Carry-on or Check baggage???

[aashaddy]

Ok, here is the situation: We are a family of 4. We are going to be at DL from May 15-19. We are flying (2 hr. flight), and taking the disneyland express bus to the PP hotel. I hate checking my baggage and have had terrible experiences with it. I have bought everyone a small carry-on size suitcase. I guess what I want to know is, how many of you in this similar situation carry-on and how many check their bags?

 

[Grandma Debby]

We check our bags because we're going for 10 days and can't get it all in a carry on - especially since the carry ons are so small any more

 

[ChrisMouse]

We do both! The kids bring activities and snacks in their carryons for the plane. We check our bags with clothes, toiletries, etc. (and I am a freak and pack some food items and plastic silverware, etc. as well).

**Keep in mind, you can only bring liquids in incredibly small amounts in your carryon luggage. Your shampoos, etc. if you need more than (3oz??) need to be checked.

Good luck!

 

[The Maughan's]

We have checked our bags in the past because my husband HATES waiting for the luggage at baggage claim.....however......with the new regulations, there is no way I could ever get all of my liquids through security. We thought about shipping the liquids ahead of time and just checking the luggage......but it was causing me more stress to think about than it will be to just check the bags.

 

[aashaddy]

I have thought about the liquid size, and I think I have a way around this. Since ds and dd are also allowed two carry-ons, I can fit some of the extra liquid stuff in both of their carry-ons. Also, DH doesn't take too many toiletries, so some of that can go in his, too!

 

[Albort]

i hate lugging luggages around the airport. I rather just send it out. Then again, if it gets lost, you might have a problem there. :\

 

[cryssi]

I've flown from Ontario to San Jose 3x in the past few weeks, and checked my bag. I'm amazed at the efficiency of Southwest!

I have to say, that I love checking my bags. I went to school back east, and often had several "carryons" I took on the plane. It was awful! You do run the risk, however, of losing your bag (happened to me once flying home from school, but I had to change planes). But for a short flight, I would think that's highly unlikely. I used to carry on my toiletries only, but since you can't do that anymore...it all gets checked! LOL

 

[wvnative]

We were debating doing carry-ons this trip, but the kid is having a fit. If she could just pack what she needs, and not half of her wardrobe, for a 3 day trip we'd be fine. lol

I think I'll just check my luggage and include some water bottles and snacks.

 

[mystic_path]

this was a hard poll cause it depends on how long your going for. If your going for a night or 2 it would be easy to have a carry on bag, but if your going for a week then I would check the bags.

 

[aashaddy]

i hate lugging luggages around the airport. I rather just send it out. Then again, if it gets lost, you might have a problem there. :\

Yep, I agree with you! I also hate waiting for the bags to come off of the plane!

 

[RMH]

There is NOTHING more annoying than people trying to fit an entire vacation/weeks worth of stuff into the overhead bins. IMO those are very limited space for very short trips, limited luggage, or essential/valuable items. Just because the regulations allow you to cram everything you own in the overhead bin doesn't mean you should.

You wouldn't hold up the line to board Space Mountain after waiting in it for an hour for 5 extra minutes so the rest of your group could wiggle their way to the front - that would be extremely thoughtless and inconsiderate. But inevitably someone does that on flights I've been on when they unload all their junk from the overhead bins while we are anxious to get off the plane.

 

[aashaddy]

I went across the country for a weekend once, and just carried-on my stuff. The flight attendant actually had the nerve to ask if I was planning on using all of that stuff during the flight, and she gave me the "roll of the eyes". No, I wasn't planning on using any of it, but I have had NUMEROUS times where I get to my destination, open my suitcase, and all of my intimate unmentionables were pawed through and strewn about the inside. Yuck!!!

 

[melbarkwith]

That's exactly what we are doing!
The kids have their backpacks (filled to the brim with coloring books, pencils and food!) and we will check in our bags.

(I don't think you are a freak, I am packing plastic bowls, plates and cutlery too!)

Mel

 

[VWCat]

there's only 2 of us so we are bringing carry ons then checking on the way home if we have lots of souvenirs

 

[sharoncity]

HUGE Pet peeve of mine - people who carry-on WAY to much luggage. We just went for 10 days to Cali. I had a carry on with things I needed for the 6 hr flight - asprin, water, snacks plus my laptop, DS had a small carry on with cards, books and such. DD also had a small carry on and DH had just his video camera. We checked everything else. It is SO annoying to watch people who don't want to wait for luggage that was checked try to cram everything in the overhead. It holds up everyone else on the plane both boarding and disembarking. I have been late for take off when they couldn't fit everything in overheads and THEN had to take it off to be gate checked.On top of that, my little bit of stuff gets damaged overhead as they squeeze their stuff next to and on top of mine.

I say PLEASE check your bags!

 

[AJA55]

Sorry......but I find it much more annoying to wait for people to try to stuff thier overloaded carryon in the over head then waiting for the luggage. And this is from someone that has lost their luggage three times….one time on an over seas trip....

 

[hlbtimes2]

Check the bags. Its going to take longer for them to inspect all of your carry ons and make sure that you arent over the liquid limit then to just wait for your bags at the other end of the flight!

When we flew in to long beach last week we had our bags claimed in less time then it took to get the rental car. Last night on the return our bags were on the carousel by time we got there. We did make one quick trip to the restroom between the gate and the claim area. But, still, there really was no waiting.

 

[VWCat]

well I looked on the airline site and it said the measurements of what you can have for a carry on and mine fits the measurments,all I have to do is lift it over and place it above,how much time does that take? And I have made sure all my liquids are 3oz. I'm taking the time to research what to avoid so others don't have to wait for me.

 

[aashaddy]

HUGE Pet peeve of mine - people who carry-on WAY to much luggage. We just went for 10 days to Cali. I had a carry on with things I needed for the 6 hr flight - asprin, water, snacks plus my laptop, DS had a small carry on with cards, books and such. DD also had a small carry on and DH had just his video camera. We checked everything else. It is SO annoying to watch people who don't want to wait for luggage that was checked try to cram everything in the overhead. It holds up everyone else on the plane both boarding and disembarking. I have been late for take off when they couldn't fit everything in overheads and THEN had to take it off to be gate checked.On top of that, my little bit of stuff gets damaged overhead as they squeeze their stuff next to and on top of mine.

I say PLEASE check your bags!

For me, it's not about the waiting for the bags. It's really about the invasion of my privacy. I think they are supposed to leave a slip in the bag if they go through it. They never do for my luggage, and there is always stuff strewn around in it. This is stuff that is contained inside the suitcase in a zippered compartment. Since I will have ds and dd with us, we will board early, then wait to get off after everyone else has. I certainly do not like incoveniencing anyone else. I was raised to be very aware of others' space, time, etc. My kids are being raised the same way. We are light packers and have very small carry-on suitcases, so I don't feel guilty about taking them on the plane.

 

[sharoncity]

No insult intended at all.

On our return flight a week ago, the only things we put in the overhead bin was a bag of legos from legoland and my laptop. That was for 4 people. Someone who had two *large* carry-ons was actually laying his carry-on on top of my laptop! I couldn't believe he was so thoughtless of my *stuff*. Luckily the flight attendant caught him before he did any damage.

3 of our 5 checked bags were checked by TSA. They had a small sticker on the sticker outside that says were the bag is going as well as a piece of paper inside saying that it was inspected. They also sell locks for your luggage that are TSA approved. I had that on 4 of my 5 pieces of checked baggage.

I honestly don't care what people due until it infringes on my *space* - such as putting their bag on top of my computer. Or last year when the woman next to me put a bottle of water up above us. It leaked water all over the entire compartment and then started dripping down on our heads. Yeah - I was REALLY happy.