stupid luggage rule - vent

[jbrnhrt]

so you want to know my plans? well first of all I understand the reasons why this is set up the way it is, and I'm not in a little box. My plan is to not post on here any where except the disabilities board. You people have bad attitudes, so much for fairy dust, I can't some people are too closed minded to understand that some people have issues beyond their own little minds

 

[jbrnhrt]

so you want to know my plans? well first of all I understand the reasons why this is set up the way it is, and I'm not in a little box. My plan is to not post on here any where except the disabilities board. some of You people have bad attitudes, so much for fairy dust, I guess some people are too closed minded to understand that some people have issues that may not be so obvious in their "little box"

 

[Mimi1965]

OP=the OTHER good reason to split everything in 2 bags is-if they lose one bag-you still have things in the OTHER bag!

It is for the baggage handlers-these guys work hard=bravo that their employer is looking out for them

 

[Carriemel]

This *is* the Transportation board, famous for having NO pixie dust whatsoever. If you want sunshine and roses, go to the family board. If you want real life answers, come here to this board. If you post a vent, it's almost a sure bet that people will disagree with you, especially if there's no real reason for your vent.

I happen to work in a baggage area of an airport, and I'd sure as *H#K rather pick up 2 48-pound bags than one 70 pounder any day. Matter of fact, where I am, if a bag weighs over 50 pounds, we need to have another person help us lift it. It really is a case of manpower and workers comp type issues.

 

[Mimi1965]

I can't some people are too closed minded to understand that some people have issues beyond their own little minds

OP-I have read your other posts and see you have a "Make a Wish" child.

I also see you have lots of other things that you have to haul to WDW with you,
Possibly -if you had mentioned these facts in your original post-you would not have gotten the harsh answers.

 

[HappyDznyCamper]

OP-I have read your other posts and see you have a "Make a Wish" child.

I also see you have lots of other things that you have to haul to WDW with you,
Possibly -if you had mentioned these facts in your original post-you would not have gotten the harsh answers.

Helpful, accurate answers require all the pertinent details be included in the question/vent. Posters here may be able to help, if they know what all you need to carry in addition to your check suitcase.

 

[maxiesmom]

Helpful, accurate answers require all the pertinent details be included in the question/vent. Posters here may be able to help, if they know what all you need to carry in addition to your check suitcase.

Exactly. It also helps if you don't label something "stupid" before you know the reasons behind it. That is exactly the kind of comment guaranteed to get unhappy answers.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

OP-I have read your other posts and see you have a "Make a Wish" child.

I also see you have lots of other things that you have to haul to WDW with you,
Possibly -if you had mentioned these facts in your original post-you would not have gotten the harsh answers.

Harsh? I didn't read harshness in the posts. I did read explanations as to why an overweight suitcase is discouraged by putting a $$ on it. I did read folks offering helpfull advice why using 2 suitcases to begin with helps this family reduce the risk of the airline misplacing all of their luggage. I did read folks going "sjeez, you get a very liberal free usage of luggage and still are complaining about all of those free offers not fitting your wishlist".

None are harsh in my book. Which kinda only leaves the fact that they happen to be going on a wishtrip. While I wish no child or adult any illness or disability that might get them a wishtrip granted, I also don't see that as an explanation of having to sugarcoat things or go "you are right, SW is stupid". If I read the post in which TO replies, I have a difficult time believing any answer other than those that suit her/his p.o.v. will be taken as anything else than in a negative way.

And no, perhaps having to lug along medical supplies does not mean you get treated differently or should when you can fit them into the set luggage standard. Been there, done that, do it all of the time. This year it's looking like 1.5 suitcases of medical stuff, one or two carry ons with the same purpose and 2 wheelchairs. If somebody can not get medically needed stuff to fit inside the luggage allowance, US airlines are very very easy to work with to get things done without the $. Only basic rule they still set is not to go overweight if you do not HAVE to. Cramping all into one suitcase most likely will not fit the "no way around it", but rather will be somebody simply stuffing too much weight into one suitcase with mutiple things. These can easily be divided into 2 suitcase. Unlike for instance a medical device that in and of itself would be heavier than the set weight and/or size limits. Never had a US airline go troublesome about that one. Now if we talk other airlines, that might get a more interesting discussion.

 

[kaytieeldr]

so you want to know my plans? well first of all I understand the reasons why this is set up the way it is, and I'm not in a little box. My plan is to not post on here any where except the disabilities board. You people have bad attitudes, so much for fairy dust, I can't some people are too closed minded to understand that some people have issues beyond their own little minds

Bluntly - those of us who post on both boards would have given you the SAME responses to this same vent on the disABILITIES board.

 

[kirbsam]

so you want to know my plans? well first of all I understand the reasons why this is set up the way it is, and I'm not in a little box. My plan is to not post on here any where except the disabilities board. You people have bad attitudes, so much for fairy dust, I can't some people are too closed minded to understand that some people have issues beyond their own little minds

if you understand the reasons that it is set up this way, then i dont understand your original post where you say that you dont get it. seems like a disconnect somewhere on your part.

 

[Tina]

so you want to know my plans? well first of all I understand the reasons why this is set up the way it is, and I'm not in a little box. My plan is to not post on here any where except the disabilities board. some of You people have bad attitudes, so much for fairy dust, I guess some people are too closed minded to understand that some people have issues that may not be so obvious in their "little box"

I've read all the posts on this thread and I only see one bad attitude.

 

[LilyWDW]

Bluntly - those of us who post on both boards would have given you the SAME responses to this same vent on the disABILITIES board.

*nods*

The idea is the same. The reasons are the same. The point is the same.

People would have responded the same.

 

[goofieslonglostsis]

*nods*

The idea is the same. The reasons are the same. The point is the same.

People would have responded the same.

Almost, let's not forget the on the disABILITIES-board that sometimes gets a bit overdosed. Perhaps using that one like 10 times would've made the message come across. As Mary P. already said; a spoon full of sugar........

And no sugar on the T-board. Which is why I like it; information to the point.

 

[chicagodisneyfan]

these airlines really know how to get you. We're flying with southwest and each person is allowed 2 checked bags, and one carry on for no fee. dh and I are planning to pack our things together, as well as ds2's things all in one bag. now, they will fit in one suitcase, but will be over the weight limit, so southwest will charge us a $50 fee. How does that make sense? My family of 4 is allowed to check 8 bags for free, but if our only bag is over 50 pounds we have to pay for it?? I don't get it, 400 pounds of luggage is free, but one bag overweight is charged? no wonder people complain about flying

I cannot believe you would vent about this. With your son's situation, I would think you would applaud an airline policy that tries to limit physical injuries.

It is grueling to load 200 bags on a plane. Add in a bunch of 50 pound plus bags and you are just asking for pain.

 

[CarolMN]

One advantage to two bags that hasn't been mentioned is the potential for loss. Even SWA occasionally loses / misplaces / misdirects a checked bag.

If that ever happens to you, you learn to split things between two bags so that it isn't quite as inconvenient as losing the one big bag.

 

[maxiesmom]

One advantage to two bags that hasn't been mentioned is the potential for loss. Even SWA occasionally loses / misplaces / misdirects a checked bag.

If that ever happens to you, you learn to split things between two bags so that it isn't quite as inconvenient as losing the one big bag.

Great point. Makes me think that paying $15 each for two checked bags (one per passanger) may be the way to go, instead of trying to cram everything into one. May be worth the extra $15 for piece of mind. I will have to re-think my packing strategy.

 

[Shelly F - Ohio]

One other suggestion I would like to make regarding the use of more than one bag, is to pack one complete outfit in another family members bag. For example when we fly I put a complete outfit in my hubby bag and he puts one in my bag. That way in the off chance that one of the bags gets lost we have a spare set of clothes to rely on.
So take advantage of the free luggage allowance.

 

[twinklebug]

I can understand how the OP might want to pack as few bags as possible - with a disabled family member you really have minimal hands available to work with to tote around all the luggage.

But, picture the men, and women, working in the belly of the plane on their knees, hitting their head on the ceiling, trying to hoist these big awkward bags so they can be stacked 3-4 high at the back of the plane and you can easilly understand why so many people who work the baggage end up with back and joint issues.

I try to keep my bags to 30 lbs each, which is still heavy - but I try to buy bags that have the hook & loop on top so they can piggyback each other when being towed, this way I can have one hand pull 2 large bags with a carry on on top. Samsonite used to have some great bags for this. The newer spinners have dropped this feature.

Now if the issue is that your vehicle simply won't have the room for a chair and all the pieces of luggage I'm not sure what the solution is. Maybe you could ship some luggage down and back via UPS? I've read many folk say they do just this.

 

[NotUrsula]

...
Now if the issue is that your vehicle simply won't have the room for a chair and all the pieces of luggage I'm not sure what the solution is. Maybe you could ship some luggage down and back via UPS? I've read many folk say they do just this.

No, the best solution when it is a matter of "how many hands" or space in a rental car, is to use the "roll up and split" packing method. I do this all the time when travelling overseas with children and having to move my baggage on public transit.

You pack the largest rolling suitcase that will fit under the SIZE limits (normally 62 linear inches), but you pack about 30% of the content inside a soft duffel bag (with a luggage tag on it) and put that duffel in last. Roll on up to the baggage counter, unzip the large bag, remove the duffel, and check them separately. When you arrive at your destination's baggage claim, reclaim both bags and put the duffel back inside the rolling bag.

Simple. The only back you are risking is your own.

 

[clanmcculloch]

OP-I have read your other posts and see you have a "Make a Wish" child.

I also see you have lots of other things that you have to haul to WDW with you,
Possibly -if you had mentioned these facts in your original post-you would not have gotten the harsh answers.

I do understand the difficulty of getting through the airport. We recently had DD10 in a wheelchair for our trip and DH unable to lift more than 15lb under doctor's orders due to having just had a hernia surgery 1.5 weeks earlier and DD12 is autistic with coordination issues so she can't wheel more than 1 bag herself without dropping them. We were still subject to the rules which are what they are and for good reason. I stacked those suitcases on one of those airport luggage trollies that you can pay for and DD12 pushed the wheelchair (the kids loved that LOL). If I needed an extra set of hands after doing everything I could do to manage things myself, the airline had offered to push DD10's wheelchair (it was an airline borrowed chair for the airport so maybe that makes a difference) but I declined since we were able to manage without the help.

I honestly did not read nastiness in the replies though I did definitely read frustration. People were understandably frustrated with a vent over something seemingly easy to deal and what many consider to be a generous policy. You didn't ask for advice about how to navigate the airport; you vented about a generous policy with no explaination as to why. The people on this board are VERY helpful when asked for advice, especially when a full picture of the situation is provided. They don't tend to understand venting. There are other boards better suited for just venting. This board's focus tends to be on providing accurate information (personally I really love that about this board but a lot of people seem to not appreciate that aspect of it).