Panicking and need help....

[CatNipRules]

Okay, so we are packing our luggage for our trip in 5 days. Well, I noticed that the wheel on the biggest piece of luggage is broken. It's pulled away from the frame and if you pull it just right you can see inside.

So, we do have other luggage, but this is where we are at a loss.

DH is taking his lap top and carryon. DS might have his backpack from school, so I'm guessing that would count as a carryon. I have a backpack that I use as a purse so I would be allowed 1 carryon. However, we won't all be using a carryon on the trip there. It's the trip back that's the issue.

Now, here's my dilemma. Can we pack a carryon inside of another piece of luggage and check that bag? I know that we would have to pay for it and I'm fine with that. I'm not sure if there are any issues involved with that or not. That way, we would have an additional carryon for any souvenirs that we might bring back.

Has anyone ever done this? I'm just not sure what to do now.....

 

[sam_gordon]

Okay, so we are packing our luggage for our trip in 5 days. Well, I noticed that the wheel on the biggest piece of luggage is broken. It's pulled away from the frame and if you pull it just right you can see inside.

So, we do have other luggage, but this is where we are at a loss.

DH is taking his lap top and carryon. DS might have his backpack from school, so I'm guessing that would count as a carryon. I have a backpack that I use as a purse so I would be allowed 1 carryon. However, we won't all be using a carryon on the trip there. It's the trip back that's the issue.

Now, here's my dilemma. Can we pack a carryon inside of another piece of luggage and check that bag? I know that we would have to pay for it and I'm fine with that. I'm not sure if there are any issues involved with that or not. That way, we would have an additional carryon for any souvenirs that we might bring back.

Has anyone ever done this? I'm just not sure what to do now.....

Yes, you can do that. When we went to Mexico this year, we put an empty. duffel bag in one of our checked bags on the way down. That gave us an extra bag on the way back. It came in very handy.

 

[cruisingkat]

I use a small folding duffle that zips flat. I put that in my suitcase (especially if I only have a carryon). That way on the way home I can check my carryon and use the small duffle for souvenirs. If on a longer trip, we pack a larger duffle and use it for dirty clothes leaving a regular suitcase for souvenirs (more protection for the souvenirs in a regular suitcase instead of the squishy duffle).

 

[Emteach]

We did this also. We also used backpacks for my sister and brother and it counted toward the free bag (purse, laptop) since it was smaller than the dimensions that were listed. We managed to fit in quite a lot including items for the plane, a couple outfits and sounvenirs on the way home!

 

[QueenElinor]

I agree with all the other posters about checking a carryon in another bag. Some luggage even comes with a duffle for this very purpose.

I just wanted to let you know that (unless your airline is for some reason unusually strict), your son's school backpack would be a personal item, not a carryon. For years and years my three kids have traveled all over the world with a backpack and a carryon, and never any checked luggage, without any worries.

 

[MinnieLee]

I do it all the time! I pack a smaller suitcase and one or two duffles inside the larger one for all my Disney items I buy and one for dirty laundry. NEVER had a problem. Also have an advantage that we fly SW so we are allowed two pieces of luggage each without being charged for any of them!

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

You might consider a duffle bag as your extra bag instead of another piece of luggage. It weighs less, is compactable to fit easly into another piece of luggage for the trip down. This is what we do. Plus it takes up less space in your resort room.

 

[Hannathy]

As long as the backpack fits under the seat that is a personal item and you can bring the extra bag as a carry on. Even if it is empty.

My DS just came back from a trip and he had his fairly big backpack that fit under the seat and a carry on.

 

[Greysword]

We travel with doubled-up suitcases as well, frequently. Another trick we like is to simply mail extra stuff home. For instance, if we buy souvenirs sometimes we ask Disney to ship them or we stop by a UPS/MailBox Etc/post office on the way to the airport for shipping stuff home.

As mentioned, a duffle is a good "back-up" piece of luggage for the trip home, especially a military sea bag. Small enough to travel in a carry-on, and can then be stuffed with clothes to free up the carry-on bags for souvenirs. Check one bag and free up several smaller ones for the stuff you care about. In addition, it is much harder for airport staff/TSA/airline handlers to steal from a sea bag, if the important stuff is buried under piles of clothing.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

In addition, it is much harder for airport staff/TSA/airline handlers to steal from a sea bag, if the important stuff is buried under piles of clothing.

Not really. A box cutter can easily slice right through the side of one of these bags, making everything easily accessible. I suggest not ever packing anything valuable or important in a checked bag.

 

[QueenElinor]

Not really. A box cutter can easily slice right through the side of one of these bags, making everything easily accessible. I suggest not ever packing anything valuable or important in a checked bag.

I agree. Just for clarification, I would not put anything valuable even in a carryon. Only in a personal item (purse or small backpack).

Over at Frommer's a couple of weeks ago I read about someone who had a camera stolen from a gate checked bag and the airline wouldn't pay. It wasn't a regional airline where you know your bag will be gate checked, either.

Any carryon can become a gate-checked bag if the plane is full- that's what happened in this case. The gate agent was in a hurry and wouldn't give the guy time to get his camera out; when he got it back, the camera was gone.

I have also seen gate-checked carryons end up on a different plane and get delivered to the passenger later- days later.