Wedding Wedding Dresses on a Plane...

[WishfulThinking]

Has anyone done this? We need to not put them in checked luggage because we don''t want to deal with baggage claims, etc, AND we don''t want to ruin their nice, wrinkle-free pressing. Will the airline just hold them for us when we get on the plane, or is that totally unrealistic? We are flying Northwestern, if it helps.

I want to contact the airline, but I am having trouble getting ahold of anyone who can answer the question. Any tips about how to reach USEFUL airline people would also be helpful.

[Sorry for all the topics I have going right now! Week and a half wedding planning is

]

 

[Shoopy]

You aren't the first person to transport a dress by plane. I would guess that it happens every day or at least once a week. What I suggest is getting a garment bag and what they'll do is put it in the back behind the seats or put it in the captains closet (I think that's what its called).

ETA: What airline are you flying? I'm at American right now so I can ask.

 

[geckodani]

I took mine with me on the plane in a garment bag and just asked them to hang it for me. I flew United and it was no problem to have them place it up front in one of the closets. My sister just laid hers on top of the baggage in the overhead compartment.

 

[neatfreak]

Don't call ahead of time because some of the online CS reps will tell you no, some will say it depends, and really you'll just waste a lot of time on hold! Just show up and be polite and nice and they'll do it for you. We flew NW to San Francisco too for our wedding and they had no problem stowing it in the captain's closet. I just let the air hostess know before we boarded that "I have a wedding dress and would it be possible to store it in one of the upright closets?" (Lots of smiles and niceties inserted here) It wasn't a problem on either plane we were on.

 

[WishfulThinking]

Thank you all so much! It''s nice to be reminded that they deal with this stuff all the time. There''s something sort of ridiculous about being a bride- I find myself dealing with all of these weird and unfamiliar things I''d never thought of before, but so many people have dealt with them before me. I am so not unique.

I appreciate the suggestions, and will definitely not waste time contacting them before my very sweet and polite inquiry upon our arrival the day of.

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Ditto to neatfreak, just be extra nice and that should do the trick!

yaay!

 

[luckystar112]

Our flight attendant was really rude about it. I got on the plane and asked her nicely if there was a place I could put my dress, and she basically just pointed at the cramped little area where their stuff is and said "Does it look like it would fit to you?".

So I stored it in the overhead bin and it was smushed by some guy's bag (I actually watched him try to jam his too-large piece of luggage in the overhead bin and jam my dress in the corner

...and the garment bag said "bridal" all over it so it's not like he didn't know). Luckily my dress was fine when I took it out of the garment bag though...it was indestructable!

 

[SarahLovesJS]

 

[blondebunny]

Date: 10/18/2008 7:44:41 PM
Author: luckystar112
Our flight attendant was really rude about it. I got on the plane and asked her nicely if there was a place I could put my dress, and she basically just pointed at the cramped little area where their stuff is and said ''Does it look like it would fit to you?''.

So I stored it in the overhead bin and it was smushed by some guy''s bag (I actually watched him try to jam his too-large piece of luggage in the overhead bin and jam my dress in the corner

...and the garment bag said ''bridal'' all over it so it''s not like he didn''t know). Luckily my dress was fine when I took it out of the garment bag though...it was indestructable!

OH MY GOODNESS-- you are a MUCH nicer person than I am.. I woulda told him whats up!!! hehehe

 

[WishfulThinking]

Date: 10/18/2008 7:44:41 PM
Author: luckystar112
Our flight attendant was really rude about it. I got on the plane and asked her nicely if there was a place I could put my dress, and she basically just pointed at the cramped little area where their stuff is and said ''Does it look like it would fit to you?''.

So I stored it in the overhead bin and it was smushed by some guy''s bag (I actually watched him try to jam his too-large piece of luggage in the overhead bin and jam my dress in the corner

...and the garment bag said ''bridal'' all over it so it''s not like he didn''t know). Luckily my dress was fine when I took it out of the garment bag though...it was indestructable!

You have SO much more self restraint than I ever would! I would have smashed his face.

Hopefully that won''t happen to us. Although we do have two dresses, which is even more complicated than one.

I think I am going to go insane with stress. *breatheee*

But there''s one thing that can''t get me down: IT''S SO EXCITING WE''RE DOING IT YAY!!

 

[onedrop]

Luckystar: Wow...how rude was that flight attendant?!?! The attitude was totally unnecessary.

Wishful: I took my dress in the garment bagfrom the bridal salon on the plane and everyone was great about it. We were able to board early and I hung the dress in the first class compartment. We had absolutely no problems. I think we flew US Airways to our DW. Maybe it just depends on the crew and the day you are travelling as to how easy it will be. Good luck with your wedding!!!

 

[WishfulThinking]

I hope I have good luck like yours, onedrop! Did you fly first class? We''re flying coach, so hopefully they''ll be nice to us.

I will believe they will, though, otherwise I''ll go insane. Think positive thoughts!

 

[MishB]

Date: 10/18/2008 7:44:41 PM
Author: luckystar112
Our flight attendant was really rude about it. I got on the plane and asked her nicely if there was a place I could put my dress, and she basically just pointed at the cramped little area where their stuff is and said ''Does it look like it would fit to you?''.

So I stored it in the overhead bin and it was smushed by some guy''s bag (I actually watched him try to jam his too-large piece of luggage in the overhead bin and jam my dress in the corner

...and the garment bag said ''bridal'' all over it so it''s not like he didn''t know). Luckily my dress was fine when I took it out of the garment bag though...it was indestructable!

Yes, that was pretty much my experience too, United international flight. I assumed they would be able to hang it up, so didn''t check in advance, asked very nicely and was told that any hanging space was reserved for crew/first class etc. No harm done though.

 

[noelwr]

I looked it up on my airline''s website and it says I can bring a 5kg wedding dress on board. mine is probably heaver than that but not sure

I am just going to ask if they can hang it in the business class closet. I will call in advance to ask them to note this in the computer or whatever so if they give me an argument I will say "I arranged this months ago..."

alternatively, I will fly business class, but when I try to book a seat with my air miles they always conveniently have none left - even if you try to book a year in advance. yah, right. damn thieves.

 

[LaurenThePartier]

Work the gate agents, seriously. Be friendly, and incredibly gracious.

I got married in Vegas, and flew out from Dallas with my now husband, and 2 of the guys in our wedding party. I put mine in a garment bag, and as our Best Man was carrying my dress onto the plane, the ticketing agent noticed it and asked "Who''s The Bride?", to which I responded with a hearty, "That''s ME!!!!"

They took DH and me over to the counter, upgraded us both to 1st class, asked if I would rather it hang or lay flat, and then they upgraded our 2 friends, too!

 

[neatfreak]

Date: 10/18/2008 11:53:10 PM
Author: WishfulThinking
I hope I have good luck like yours, onedrop! Did you fly first class? We''re flying coach, so hopefully they''ll be nice to us.

I will believe they will, though, otherwise I''ll go insane. Think positive thoughts!

We flew coach via Northwest and had no trouble. We had connecting flights too and both sets of attendants were very nice about it.

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 10/18/2008 7:44:41 PM
Author: luckystar112
Our flight attendant was really rude about it. I got on the plane and asked her nicely if there was a place I could put my dress, and she basically just pointed at the cramped little area where their stuff is and said ''Does it look like it would fit to you?''.

So I stored it in the overhead bin and it was smushed by some guy''s bag (I actually watched him try to jam his too-large piece of luggage in the overhead bin and jam my dress in the corner

...and the garment bag said ''bridal'' all over it so it''s not like he didn''t know). Luckily my dress was fine when I took it out of the garment bag though...it was indestructable!

HA I think I would have had to start yelling, my patience would have run out by then... let alone the attendant beings so rude, but I DEFINITELY would have had to say something to the guy cramming my dress. I wouldn''t have been able to sit through a whole flight wondering how squished it was up in the corner...

Haha I probably would have held it the whole time instead...

 

[luvthemstrawberries]

Date: 10/19/2008 9:58:21 PM
Author: LaurenThePartier
Work the gate agents, seriously. Be friendly, and incredibly gracious.

I got married in Vegas, and flew out from Dallas with my now husband, and 2 of the guys in our wedding party. I put mine in a garment bag, and as our Best Man was carrying my dress onto the plane, the ticketing agent noticed it and asked ''Who''s The Bride?'', to which I responded with a hearty, ''That''s ME!!!!''

They took DH and me over to the counter, upgraded us both to 1st class, asked if I would rather it hang or lay flat, and then they upgraded our 2 friends, too!

I think that''d possibly the best story I''ve ever heard dealing with airlines!! I wish I could have such things happen to me... congrats though, I''m sure it made for a much better trip!!

 

[Daydreamer7130]

We flew Delta coach both domestically and internationally with my wedding dress. It was a simple satin gown in a real cheap garment bad. It held up great being folded neatly in the overhead bins. My hubby made sure that it was the last thing put in so it was on top of everything else!

 

[onedrop]

Date: 10/18/2008 11:53:10 PM
Author: WishfulThinking
I hope I have good luck like yours, onedrop! Did you fly first class? We''re flying coach, so hopefully they''ll be nice to us.

I will believe they will, though, otherwise I''ll go insane. Think positive thoughts!

Actually we flew coach as well. Maybe it just depends on who you have to deal with. I think I went over to the counter first and asked them how to handle the situation, and I think the person was very receptive to that. Kill ''em with kindness ya know.