenience but nothing we did would have kept them from getting lost by the airlines.

Side note: I got very good at washing my shirt (socks and underwear as well)