My American Tourister carry-on, which I have been using for years with no problems, is 15 inches wide. It looks like I have to buy a new one, which I'm not happy about.

The airlines made millions on baggage fees alone last year. If they re-size the limits making more items eligible for fees they are feeding the cash machine. Pretty standard business practice anymore...
I believe they took the page from pharmaceutical industry. Rather than spend a fortune trying to find a cure for an existing disease let's create a disease/symptom where the existing drug can be used.
More profitable.

American, Delta, United downsize acceptable limits for carry-on bag

American, Delta and United airlines recently altered carry-on sizes to a maximum of 22 inches long, 14 inches wide and 9 inches high.

Revised its carry-on policies to include a maximum width of 14 inches instead of 15 inches.

http://www.latimes.com/travel/la-trb-carry-on-luggage-size-20140611-story.html

The three airlines discussed are the major airlines that service the US Virgin Islands. Be careful with the size of your carry-ons, so you don't end up having to check it with a fee to pay.

We as passengers are getting nicked and dimed with subpar service and expensive airline tickets.

We are flying out of STT on Wednesday. Have measured our carry-on rolling carts. One might just squeeze by (if confronted to argue the point) in that it measures 14 inches on the bottom/wheel end - 15 in on the top/pulling end. The other is 15 in full stop. No room to negotiate. Question to John: AA gate attendent didn't offer to check the bag at the gate? I suspect it's because STT doesn't have ability to process CC transactions at the gate but just want to confirm why you were forced to go all the way outside to the ticket counter line, through US immigration/customs line again.

Further, just reviewed the FAA site http://www.faa.gov/passengers/prepare_fly/baggage/

"•The maximum size carry-on bag for most airlines is 45 linear inches (the total of the height, width, and depth of the bag). Anything larger should be checked."

On AA.com https://www.aa.com/i18n/travelInformation/baggage/baggageAllowance.jsp

"The size limitation of your luggage is calculated by adding the total outside dimensions of each bag, length + width + height.

Carry-on roller board bags, duffle bags, large backpacks, or other personal items that don't fit in the overhead bins or under the seat must be checked at the gate and placed in the cargo compartment on American Eagle planes."

AND

"45 in/115 cm (carry-on) No larger than 22 in/56 cm long, 14 in/36 cm wide, and 9 in/23 cm high"

So.....AA is correct that on the FAA web site, FAA says 45 linear inches but the FAA statement implies this is not an FAA "rule" rather a rule imposed by the airline. .....just to confirm that seems to me it isn't the govt making these sizing rules for carry on luggage. I assume size of the plane (and the overhead compartments) dictates the max size of what goes up there. But.....when did this rule change? I've just purchased a new carry-on (now exceeding the width restriction) less than 3 months ago. Guess it might make a nice dog bed.....if I had a dog.

Oh I should have been more specific, that quote was from the article that if you hover over and click the quote you will be lead to...

FL Barrier Islander wrote:
But.....when did this rule change?  I've just purchased a new carry-on (now exceeding the width restriction) less than 3 months ago.  Guess it might make a nice dog bed.....if I had a dog.

Looks like the rule change went into effect March 1, 2014 for United Airlines that also owns American Airlines or visa-versa.

http://thepointsguy.com/2014/03/uniteds-strict-new-carry-on-baggage-rules-go-into-effect/

FL Barrier Islander wrote:
We are flying out of STT on Wednesday. Have measured our carry-on rolling carts. One might just squeeze by (if confronted to argue the point) in that it measures 14 inches on the bottom/wheel end - 15 in on the top/pulling end. The other is 15 in full stop. No room to negotiate. 

What are you going to do??? Please keep us posted after your return trip. It will be appreciated. 

I can get a better buy and better quality luggage in the states than on Stt. If I can make it to the states just this one and last time with my current carry-on, that measures 14 inches wide at the wheel base, but 15 inches in the middle width, I will be happy. 

I wonder how strict they are here on Stt with the measurements and using the sizer. Do they even have sizers here at the Stt airport? Or are we all going to be using measuring tapes?  

Went throught the airport regime smoothly. No one even looked twice or asked any question about our carry-on. They did mention on the overhead speaker the dimensions of carry-on (including 14 inch width) but no one enaged us to check (and I didn't see anyone else being stopped or asked about it either. There was also no "drop it in this and see if it fits" structure anywhere either at the ticket counter or the gate. And, I didn't see anyone with a tape measure.

FL Barrier Islander wrote:
Went throught the airport regime smoothly. No one even looked twice or asked any question about our carry-on. They did mention on the overhead speaker the dimensions of carry-on (including 14 inch width) but no one enaged us to check (and I didn't see anyone else being stopped or asked about it either. There was also no "drop it in this and see if it fits" structure anywhere either at the ticket counter or the gate. And, I didn't see anyone with a tape measure.

Thank you very much for your report. Good to know information included.
Did you have a non-stop flight back to the states or did you change planes? Just wondering because if one would change planes if they would run into any problems with their carry-on and sizing on the connecting flights.

Bound for Tampa - connection via Miami. No one blinked. Not a peep. Nada. Smooth sailing....except for the "mechanical problem" which delayed our flight by one hour. Seems the plane originated in Phildelphia and in transit, the window next to the pilot's left shoulder came loose and had to be re-glued in place. Just another travel day.

FL Barrier Islander wrote:
Bound for Tampa - connection via Miami. No one blinked. Not a peep. Nada. Smooth sailing....except for the "mechanical problem" which delayed our flight by one hour. Seems the plane originated in Phildelphia and in transit, the window next to the pilot's left shoulder came loose and had to be re-glued in place. Just another travel day.

Sorry about your delayed flight.
Thanks so much for keeping us informed.
I'm happy you had no other problems.

I had no problems with my carry-on luggage either on my flight this week, but I'm still buying new luggage.
Same experience as Fl Barrier Island, which he explains in his posts above.
I had a delayed connecting flight also and a custom's officer ask me some strange questions that were never asked of me all these years living on St. Thomas. Plus the customs line was out to the curb, starting to snake down the sidewalk.
I made my flight with just under thirty minutes to board.