At this point I'm in a frazzeled panic.
Because we're using FF miles to get to France & I didn't book until March, I agreed to this tight, long route.

The two of us--mature seniors--are now in total disagrement as to how to handle our luggage--put it through or carry it on through all the flights $ perhaps more.

Our travel plans:

1 PM- shuttle bus service to LaGurdia
airport

8:30 LaGuardia to Boston
9:41 arrive Boston

11:20P Boston to Paris
11:50A arrive Paris

1:50 Paris to Limoge
Pick up by friends at Limoges

These are my concerns: At this time of year, many fligts are late. The weather forcast for Thursday is thunder storms. LaGuardia has many delayed flights. IF WE MISS the flight to Paris, we are SOL. The next flight is not until 5PM the next day & then that following day there are no direct flights to Limoges. So I've made up plan B.

If we miss the Paris flight or even just the Limoges flight, when we get into Paris we'll dash to Gare d'Austerlitz & take a train to Argenton sur Creuse where our friends live. ( near Chateauroux). If our luggage is put through, it will be in Limoges--maybe.
If we carry luggage on the plane, then we are saddled with it trying to dash from terminal to terminal & gates & perhaps a bus & cab to the train station a Austerlitz & then manuvering the train station etc. etc. Remember we are 'in our 70's)

Question: What to do?? Also: suppose we do put the two suitcases through & we don't take the last flight & then have to take the train instead, would the airline still deliver the luggage to us, as we wouldn't be doing the last part of the flight. I guess we'll be about 1 1/2 from the Limoges airport.

Do I sound confussed? I am!!

Hi T,

How big are the suitcases?

Will you be carrying large amounts of liquids and gels?

We've taken the cases with us before, but it's been awhile. One case is 21 & the other is 22" plus they each have another two inches for the wheels & some sort of a bar across the wheels.

Not much liquid stuff. Is it a total of 3oz per person? Or does it mean 3 oz in each of several bottles.

My husband has a swiss army knife that's 2" big. The knife part is 1 3/4". As far as he's now concerned, he says he won't be able to take it on the plane & that issue settles the whole problem. We send the luggage through.

So here we go again. I'm still not sure.

Why don't you split the difference? Pack a couple of outfits in small carry-ons and check the rest. That's what we did last month on the off chance our checked luggage didn't make it at the same time we did, we'd have a couple of changes of clothes, our camera and meds with us.

Hi T,

With two carryons, I would carry them on.

> Is it a total of 3oz per person? Or does it mean 3 oz in each of several bottles.

You may take as many 3 oz containers as you can fit into a 1 quart (32 oz) Ziplock bag.

>My husband has a swiss army knife ...As far as he's now concerned, he says he won't be able to take it on the plane & that issue settles the whole problem. <

Well, I am fond of my SAK, but not that fond of it.

Ira,thanks for your imput. I was just concerned about the suitcases holding us up on trying to get off the plane etc. Can't really dash off if we have to reach overhead & try to get them down etc.

Are these connections to close for comfort-running with suuitcases?

Swiss army knife--do they let these things on the plane? Not even the small ones? Ok- I guess they don't. Well, he likes it so we'll have all the little gadgets, etc.

The small swiss army knives have been verbotten for a long time

" Can't really dash off if we...
You can only dash off if you are in first class!
The rest just have to wait their turn with or without a luggage.
Running through an airport with luggage is no fun (been there).
Your luggage has to be transfered twice in a short time, the chances of it not arriving with you ,even if the flights are on time,is considerable.
I would pack light and take a carry on.
It is a hard choice.

> If our luggage is put through, it will be in Limoges--maybe.

I would assume it isn't done any more since Lockerbie? The luggage is usually checked against confirmed passenger list.

As "mature seniors", you may wish to pack light, with the 3oz restrcitions in mind, simply purchasing some interesting new stuff (including a SAK) while in Europe and stick with carry-ons. Presumably your return trip is less tightly connected?

In all seriousness I would look into options for shipping it. It must be a long enough trip that you cannot make do with a light carry-on, so take a small carry-on and ship your luggage. I see this being the future with airlines either losing luggage or enacting ever more stringent size requirements. The swiss army knife is not going to make it there regardless imo.

Actually, I think it's not accurate to say that you have a "considerable" chance of having your luggage go missing. There's the same small chance anyone would have on this kind of itinerary. If the weather holds, you don't have really tight connections, and the most likely place your luggage would get separated from you is on the leg from Paris to Limoges.

I'd suggest the following: split your clothes between your two checked bags and check both bags. Put a change of clothes, medications, some toiletries, and what you might need for 2 days in a small bag and carry that on each.

If your luggage doesn't arrive, then make do. I'm sure you can deal with the inconvenience and still have fun. With this kind of itinerary, your bags will either make it or go spectacularly astray, and I think you have a much better chance than not of getting your luggage.

But which airline? That does make a difference. Based on this schedule, I'm going to say Delta/Air France. If that's the case, I think this plan might work.

From the itinerary, you're flying Delta LGA-BOS then Air France the rest of the way.

First, you'll be at LGA way before your LGA-BOS flight. But Delta has a $25 Same -day confirmed travel. You can get to the airport, pay the $25, switch to the earlier flight (they run hourly shuttle LGA-BOS, at every :30).

You will be at BOS way before the Air France flight, even with bad weather around LGA.

You have 2:30 at CDG for your transfer. For a late flight departing BOS, I don't think you'll have a problem making that connection. The airline will deliver your checked luggage to your final destinations if you misconnect, but it may take days. Make sure you have enough medicine, a set of clothes, etc with your carryon.

Also, if you misconnect in Paris, and needs to take the train, make sure you let Air France knows your intention and reason. They will rebook you on something, though it seems like they only have one CDG-LIG flight a day. The point is that if you just no-show for part of an itinerary, they'll cancel the rest. Make sure that doesn't happen.

Actually with the new confirmed passenger/luggage matches that are now used, it's most likely that your luggage will go with you. The airlines routinely hold planes for this and I've experienced it more than once in the past few months (i.e. your luggage will be pulled off if you're not on the plane).

Given that you're seniors, I'd pack as lightly a carry-on as possible (but ensure it contains all your meds and one change of clothes) and check the rest. You're itinerary isn't all that tight. If you don't make the Paris flight, you'll have your luggage with you.

Thanks rkkwan & all others who have replied & especially to Doug for jumping in.

First of all, my time connection time at CDG to Limoges is not 2 1/2 hrs. but just 1:45 as I copied it wrong when typing. We leave Paris for Limoges at 1:30- so that gives us 1;45 .
Let me get this point straigt. If I have to take the train for that part of the trip AND I let Air France know this, will I still be able to use the rest of my ticket? I forgot about the checking the luggage with the pasaenger list. AND--if we don't show up at the Limoges airport, will they deliver the luggage to us.

There is a flight out of CDG the next day but it goes to Lyon first & I hate the thought of yet another flight.

Belive me, I don't want to have to do any of this extra stuff, train, etc. but as I said at first, I just need to know my options.
AND--if we had bought some backpacks, I would have gone that route & not worried about all this! It's too late now, so just don't suggest this to me!

Many thanks.

Since you can fit everything into a 21-22 inch case, I'd sure try to do total carryon with that long schedule, as there are so many possibilities of the bags not making a flight. I'd be worried just about the first one making it.

YOu can't dash off any plane, anyway, you are always standing there a long time until you can actually get off. Having a bag in overhead is pretty irrelevant at that point.

I think your husband sounds like a real pill. I've never traveled with a Swiss Army knife in my entire life, and I've traveled a lot and have never needed one. It is not crucial to any vacation. What does he think he's going to do that he has to have a knife on him, anyway -- build some campfire or something.

Can you divide your belongings between the two bags and check only one? Then you'd have half your stuff if the checked bag goes astray, and only one significant bag to wrestle through airports.

In any case, be sure to have your complete itinerary in an outside compartnent of your suitcase and the details of your first lodging on the ID tag (I write the hotel's name, address, phone, and dates on the back of my business card to insert in my hang tag).

If you miss the connection to Limoges, don't just say "forget it" and go for the train. You need to talk to Air France and see what accomodations they'll do for you. They will probably put you on the train anyways. And you need to figure out with them what to do with your luggage - whether they'll deliver to Limoges or whatever address, or whether they'll find it for you at CDG right there and then you carry the bags to the train.

Again, do not just disappear from CDG without having all those things sorted out.

BTW, don't worry about your BOS-CDG flight late. I looked at past performance of AF321 and it's only been significantly late one time (6/19) since this flight started in early June.

I can't stand carrying everything on the plane. Even a smallish suitcase is too heavy for me to comfortably lift into the overhead bin, and slows you down if you need to run down long corridors in connection airports.

I would follow the suggestion to check the two suitcases (with each of your clothes split between the two) and pack two carry-ons that you could live out of for a day or two is something goes haywire.

You don't get off the plane any quicker by not having suitcases, it depends how far back your row/seats are... that's the determining factor.

Thank you for all this information. I cetainly feel better knowing all of this & I promise to keep calm & give a report when we return.

Now---what does BTW mean?