Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Galley Gossip: 5 tips for traveling with a wedding dress
From the moment my husband got down on one knee and proposed in the sand at sundown, I knew I wanted a destination wedding. When it came time to choose a wedding dress, I only considered styles that were sleek and simple. Basically I had to find something I could pack inside a suitcase since we had booked tickets on a regional carrier. Most of these airlines do not have closets or decent overhead bin space. So I knew beforehand that I'd have to gate-check a bag at the airport. It was a risk I chose to take. Thankfully my dress arrived safe and sound. I picked it up on the tarmac in Monterey.
Not all brides are quite so lucky.
"Can I hang this inside the closet?" asked a passenger on my flight from New York to Miami last week. She held a long, white garment bag with the words David's Bridal written in gold across the zippered front.
"Congratulations!" I said to the blushing bride in an attempt to soften the blow. She smiled. Oh how I dreaded delivering the bad news. How could I tell her there were no closets and that first class coats had been hung on a hook between the bulkhead wall and the last row of first class seats? No way would her big puffy dress fit in such a confined space. And if miracle upon miracle it did fit, it would get crushed.
Tips for traveling with a wedding dress:
2. Skip the poofy dress: Cinderella dresses belong in fairytales, not on airplanes. Sure it looks beautiful on you, but it's not going to look so great after you pick it up at baggage claim because you were forced to check it when it didn't fit on the airplane. Doesn't matter that you're getting married, if it doesn't fit it doesn't fit case closed! Be smart and travel light.
3. Check aircraft equipment: Most wide-body equipment (an aircraft with two aisles used mainly on long haul routes) have closets on board for passengers to use. They're usually located in first class. Not all narrow-body equipment (single aisle aircraft) have closets since so many of them have been reconfigured to make more room for passenger seats.
4. Board first: Just because there's a closet on the airplane doesn't mean there's going to be space available for your dress. Closets are small and quickly fill up with large bulky items such as wheelchairs, walkers, crutches, paintings, strollers, musical instruments and garment bags. Your only option may be to place the dress inside an overhead bin. If you're in coach, choose a seat near the rear of the aircraft since most major carriers board from back to front first. This will ensure you find a place for your dress since bins tend to fill up quickly now that passengers bring everything on board to avoid checked luggage fees. If you're traveling on an airline like Southwest that uses a first come-first serve boarding system, get to the airport extra early so you're one of the first passengers in line.
5. Buy the dress a seat: The only surefire way you won't have to check the dress is to buy a seat for it. I'm not kidding. Passengers traveling with musical instruments do it all the time. There's nothing more important than the dress, am I wrong? The dress to a bride is a lot like a child to a parent in that you'll do anything to protect it from being harmed. Just make sure to book it a window seat and don't forget to buckle it in.
Filed under: Airlines, Transportation, Galley Gossip
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Virgil Lovett Jul 7th 2010 12:30PM
I say send the dress and his tux, his/her shoes, vails and also the "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue" stuff as far ahead with FedEx/UPS as you can! Most hotels that know they have a wedding party coming to stay with them will more than likely hold it for as much as a week ahead of time. Also if there are any weather issues where you live or were you are going, you are giving your dress ample time to get there. (Fellas this includes your tux, shoes and any accessories you may need)
Send it express (service level) not ground, even if your close...state or two away. The express side handle packages a little bit different than in a ground trucking situation. Spend the extra money and get it there quick with a buffer of time in place, that way if for some reason it gets damaged or lost you have time to go to a plan be, give the cargo companies time to find or fix the problem.
Track your package and send it to a contact at your destination that can let you know when they physically have it in hand and they can see if the packaging has been damaged or is ok. Also you can pay for the return shipping in advance too so when your all done with the wedding festivities you can ship it home, friend or families home till you arrive back home and your not having to worry about it while your in honeymoon mode...You have other pressing business to worry about! LOL
Good luck to all the soon to be married couples and remember planning ahead and thinking outside of the box will save you from headaches in the long run and you can enjoy your day stress free!
BlkAv8tor2003
Airline Travel...What You Really Need To Know!!!
http://blkav8tor2003.blogspot.com/
Fiznatty Jul 7th 2010 12:49PM
Tip #6: If you fly with it, don't leave it in an airport cafe halfway around the world like my bride almost did.
Leslie Jul 7th 2010 2:47PM
Great tips. Just one question though-- how could you possibly book an extra seat on a plane for a dress? You'd have to put the reservation in someone's name-- and when that person doesn't check in, the airline would release the seat and open it up to standby passengers. No? Can you clarify exactly how this would work? Thanks!
Vegas Flygirl Jul 22nd 2010 3:37PM
Leslie - you would make both reservations in your name - passengers of larger size that feel more comfortable with 2 seats, that's how they book their duplicate seating. So you'll have 2 boarding passes with your name on both - hopefully that answered your question.
Amy Jul 7th 2010 2:59PM
@Leslie,
You would book it in your name! and when you call the airline to double check your reseveration tell them you are buying a seat for extra space. I did a few times and they were very helpful...not to mention you are paying for a seat and it wont require a lot of service...most airlines are happy to book you a double seat!!
Hope this helps!