Hand Luggage: what to take, how to pack it, etc...

[Rachandgarry]

Hi

We've lots of experience flying, but even so, I've never had a flight where I've not spotted a good idea by another passenger so I thought I'd ask some opinions...

I'm quite the control freak about our hand luggage - I personally can't stand the feeling of stuff all around my feet particularly if it is messy and disorganised. That said, I don't want to sit on the flight with nothing my fingernails to look at lol.

There are three of us (me, hubby and 6 year old) so we'll have three carry-on bags. Rather than each having our own, I'm planning to combine our stuff and have one that stays in the overhead locker the entire flight, one that is up there, but accessible when we need stuff (not too often) and then one down by our feet which has the more regular stuff for all 3 of us in.

I'm just making my lists now of what we'll need. Do you have any good recommendations of things to take? Things not to forget etc...

Thanks,
Rachel

 

[Kath2003]

Hi

We've lots of experience flying, but even so, I've never had a flight where I've not spotted a good idea by another passenger so I thought I'd ask some opinions...

I'm quite the control freak about our hand luggage - I personally can't stand the feeling of stuff all around my feet particularly if it is messy and disorganised. That said, I don't want to sit on the flight with nothing my fingernails to look at lol.

There are three of us (me, hubby and 6 year old) so we'll have three carry-on bags. Rather than each having our own, I'm planning to combine our stuff and have one that stays in the overhead locker the entire flight, one that is up there, but accessible when we need stuff (not too often) and then one down by our feet which has the more regular stuff for all 3 of us in.

I'm just making my lists now of what we'll need. Do you have any good recommendations of things to take? Things not to forget etc...

Thanks,
Rachel

We pack everything as hand luggage, and in one of the bags we put the only bag we have down at our feet. It's a small handbag, and in it, I put the laptop/tablet, phones, passport, purse etc., a couple of snacks, tissues, sweets (for take off and landing) and our iPods and headphones. We each carry the book we are reading onto the plane (because we've bought it in the airport!). Never needed anything else.

 

[queendisney]

we really don't take much onboard at all..the obvious essentials like passports and paperwork needed at the other end,our keys, mob phones and camera/camcorder. Then a book for DH and and IPod for me. We put all this in one carry-on but have a small clear plastic bag a bit like a washbag which we take out and put in the pocket in the seat in front before take-off with all the little bits in ie the book, ipod, headphones and earplugs that we will need, that way we never have to go into the carry-on and at the end of the flight we just shove the bag back into the carry-on. Things like the passports/paper work we have inside a small plastic folder in the carry-on..

I hate having to rummage arround in a bag trying to find things...

Obviously with kids its a totally different matter

 

[tinks_1989]

I normally don't worry about hand luggage as the airplane entertainment normally keeps me busy enough but now we have DD I'm trying to be really organised. I'm loading the I pad and I pods with apps, films and tv program's

I would love tips on what people take to keep kids happy.

 

[Rachandgarry]

Snap! Its so different with a child, and like you I have to be super-organised!! We never did meet up at Cribbs, did we - if you're ever free and up here do give me a shout!

R x

 

[luke]

I would love tips on what people take to keep kids happy.

Me too! Sure will be a very different flight to past ones!

 

[Canooknic]

I always take a book for me, and a bottle of water that I buy after customs. My fella just has earphones in his pocket.
For our boys I always have a snack, sugar-free suckers for take off & landing, sticker books, paper & crayons, and now they are older I have activity books (the school practice workbooks are great!). We also bring their bedtime toys with us, my sister flew with my nephews once and her bag was lost & never found with their teddies in it - dealing with2 hysterical kids and no clean clothes or wash stuff isn't something I ever want to deal with!

 

[tinks_1989]

Snap! Its so different with a child, and like you I have to be super-organised!! We never did meet up at Cribbs, did we - if you're ever free and up here do give me a shout!

R x

We must ill pm you my number again so we can arrange something. Hope the 3 of you are well x

 

[tinks_1989]

Me too! Sure will be a very different flight to past ones!

Yeah my hopes for previous flights is a good sleep. Now I just hope we have no melt downs lol.

I have read about giving them something new to unwrap every now and again. Children's plastic money and a money box is meant to be a great way to keep them entertained using their hand eye co ordination. I just don't want to have to rummage around looking for it lol.

I have downloaded some Mickey Mouse club house, jake and the never land pirates and doc mc stuffin episodes on the iPad. Got a few apps for her as well.

 

[Magic Megadegs]

We have a small bag we pull out each for our little people. That has some new bits and pieces in e.g top trumps, sticker / activity book, a reading book, small pencil case, maybe a v. Small lego set. They both got Kindle Fires for Xmas so they will be in there too this next trip with a free new app or two downloaded and a couple of new books on. There is also a snack bag in there with a bottle of water. In our small bag we put in the seat pocket in front of us we have lip balm (don't know what the heck it is on the plane that makes your lips dry out), tissues, small pack of baby wipes, hand cream, kindle and book plus water. Everything else is in the lockers above our head.

 

[Elise79]

When DD was younger I took small toys such as stacking cups, play phone, keys etc Plus 2 new touchy feel books as DD loved them. These went in her trunki with her favourite stuffed toys and blanket

As she has got older I have adapted what we take - now at 4 we take iPad, colouring, activity books and stuffed toys and blanket!

 

[chmurf]

We always oack loads of stuff dor DS.
Disney Junior episodes and Disney movies on the android tablet. A coloring book and crayons, MP3 player, Activity books (closely matching what he does in school) and many other things ...
so far we never had to take them out of the bag ... DS is glued to the IFE as soon as he is in his seat. (except for his Duffy Bear who shares his seat ...)
I think we're lucky enough that he's very calm, but we pack those stuff anyway... you never know when the IFE will quit on you

 

[Magic Megadegs]

We always oack loads of stuff dor DS.
Disney Junior episodes and Disney movies on the android tablet. A coloring book and crayons, MP3 player, Activity books (closely matching what he does in school) and many other things ...
so far we never had to take them out of the bag ... DS is glued to the IFE as soon as he is in his seat. (except for his Duffy Bear who shares his seat ...)
I think we're lucky enough that he's very calm, but we pack those stuff anyway... you never know when the IFE will quit on you

Ditto here, ds never opens his bag as is glued to the IFE (in fact the first 30 mins when it is not switched on are hell) but dd loves her bag. I heard whispers on here that BA will now have IFE available from the moment you step on the plane which my ds will be in clover about come August!

 

[Rachandgarry]

Cool thanks folks!


I'm considering giving DS a new toy or activity or something every hour or so, keep his interest up... I'm finding the older I get (37 now) the more impatient I am on longhair flights lol, I'm bored within an hour and asking if we're nearly there yet hee hee! Still, going to WDW rather makes it worth it!

 

[Canooknic]

Cool thanks folks!


I'm considering giving DS a new toy or activity or something every hour or so, keep his interest up... I'm finding the older I get (37 now) the more impatient I am on longhair flights lol, I'm bored within an hour and asking if we're nearly there yet hee hee! Still, going to WDW rather makes it worth it!

Maybe you could ask your fella to wrap some pressies for you!!
I've found out that our first flight (3 hrs to Minneapolis) doesn't have IFE!! The kids will be fine, but what am I supposed to do?!?!?

 

[Rachandgarry]

Maybe you could ask your fella to wrap some pressies for you!!
I've found out that our first flight (3 hrs to Minneapolis) doesn't have IFE!! The kids will be fine, but what am I supposed to do?!?!?

Fella also reads DISBoards
I'm sure Rach will delighted if I can just stay awake for the whole flight for a change and keep DS occupied. Just hope he 'gets' the IFE and can therefore occupy his mind.

Thanks all for the comments so far. Packing is well underway and we have at least narrowed down the bags to use and the locations to be stored. I am just countin' down the days to

I'm secretly hoping DS has a snooze on the flight, otherwise its gonna be very 'interesting' after we land / get to hotel / get admin sorted. All good fun though.

Garry