Our lot give us hard shell Samsonite suitcases. We do about 150 night stops per year which means that the case is handled at least 350 times per year. Our current, 'roundish' version is no where as good as its 'squareish' predecesor as it lasts about three years whereas the older ones did about five. The weakest point would you believe are the legs on the bottom of the case. After a thousand or so "slides across the tarmac" they wear out and the hinge wire becomes exposed which renders the thing U/S. Our system is somewhat brutal with our bags but if I was a frequent flyer I'd choose a hard shell Samsonite, and a second hand one like
this would be excellent VFM.
PM