Brenda in MA Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Hi all, Just an FYI -- when my college son was headed back to school after Thanksgiving, the airline (American) said that his rolling carry-on was 2" too tall and had to be checked for the $25 fee. I was pretty mad about this because this particular suitcase is one of our older ones and has literally traveled the world and has never been questioned as a carryon. I don't have the suitcase itself to measure it, but I'm thinking that airlines might be changing their limits in an effort to collect more baggage fees. Here you are at the airport with your back packed and your flight leaving in less than an hour. What option to do you have other than pay the fee if they won't let you though security with your carry-on? If it were me, I would have put up a fuss about this (especially since that bag went as a carry-on just a few days before on the journey home). My son felt he had no recourse but to pay the fee, which really makes me angry. Has anyone else had a similar experience recently with carry-on luggage? Brenda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
In The Great White North Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Usually, the gate check carry-ons they think are too big. Happens a lot on smaller planes, but I've never been charged for it. Their size limit should be online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MysteryJen Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Not me personally, but a teammate of my daughter's was trying to get on a Frontier flight and they told him his suitcase was too large and it was $25 to gate check it. Being 17 and traveling alone, he emptied the suitcase and walked on the plane with his swim bag, carrying everything else in his arms. He left the suitcase at the gate, like a warning to future travelers. We prefer to fly Southwest for this very reason. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corraleno Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 That's why I fly Southwest whenever possible. Two free checked bags, and we've never had any hassle about our roll-ons or any other carry-on. No issues or extra charges with DS's oversized bag (fencing equipment) either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bettyandbob Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 The sizes have gotten smaller over the next few years. My mother gives each near adult grandchild a nice carryon suitcase. Over the years she has sought out bags that meet most airlines' requirements. The bags have had to get smaller with each consecutive grandchild. She gave one to my dd last year and that bag is quite small. I would not expect anything that met carryon requirements years ago to meet them today. Some airlines have a frame at the airport you must fit your luggage in. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nan in Mass Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Hmmm... We have a few trips coming up. Perhaps it would be a good idea to recheck the size of our carryons. We've flown all over with them but for one of the trips coming up, this would be a problem. Thanks for the warning. We usually fly Jet Blue and they've been pretty good about carryons, letting me take weird shapes or my boat cushion (rental-car-booster-seat/seasick-deterant) as a third carryon, but things keep changing... Nan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G5052 Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 Yes, check the sizes, but it does depend on who is on duty. We travelled to a remote area overseas summer before last and had to take 14 bags with all kinds of equipment. We had no problems going, but got held up coming back on one overstuffed bag. We decided that ditching a few old pairs of pants and coat was better than paying for larger baggage ($100/bag). We were already paying for extra bags as it was. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hoggirl Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 I have one bag that qualifies if the "expander" part isn't unzipped. Not really sure what that is called, but it has a second zipper all the way around that allows it to be about two - three inches fatter. If the expander is unzipped, it's too big to carry on; if it isn't, it's fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lanny Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 There was an article about this, on FoxNews.com I believe it was yesterday. Rather astonishing to me and I hope if we can go to the states next year, this will not apply to international passengers... The bottom line is that in 2015, all of the U.S. airlines, including Jet Blue, will be doing this. The baggage police make their decision and if they say pay and/or it needs to be checked, you cannot argue with them or you will not be flying with them... Their decisions are final... The charges for oversize or overweight bags are very high. Travel as light as possible. If you need a lot of baggage, send it ahead via UPS or FedEx. GL Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted December 11, 2014 Share Posted December 11, 2014 I fly a lot and I'm always shocked by the size luggage people get away with taking on the plane. Whenever I book online they remind you of the new luggage size requirements. I pay too much for plane tickets so the cost of checking my luggage really doesn't phase me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyK Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 Like the above poster, I'm surprised since I fly a lot and am surprised at what big bags people take on. Most of the airlines I have been flying lately (mostly Delta and Alaska) seem to offer to gatecheck anything, so the trick seems to get something through security. Though I totally sympathize with the kids (I have helped several kids/young adults over the fall who were flying for the first time and needed help checking in etc), I do wish the airlines would discourage people from bringing large carryons. If connections are tight, or there are other problems, it takes forever to board and deplane these days because of the volume of luggage people are bringing online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brenda in MA Posted December 15, 2014 Author Share Posted December 15, 2014 I do wish the airlines would discourage people from bringing large carryons. If connections are tight, or there are other problems, it takes forever to board and deplane these days because of the volume of luggage people are bringing online.I agree with you that the airlines should discourage people from taking large carryons. I have been on flights lately where I've seen people ahead of me permitted to board with 3 large carryons. It's really unfair to the other passengers if someone is allowed to take up most of an overhead bin with multiple items. What annoyed me was that my son's suitcase that was allegedly 2 inches too long fits perfectly into the overhead bins, and it was not overstuffed or anything. It's at least 10 years old and has been literally around the world as a carryon. He had that plus a small backpack with him, so he was not trying to "get by" with a huge amount of luggage. I just felt like they were taking advantage of a young student traveling alone to get the baggage fees at the check-in counter. If they had gate-checked it for free, I don't think he would have cared. Maybe the airlines should give everyone one free checked bag if they are worried about the sizes of suitcases that people are bringing on board. Brenda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted December 15, 2014 Share Posted December 15, 2014 The only solution to discouraging carry-ons is to not charge for bags and improve service. To allow 2 bags per passenger. And most importantly-to deliver the bags to the correct airport at the correct time. Flying this summer our family of 5 took a direct cross country flight. We had 1 bag per person and 1 car seat. We arrived at the airport earlier than instructed. Checked in with plenty of time to spare and arrived early to our gate. Our luggage was a different story. Somehow they managed not to get 2 of the bags and the car seat on the plane. When they can't even deliver a car seat-needed to leave the destination airport-and then wonder why people load up on carry-on items... We didn't get the car seat for over 12 hours-if we had been forced to wait at the airport for the car seat I'd have been furious. People load up on carry-ons due to the airlines overcharging for checked luggage and being unreliable in the delivery of checked luggage. Also-if you are stranded due to a cancelled flight you typically may not retrieve your checked bag without incurring fees-if you are permitted at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 The only solution to discouraging carry-ons is to not charge for bags and improve service. To allow 2 bags per passenger. And most importantly-to deliver the bags to the correct airport at the correct time. Flying this summer our family of 5 took a direct cross country flight. We had 1 bag per person and 1 car seat. We arrived at the airport earlier than instructed. Checked in with plenty of time to spare and arrived early to our gate. Our luggage was a different story. Somehow they managed not to get 2 of the bags and the car seat on the plane. When they can't even deliver a car seat-needed to leave the destination airport-and then wonder why people load up on carry-on items... We didn't get the car seat for over 12 hours-if we had been forced to wait at the airport for the car seat I'd have been furious. People load up on carry-ons due to the airlines overcharging for checked luggage and being unreliable in the delivery of checked luggage. Also-if you are stranded due to a cancelled flight you typically may not retrieve your checked bag without incurring fees-if you are permitted at all. I absolutely agree with this. I will be going to France for two weeks in February, and I will be taking my personal item (purse) as large as I can possibly get them to allow - it will not have purse stuff, but instead toiletries and change of clothes and shoes. The carryon bag will be maxed out and contain everything including a small duffle bag that is folded down as tiny as possible. I'll use the duffle as a checked bag on my return carrying whatever I purchase in France. I'm not taking a suitcase. (Passport, money, credit cards, driver's license, Kleenex, and lip balm go in a special, flat, pouch that I wear under my coat or sweater so it isn't seen and contains protection from being scanned by thieves. You can get these on Amazon for about $14.00 each, and they are well worth the money. All three of us wore them in Iceland and it was soooo convenient and kept our most important items safe. I recommend them for domestic flights as well. Much better than having these items in wallets and purses. We did have two checked bags when three of us went to Iceland...we each took the maximum size carryon allowed and packed very carefully...toiletries, change of clothes, extra pair of shoes so that if they lost the checked bags, we'd still be okay. A friend of mine went to Iceland two months previous to us and did not pack this way. She lived to regret it as her bags were lost the entire 9 days she was in Iceland, and didn't appear at home until ten days after her return. She and her mother had to buy clothing as well as personal care items. One pair of panties and two pairs socks and one shirt each, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush and paste, lip balm, moisturizer, comb and ponytail holders, bandaids, and contact cleaner and solution set them back over $400.00 US dollars. So for students, I recommend that they think very carefully about what it would take to survive a week on campus without their other bags, and pack those in their carryons. A laptop bag is considered a personal item so it could contain the allowed amounts of liquid toiletries double bagged in zip loc bags to prevent spillage. Pair of socks, a bra...cram whatever you can into it besides just the lap top, mouse, and memory sticks. The carryon should have a pair of pants, a couple of shirts, underwear, change of shoes, hoodie or jacket, etc. whatever you can get into it so that if luggage is lost, the student can get by with the contents. Minimize "needs" and time UPS shipments of other items for after the student arrives. It's not fun. But, I wouldn't count on the airlines for "moving to campus". The airlines are getting too money grubbing and stingy for their own good. It will drive customers away, and if some carrier comes along and decides to be more generous with luggage and in flight food, that carrier is going to steal a lot of clients away from the others. Certainly, the customer service is abysmal. I just had a run-in BIG TIME with Air France and nearly lost my mind over them. They canceled my flight without explanation and then booked me on a different one two days AFTER my original. I am visiting my sister on a two week break that she has and cannot alter my dates. We also have a hotel for three days in Paris. I was on hold for more than an hour and then treated like dung by their customer service reps who basically told me to "suck it up and go when it's convenient for us", no refund offered. So, I called my Visa company who called them and said, "Fine. We are reversing the charges. You get nothing." They also called the hotel manager and told him they were reversing the charge on the hotel bill. He was an unhappy camper and called Air France. At any rate, faced with loss of money and customer, they finally agreed to put me on a flight that left Detroit within five minutes of the original one and on the same day, routed through Atlanta instead of JFK, and got me into Charles de Gaulle only 30 minutes after the first flight! They of course knew that flight was available all along. My Visa rep said what they were doing was trying to back me into a corner and make me panic so I would agree eventually to be switched to that flight and in such a way that they could stick me with a $200.00 change fee despite this being their fault not mine! Guess who will NEVER fly Air France again nor recommend the company to anyone. So, did you get that everyone??? Don't fly Air France!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Not me personally, but a teammate of my daughter's was trying to get on a Frontier flight and they told him his suitcase was too large and it was $25 to gate check it. Being 17 and traveling alone, he emptied the suitcase and walked on the plane with his swim bag, carrying everything else in his arms. He left the suitcase at the gate, like a warning to future travelers. We prefer to fly Southwest for this very reason. Good for him! I wish there were a you tube video, lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 The only solution to discouraging carry-ons is to not charge for bags and improve service. To allow 2 bags per passenger. And most importantly-to deliver the bags to the correct airport at the correct time. Flying this summer our family of 5 took a direct cross country flight. We had 1 bag per person and 1 car seat. We arrived at the airport earlier than instructed. Checked in with plenty of time to spare and arrived early to our gate. Our luggage was a different story. Somehow they managed not to get 2 of the bags and the car seat on the plane. When they can't even deliver a car seat-needed to leave the destination airport-and then wonder why people load up on carry-on items... We didn't get the car seat for over 12 hours-if we had been forced to wait at the airport for the car seat I'd have been furious. People load up on carry-ons due to the airlines overcharging for checked luggage and being unreliable in the delivery of checked luggage. Also-if you are stranded due to a cancelled flight you typically may not retrieve your checked bag without incurring fees-if you are permitted at all. Yes, this. It is scary that companies which are responsible for maintaining planes and flying people safely cannot organize luggage. I understand that laws which require airlines to reveal the true cost of a ticket, including fees and taxes, have been proposed. I hope we get some consumer protection. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I absolutely agree with this. I will be going to France for two weeks in February, and I will be taking my personal item (purse) as large as I can possibly get them to allow - it will not have purse stuff, but instead toiletries and change of clothes and shoes. The carryon bag will be maxed out and contain everything including a small duffle bag that is folded down as tiny as possible. I'll use the duffle as a checked bag on my return carrying whatever I purchase in France. I'm not taking a suitcase. (Passport, money, credit cards, driver's license, Kleenex, and lip balm go in a special, flat, pouch that I wear under my coat or sweater so it isn't seen and contains protection from being scanned by thieves. You can get these on Amazon for about $14.00 each, and they are well worth the money. All three of us wore them in Iceland and it was soooo convenient and kept our most important items safe. I recommend them for domestic flights as well. Much better than having these items in wallets and purses. We did have two checked bags when three of us went to Iceland...we each took the maximum size carryon allowed and packed very carefully...toiletries, change of clothes, extra pair of shoes so that if they lost the checked bags, we'd still be okay. A friend of mine went to Iceland two months previous to us and did not pack this way. She lived to regret it as her bags were lost the entire 9 days she was in Iceland, and didn't appear at home until ten days after her return. She and her mother had to buy clothing as well as personal care items. One pair of panties and two pairs socks and one shirt each, shampoo, conditioner, toothbrush and paste, lip balm, moisturizer, comb and ponytail holders, bandaids, and contact cleaner and solution set them back over $400.00 US dollars. So for students, I recommend that they think very carefully about what it would take to survive a week on campus without their other bags, and pack those in their carryons. A laptop bag is considered a personal item so it could contain the allowed amounts of liquid toiletries double bagged in zip loc bags to prevent spillage. Pair of socks, a bra...cram whatever you can into it besides just the lap top, mouse, and memory sticks. The carryon should have a pair of pants, a couple of shirts, underwear, change of shoes, hoodie or jacket, etc. whatever you can get into it so that if luggage is lost, the student can get by with the contents. Minimize "needs" and time UPS shipments of other items for after the student arrives. It's not fun. But, I wouldn't count on the airlines for "moving to campus". The airlines are getting too money grubbing and stingy for their own good. It will drive customers away, and if some carrier comes along and decides to be more generous with luggage and in flight food, that carrier is going to steal a lot of clients away from the others. Certainly, the customer service is abysmal. I just had a run-in BIG TIME with Air France and nearly lost my mind over them. They canceled my flight without explanation and then booked me on a different one two days AFTER my original. I am visiting my sister on a two week break that she has and cannot alter my dates. We also have a hotel for three days in Paris. I was on hold for more than an hour and then treated like dung by their customer service reps who basically told me to "suck it up and go when it's convenient for us", no refund offered. So, I called my Visa company who called them and said, "Fine. We are reversing the charges. You get nothing." They also called the hotel manager and told him they were reversing the charge on the hotel bill. He was an unhappy camper and called Air France. At any rate, faced with loss of money and customer, they finally agreed to put me on a flight that left Detroit within five minutes of the original one and on the same day, routed through Atlanta instead of JFK, and got me into Charles de Gaulle only 30 minutes after the first flight! They of course knew that flight was available all along. My Visa rep said what they were doing was trying to back me into a corner and make me panic so I would agree eventually to be switched to that flight and in such a way that they could stick me with a $200.00 change fee despite this being their fault not mine! Guess who will NEVER fly Air France again nor recommend the company to anyone. So, did you get that everyone??? Don't fly Air France!!!! Wow. Glad you won! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 Yes, this. It is scary that companies which are responsible for maintaining planes and flying people safely cannot organize luggage. I understand that laws which require airlines to reveal the true cost of a ticket, including fees and taxes, have been proposed. I hope we get some consumer protection. It's sad. However, I suspect it's not so much ineptitude but money grubbing, greed. Really. They can manage the luggage because they most certainly did for many years when passengers could have two checked bags for free that weighed up to 50 lbs. Shoot, back in the 80's when My dad flew to Togo, West Africa to repair generators at a bush clinic, he carried on a HUGE part for one of the generators and the airlines didn't bat an eyelash, nor did the plane likely take off overweight either. The airlines simply budgeted more leeway in weight at take off than they do now. Flash forward to 2014, and they want to fly as small a plane as possible with every single seat filled. Still, I don't think overweight is as big an issue as pocketing luggage fees is though it may be a consideration on smaller planes like the puddle hoppers we fly from Detroit to JFK or Toronto...some of those look like rubber band powered toy planes, LOL!. For those, I do think weight is a serious issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 It's sad. However, I suspect it's not so much ineptitude but money grubbing, greed. Really. They can manage the luggage because they most certainly did for many years when passengers could have two checked bags for free that weighed up to 50 lbs. Shoot, back in the 80's when My dad flew to Togo, West Africa to repair generators at a bush clinic, he carried on a HUGE part for one of the generators and the airlines didn't bat an eyelash, nor did the plane likely take off overweight either. The airlines simply budgeted more leeway in weight at take off than they do now. Flash forward to 2014, and they want to fly as small a plane as possible with every single seat filled. Still, I don't think overweight is as big an issue as pocketing luggage fees is though it may be a consideration on smaller planes like the puddle hoppers we fly from Detroit to JFK or Toronto...some of those look like rubber band powered toy planes, LOL!. For those, I do think weight is a serious issue. I couldn't agree more. I was rushing out the door and did not have time to type a litany of complaints. Lower fuel prices, but not lower fares. Less legroom, no pillows, blankets, as little food as possible. $$$$$. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I couldn't agree more. I was rushing out the door and did not have time to type a litany of complaints. Lower fuel prices, but not lower fares. Less legroom, no pillows, blankets, as little food as possible. $$$$$. And fewer flight attendants. I was APPALLED at how small the crew was for our flights to and from Iceland. The planes were PACKED, not a seat open, and with over 200+ people to care for in coach, we had only four attendants. NO joke. Four. They had four up in First Class for a piddly number of individuals. You talk about feeling like a feudal serf! I requested ginger ale when I had an upset stomach after attempting to eat Alpo, ahem, I mean their version of a gluten free meal, and waited nearly half an hour for it. No turbulence either so the attendants had not been asked by the pilot to buckle up! We did get blankets and tiny pillows because it was a red eye. I am hoping for the same to France because I am flying a red-eye. I will NOT be happy if we are given nothing, but this is Air France and given the way I was just treated, I would not be shocked if we get nothing but five pretzels, a test tube of water, and never see hide nor hair of anyone after that. Of course, I can't eat the five pretzels so I'm really extra out of luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 And fewer flight attendants. I was APPALLED at how small the crew was for our flights to and from Iceland. The planes were PACKED, not a seat open, and with over 200+ people to care for in coach, we had only four attendants. NO joke. Four. They had four up in First Class for a piddly number of individuals. You talk about feeling like a feudal serf! I requested ginger ale when I had an upset stomach after attempting to eat Alpo, ahem, I mean their version of a gluten free meal, and waited nearly half an hour for it. No turbulence either so the attendants had not been asked by the pilot to buckle up! We did get blankets and tiny pillows because it was a red eye. I am hoping for the same to France because I am flying a red-eye. I will NOT be happy if we are given nothing, but this is Air France and given the way I was just treated, I would not be shocked if we get nothing but five pretzels, a test tube of water, and never see hide nor hair of anyone after that. Of course, I can't eat the five pretzels so I'm really extra out of luck! I've always loved the blankets and pillows, but you may want to google a bit on the condition of them. Gone are the days of freshly laundered ones in sealed plastic bags. Just a heads up as people who are sick often request them ... The inflatable travel pillow might be a better option. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I've always loved the blankets and pillows, but you may want to google a bit on the condition of them. Gone are the days of freshly laundered ones in sealed plastic bags. Just a heads up as people who are sick often request them ... The inflatable travel pillow might be a better option. I used to carry my own travel pillow and blanket, but that was in the days of free checked luggage and big carry-ons. :-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alessandra Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 And fewer flight attendants. I was APPALLED at how small the crew was for our flights to and from Iceland. The planes were PACKED, not a seat open, and with over 200+ people to care for in coach, we had only four attendants. NO joke. Four. They had four up in First Class for a piddly number of individuals. You talk about feeling like a feudal serf! I requested ginger ale when I had an upset stomach after attempting to eat Alpo, ahem, I mean their version of a gluten free meal, and waited nearly half an hour for it. No turbulence either so the attendants had not been asked by the pilot to buckle up! We did get blankets and tiny pillows because it was a red eye. I am hoping for the same to France because I am flying a red-eye. I will NOT be happy if we are given nothing, but this is Air France and given the way I was just treated, I would not be shocked if we get nothing but five pretzels, a test tube of water, and never see hide nor hair of anyone after that. Of course, I can't eat the five pretzels so I'm really extra out of luck! We haven't flown in quite a while, so I did not realize about the flight attendants. Sadly, it comes as no surprise. Oh, yeah, I lost my appetite for air travel about the time the TSA gave us a choice of going through (miscalibrated?) X-ray machines or undergoing what was close to a strip search. The stories about blue haired grandmothers having colostomy bags removed made me not want to find out what they would do to dd. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I think I'd just do the inflatable pillow and then bring a warm sweater or something in my carry on bag so it's not something taking up extra room. I also loved the great slippers they gave everyone. I doubt they do that anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted December 17, 2014 Share Posted December 17, 2014 I've always loved the blankets and pillows, but you may want to google a bit on the condition of them. Gone are the days of freshly laundered ones in sealed plastic bags. Just a heads up as people who are sick often request them ... The inflatable travel pillow might be a better option. I like to wear a big rectangular scarf/shawl onto the plane. They fold up well and serve as handy lightweight blankets. Plus I know only my family has sneezed on them. (Running upstairs to grab a couple more before the packers get to my closet.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joules Posted December 20, 2014 Share Posted December 20, 2014 It doesn't help for flying alone, but when we all fly together I've tried to protect us against lost luggage by not having suitcases for each person. For example, if we are taking 9 days of clothes and have 3 people, each suitcase has 3 changes for each person. I have a small rolling suitcase that can actually go under the seat. Lots can go in it including a change of clothes, electronics and snacks. I also pack my epi, inhaler and meds in it and just dare them to take it away from me :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I always take my own pillow and blanket-as does the rest of the family (we also bring our own headphones). I use their little pillow for lumbar support. Recently I've seen too much about how unsanitary the seat areas are (and the folks we fly to visit have some immune deficiencies) so I have taken to bringing wipes to clean our arm rests and tray tables. My Christmas gift to me this year is going to be a large, warm shawl to replace the bulky travel blanket I've been using. I do confess there are times I feel as though I'm doing the airlines job when I pack-pillow, blanket, waterbottle (empty of course), sanitizer, snacks... Call me paranoid but our flights are often long and I'll make my own comfort if they won't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I always take my own pillow and blanket-as does the rest of the family (we also bring our own headphones). I use their little pillow for lumbar support. Recently I've seen too much about how unsanitary the seat areas are (and the folks we fly to visit have some immune deficiencies) so I have taken to bringing wipes to clean our arm rests and tray tables. My Christmas gift to me this year is going to be a large, warm shawl to replace the bulky travel blanket I've been using. I do confess there are times I feel as though I'm doing the airlines job when I pack-pillow, blanket, waterbottle (empty of course), sanitizer, snacks... Call me paranoid but our flights are often long and I'll make my own comfort if they won't. I agree completely about this! I do feel like I do their job for them. The last time we flew, with the infamous four crew members for probably 150 plus people, it was a darn good thing we had water bottles and snacks. Grrrr....I do not appreciate having to wash the tables at our seats, but they clearly do not take the time to do much of anything. I'd say it's down to pretty much only vacuuming between flights. So, wash the arm rests, wipe down the seat, wash the table,...the one arm rest was disgustingly sticky. You all have convinced me. I have ZERO confidence in Air France so I'm going to wear a big shawl over my coat so that I have a blanket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 I had four shawls packed and ready. Pulled one out for my carry on and everyone else wrinkled up their noses. Dh assured me there would be blankets. There were - for sale at $10. He ended up sharing my shawl. It was generally a good flight, with a meal included. I wonder if the blanket selling is partly to reduce the costs of cleaning them and partly to reduce liability for spread of illnesses. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted December 22, 2014 Share Posted December 22, 2014 A woman in front of us had something like this. http://niceseats.net/ Several flight attendants were admiring it and asking where she'd gotten it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 A woman in front of us had something like this. http://niceseats.net/ Several flight attendants were admiring it and asking where she'd gotten it. That is wonderful! I think I want one of those to go with my shawl!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpedIntoTheDeepEndFirst Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 I had four shawls packed and ready. Pulled one out for my carry on and everyone else wrinkled up their noses. Dh assured me there would be blankets. There were - for sale at $10. He ended up sharing my shawl. It was generally a good flight, with a meal included. I wonder if the blanket selling is partly to reduce the costs of cleaning them and partly to reduce liability for spread of illnesses. I started packing our own headphones when they began charging for those-first time out one family member didn't buy into my scheme. Now everyone brings them (and the little 2 prong converter in case the plane has never been refitted)-regret is an excellent motivator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sebastian (a lady) Posted December 23, 2014 Share Posted December 23, 2014 Fwiw the plane we were on had USB ports. So we could charge things that were getting low. Personally I turned on a Hawaiian travel show with no sound and then worked on my knitting. Looks like I'll get my third hat done before we are out of temp lodging. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy in Richmond Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 American Airlines lost my son's suitcase yesterday, & they don't have a clue where it is yet. Minor enough; we're happy just to have him home today & see his smiling face at the breakfast table. His connecting flight to Richmond was flat out cancelled an hour before it left Chicago last night. At first they told him that he'd have to wait till Christmas day to get a re-booking....no thanks! They finally found him a seat on a late plane to DC, and dh & I had a very long drive through the night to pick him up at 2am. At least a dozen of the people on his flight were in the same predicament with lost bags. But...I wish we'd passed on some of the above advice on packing essentials in his carry-on. Like many 20-something guys, his only essential is his laptop. So we're here hoping all his clothes and gear show up sometime today, or it'll be a quick shopping trip to get something to wear to midnight Mass. Either that or wear the tee-shirt & old jeans he's been in for two days. And...his winter coat is in his checked bag, too. He figured he wouldn't need it till he got home. Ugh! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Oh Kathy, that is just maddening! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teachin'Mine Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Glad he's safely home and hoping that his luggage catches up to him soon. Merry Christmas to all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TranquilMind Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Hi all, Just an FYI -- when my college son was headed back to school after Thanksgiving, the airline (American) said that his rolling carry-on was 2" too tall and had to be checked for the $25 fee. I was pretty mad about this because this particular suitcase is one of our older ones and has literally traveled the world and has never been questioned as a carryon. I don't have the suitcase itself to measure it, but I'm thinking that airlines might be changing their limits in an effort to collect more baggage fees. Here you are at the airport with your back packed and your flight leaving in less than an hour. What option to do you have other than pay the fee if they won't let you though security with your carry-on? If it were me, I would have put up a fuss about this (especially since that bag went as a carry-on just a few days before on the journey home). My son felt he had no recourse but to pay the fee, which really makes me angry. Has anyone else had a similar experience recently with carry-on luggage? Brenda Well, they are cramming the seats together, making the space suitable for anyone 5' and under. So of course it is now too long, when it was fine before. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 If it were me, I would have put up a fuss about this (especially since that bag went as a carry-on just a few days before on the journey home). My son felt he had no recourse but to pay the fee, which really makes me angry. Has anyone else had a similar experience recently with carry-on luggage? On crowded planes, the airlines tend to bring out the metal frame thing to check the size of every carry-on luggage. If it is a half filled plane, they don't care as much and only check for weight. I started packing our own headphones when they began charging for those-first time out one family member didn't buy into my scheme. My kids bring their own headsets because they plug them into their ipads. We have never been charge for headphones though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy in Richmond Posted December 24, 2014 Share Posted December 24, 2014 Ds's luggage was found in the Charlotte airport (nowhere on his itinerary, lol) and is currently on the way to our house. God bless all the people out working on this cold & rainy Christmas Eve! Faith, don't you also have tall & skinny sons? Ds takes 28 waist & 34 length, so pants shopping is interesting in the best of times... I'm SO glad to be spared that fun today. Merry Christmas to everybody! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FaithManor Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Ds's luggage was found in the Charlotte airport (nowhere on his itinerary, lol) and is currently on the way to our house. God bless all the people out working on this cold & rainy Christmas Eve! Faith, don't you also have tall & skinny sons? Ds takes 28 waist & 34 length, so pants shopping is interesting in the best of times... I'm SO glad to be spared that fun today. Merry Christmas to everybody! Kathy, I'm not as bad off as you are. Middle ds has not grown enough yet to need a longer inseam than 32". He's ALL torso, but I've found it easier to find longer shirts than pants with long inseams and skinny waists. That 27" waist of his kills me. He has one pair, and only one pair of dress pants and all of his jeans are from American Eagle online which offers a 28x32 in their super skinny style. He wears a belt and they work without looking totally sloppy. Sigh...it would help if that boy would develop any kind of a butt at all! LOL Eldest is a 28x32 as well, not quite as tall, more legs than his brother and less torso. I got a 36R modern slim fit suit from Men's Wearhouse online and my mother in law is going to hem the pants so they can be let down. That way when middle ds needs it for next year's scholarship competitions, we can let the pants down since he will probably have gained another inch or two by then. He has long arms though, but thankfully, the coat sleeves had a decent size hem so MIL says she can let the arms down. Youngest boy has grown 2 inches this autumn. He was 5'4" Labor Day weekend when we measured him, and the other day as I was identifying "high water" pants that needed to be donated to Goodwill, dh measured him again...5'6". He's eating like a ravenous wolf right now so expect another inch this winter. He's only 14 so we have a ways to go with him, LOL! I think there is a strong chance he will top out taller than his older brother and dh as well. Middle boy is literally 2 millimeters short of his dad...dh says he feels the "dogs barking at my heels!" LOL At any rate, it's so hard to find clothes that look nice that I would likely lose my mind on an airlines if they ever lost ds's dress pants or that suit! They have no idea the hardship. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kathy in Richmond Posted December 27, 2014 Share Posted December 27, 2014 Yup, it is American Eagle that fits my son, too. I think that I got that helpful hint on these boards from one of your posts a year or two ago (belated thanks to you!). These boys are t.o.u.g.h. to fit!! I keep hoping mine will fill out, but at 26 yo the chances are getting slimmer... :p Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.