Not paying the baggage fees!

[PrncesKMW]

Heading down for 8 days and I was ticked about paying the baggage fees. Then I found this article: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/business/06PACK.html?_r=2&scp=1&sq=tips for packing&st=cse

I just did my "dry run" for this Friday, and it ALL fits! Yes, I will be wearing some of the same things in different combos and I plan to do one load of laundry. However, I usually pack a monster bag and I end up not wearing a bunch of things, so this is preferable, and is saving me $50!

 

[Cheshire Figment]

Please correct your link. You have the "HTTP://" repeated and it messes up browsers. If you try to click on what you have, it will not work.

 

[hoosiergirl7]

I found a great carry-on suitcase this Spring that I took with me to Vegas when I went to visit a friend and refused to check a bag. The week that I was there the weather was downright cold for end of April. I managed to pack a pair of jeans, 3 sweaters, 4 or 5 shirts, underwear, toiletries, hair straightener & 1 extra pair of shoes in that carry-on. It wasn't very heavy at all either. I re-wore the clothes I had on my body on the trip out there. Used it going to NYC this summer and didn't check bags. I will use it on my trip to Dallas to visit my SIL in 2 weeks. Worth every cent.

 

[AlaskaMOM]

I think this link might work

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/06/business/06PACK.html?scp=1&sq=professional%20packing%20tips&st=cse

 

[jsmith]

all this angst over baggage fees cracks me up-we are so obsessed with getting the lowest fare-for flights or cruises or what ever that we have pushed airlines to this-if one airline raised fares 50 bucks a ticket and told you would get to check bags for free-pretty soon everyone would want to fly them so they could check bags for "free". Its so funny.

 

[NotUrsula]

Personally I don't like the rolling method for most clothes; I prefer the nesting method, where you lay all of the items out flat on a surface and fold them around one another in order to make a neat suitcase-sized package. I find that this method leaves fewer air pockets than the rolling method if you are not a big fan of thin knits.

However, I will wholeheartedly endorse the story's recommendation for investing in quality thin long underwear. My whole family packs silk, even the kids. It is very comfortable, thin enough to roll up into a pocket, and toasty warm. I've worn my longies many times at the Disney parks during nightime Christmas events, when that wet Florida air can get quite nippy.

 

[PrncesKMW]

Fixed the link, sorry for the confusion! Guess all that packing made me delerious

Not Ursula - My boyfriend is using the nesting method for his golf clothes - we had no idea there were so many packing methods besides sitting on top of the suitcase to get it closed

 

[sam_gordon]

all this angst over baggage fees cracks me up-we are so obsessed with getting the lowest fare-for flights or cruises or what ever that we have pushed airlines to this-if one airline raised fares 50 bucks a ticket and told you would get to check bags for free-pretty soon everyone would want to fly them so they could check bags for "free". Its so funny.

It's called 'Southwest'.

 

[abbyndrewmom]

I used to do tour directing and the best thing I learned was to pick one main colour and then a highlighting colour and stick with those two colours. That way everything goes with everything else I would also pack jewlery and possibly a scarf to change things up. In the winter I would do black & red, in the summer white & biege and of course my jeans. I was always able to pack my personal stuff into one small suitcase. I didn't want to have too much to worry about when I was in charge of 40 other people!

 

[luvmesometigger]

It's called 'Southwest'.

The Southwest comment made me laugh. I am flying US Airways. All 5 of us for $897. If all 5 of us take a bag, RT for our checked baggage will be $230. Total will be $1127. Southwest, for the same dates and times, for the 5 of us is $1642. $500 extra for our bags to fly "FREE".

 

[Purseval]

all this angst over baggage fees cracks me up-we are so obsessed with getting the lowest fare-for flights or cruises or what ever that we have pushed airlines to this-if one airline raised fares 50 bucks a ticket and told you would get to check bags for free-pretty soon everyone would want to fly them so they could check bags for "free".

At least with this method the airlines give you a chance to modify your packing and save a few bucks.

 

[bettymae1121]

DH and I had an 8 day trip earlier this spring, a few days at DLR then the rest at my father's and brother's homes in AZ. We were able to get everything into two carry on sized rolling duffles. It was our first trip with these duffles and we LOVE them. We can fit so much more into them than the standard type of rolling suitcase and they are lighter, which means you can pack a bit more and still be able to pick up the bag with relative ease. I doubt we'll ever use our suitcases again! And the bags were cheap, I got them at TJ Max for $25 each.

Also remember, that you are allowed two carry-on pieces, the suitcase and a personal item, and that personal item can be an overnight bag or a backpack, allowing you to pack a few more days worth of clothing. In our case, the duffels fit all our clothing, shoes, etc. so we used our backpacks for things we wanted easy access to on the plane. But it was nice to know we had the back up space available for the way home if we bought a lot of stuff at DLR.

 

[Webbie]

It's called 'Southwest'.

LOL you have it right!!

 

[scrapquitler]

Here's a tip I learned when I went to Miami earlier this summer (with just my carryon)...

The flight was overbooked, so while I was sitting at the gate, the airline guy made an announcement "The flight is extremely full, to help us out and make boarding easier, we are looking for volunteers to check their bags, for free"



So I checked my bag for free.

It can't hurt to ask on your flight if they would like a 'volunteer' to check their bag at the gate for free (I picked it up at the regular baggage claim at the end of the flight...and they checked it thru to my final destination even though I had a connection).

 

[wmharley]

It's called 'Southwest'.

I call it Jetblue as you can actually eat a variety of snacks and drinks and pick your seat for the same price as being cattle prodded into a group just to be able to carry an extra free bag.

Plus I get TV on teh flight.

 

[MEM]

I call it Jetblue as you can actually eat a variety of snacks and drinks and pick your seat for the same price as being cattle prodded into a group just to be able to carry an extra free bag.

Plus I get TV on teh flight.

Southwest and Jetblue are definitely NOT the same price here in New England. Southwest is always less expensive (at least to MCO) plus I don't have to deal with Logan airport.

 

[stazmatic]

We carried on with 6 kids in 2008. Each kid had a rolling suitcase and a backpack. It would have been easier if each kid could have carried their own suitcase - but oh well my 6 mo old wasn't Superman. We made it on and saved tons of money getting a cheap flight from United and saving at least 100 in baggage fees.
This time we are flying on Southwest because it is the cheapest by far. Checking bags is just a bonus.

 

[bumbershoot]

It's called 'Southwest'.

Depends on what routes you fly and when you go. At the time that I booked our flight to MCO, SW was the absolute lowest, and then you realize the savings of no charge for checked bags, and it's all good.

The Southwest comment made me laugh. I am flying US Airways. All 5 of us for $897. If all 5 of us take a bag, RT for our checked baggage will be $230. Total will be $1127. Southwest, for the same dates and times, for the 5 of us is $1642. $500 extra for our bags to fly "FREE".

As long as you're sure to recognize it when SW is the cheapest for some flight you take. Or that it can be the lowest for others.

I call it Jetblue as you can actually eat a variety of snacks and drinks and pick your seat for the same price as being cattle prodded into a group just to be able to carry an extra free bag.

Plus I get TV on teh flight.

Ugh. On our one and only JB flight we had a ticket agent that was rude to me (I was thanking her for something, but she was too busy interrupting me in a too-low-to-hear voice to hear that I was THANKING her, and she yelled at me), we had a flight attendant that was rude (knocked hubby's hand away from the seatback button, pressed it, and SLAMMED, with his other hand, hubby's seat up), and my TV was broken.

As for choosing seats, many of us prefer to actually, literally choose our seats once we're on board the plane. Many of us have had the experience of having seats *changed* when we get to the ticket counter to check bags...makes the time you spent "choosing" your seat worthless! This happened to me often on the big carriers, and it's been happening with hubby's work travel as well recently.




Anyway, I prefer to listen to Rick Steves' info on packing light...but NOT for Disney. We use his carry-on-sized bags (even the right size for most European airlines, though NOT for Qantas if I recall correctly) and generally check them, but we certainly could carry them on and actually CARRY them on since the most they've ever weighed, when packed to the rafters (we were checking them that time, the expandable zipper was expanded) was under 30 lbs.

 

[njmom47]

This happened to me also, flying back to Atlantic City from Southwest Florida airport, got to check my bag for free (it was a medium-sized suitcase, not some of the jumbo suitcases some people think should be "carry-ons") AND I was offered a voucher if I would stay another 36 hours (which I didn't take - had to be at work the next day).

 

[ohlas]

here is what my bag problem is my mini van doesnt fit the 8 suit cases i want bring lol

airlines suck and they can keep on sucking im driving unless its over seas im driving

and shhhh i dont want to fight about im losing time driving it not lost its part of the vacation!!!