I know I work for a different airline, but you don't see many soft cases, I started with one and it only lasted a few months, although I had a ****ty brand, not a Samsonite. I've got a little Delsey now. I started off with a huge bag, but found I never filled it, and it's so annoying when all your clothes fall to the bottom. Alot of crew pack their own pillows to get around this problem.
Now I only do 3/4 day trips I hardly ever bring a checked bag. Don't forget everything's a lot cheaper in LA too, including Samsonites
Congratulations!
Oh, and my first bag was 87cm, which seems about what other crew have, now I have a 67cm... perfect for me, but I'm not a big shopper!