Virgin with baby part 2: carryon
 

I figured my last post that started with this title got so much attention I'd use it again.... :)

As many of you know I am travelling with a toddler in September to London (and have been very helpful in planning the trip, thank you so much). Travelling on Virgin Air, SFO to LHR.

I keep flip flopping on the issue of checked vs. carryon luggage... having always been able to travel for up to 3 weeks with a fabulous Eagle Creek carryon. But with a baby I was convinced we'd end up with checked luggage.

That is, until a recent post from Calamari has reminded me why I have always insisted on carryon. I am now dreading checked luggage for fear it may be lost or items "removed" from it. I know I can ship ahead several of the heavier items we might want to bring (brother in law lives in London now).

So now I'm actually thinking, "hey, we can do this with carry-on only." (Yes, I know I've also posted this question before.)

The only catch... Virgin has notoriously tight restrictions for carryon. We are flying business class, so at least theoretically we'll have more overhead room, right?

What do you all think? Am I crazy to try to cram it all into one small bag?

Do they really enforce the restrictions on the SFO to LHR route?

Does having carryon with the new security measures actually increase your amount of check in time if they pick you to go through your bag?

Thanks!
~kat

Hello Virgin w/ baby. I think but am not sure that Virgin allows two carry ons per person in Business and the weight limitation is higher. Have you checked their site? I have never had a proublem with Virgin in the past and pre 9/11. I had read that Swiss was v. strict about carry-on but was surprised when they let me on with essentially two carry-ons. It could have been because the baggage woman was so daft. I cannot remember how old your toddler is but I always travelled lite when mine were little mostly because I hated the idea of waiting for bags while tending to crying babies. This was my first ever lost and stolen items experience. If you were going to any other city I would suggest that you just take the essentials in carry ons and buy whatever else you need while you are there, but my experience last year in London has changed that idea. I found even basics to be outrageousely expensive. Pack used clothing in suitecases and new items and clothing in carryons. Good luck.

We flew business class on Virgin from JFK to LHR this past March. We each checked a bag but they weighed our carry on luggage too. They insisted my husband's carry on bag was too heavy (we're convinced their scale was wrong or she was just being a pain). We had to remove some of the items and put them in the bag we were checking. That issue aside, I just don't see how you'd manage carrying your own luggage plus baby and baby stuff.

If you can mail stuff ahead (including some of your clothes), I'd certainly do that though.

It's really a very personal thing. For me, the idea of having to carry everything on the plane, along with baby and necessary supplies for baby while traveling, is far far worse than a (usually) short wait for luggage at the end. Also, I could not contemplate NOT packing certain clothes or books because of the weight and size limit of cabin baggage. By the time you get through passport control, walk to the baggage reclaim, change babies diaper (preferable to changing on the plane), the wait for your luggage won't be long.

Your concern seems to stem from the risk of baggage being lost or stolen. And you seem to have fed this worry for an SFO-LHR flight by one woman's story of a flight from Rome to LA.

Do you really believe your, your baby's - or for that matter your fellow fliers'- overnight flight is going to be improved by your carrying carry-on at the extreme edge of your comfort? Or that, whatever the relevance of a single incident on a quiote differemt flight, baggage thieves are seriously going to break into your luggage and steal nappies?

And is it actually possible to travel with a baby totally without scissors, nailclips or a small knife? Because that's what has to happen with carry-on only

In the highly unlikely case of your checked baggage going missing, you're not going to find any problem buying what's missing in London. Whether it's any pricier than at home doesn't matter, since you won't be paying.

Put everything in the hold. Take on board what's necessary for the flight and the next 36 hours. Then ensure you and your child get on the flight calm enough to ensure the rest of Upper Class can get a full night's sleep.

..again a comment re "carry-ons" in general on long haul flights....perhaps (and i know this is radical), would like the airlines to have even stricter rules re cabin baggage in economy(those who are paying for the "front of the bus" deserve different rules re carryon). I am getting sick and tired of having my legs cramped even more by some bag shoved under the seat in front of me, tired of being unable to lay my jacket in the overhead, tired of dodging heavy objects bouncing out of the overhead at the end of the trip ect, ect...i know we all dont want to wait for bags at the end of a long trip but the customs, lines in general, airport layouts are usually the rate limiting factors anyway...could we all
not go back to real carryons...briefcase/computer and a small soft bag for a change of undies, shirt or blouse, reading on the plane, meds and makeup?? I know this is a rant but i think that with half the world hurling all of their lugggage in the overhead, it is making it very uncomfortable ( and ? unsafe) for the rest of us...oh, unless i am skiing or going over for a few months, i travel with a 21" case but check it.

In my experience, Virgin can be very strict about carry-ons, especially if the plane is full.

kat, I started thinking about your "business class" comment after posting. Virgin has upper class, premium economy (I think that's what they call it) and economy. We flew Upper Class in one direction and premium economy home. The weight, size, amount of carry on is different, believe it or not, in the 3 classes. As best as we can remember it was in Upper Class that they insisted the carry on was too heavy. Anyway, I still say don't do this to yourself (try to take everything on board). I agree with flanneruk on this one. Just because Calamari had a bad time doesn't mean you will.

My stepdaughter has been flying Virgin with babies/toddlers/kids for years in economy and has had good experiences. Virgin is kid friendly (more so, IMO, than adult friendly but that's another story) Stop worrying and have a good trip :)

You'll have to grow an extra pair of arms to travel with a toddler and no checked luggage. The extra arms would come in handy, but the fashion consequences......

Seriously, you'll need a stroller and a backpack at a bare minimum. Strollers take two hands to steer accurately, so the most you can manage is the backpack and a small bag over the handles. Shipping your clothes is an idea, but there's no guarantee they'll get there in time, and the price will make you think twice.

I think it would be crazy to travel overseas with your toddler and just a carryon. You will be incredibly loaded down walking through the airport. And if you are booked in Upper Class (Virgin does not have a business class), your bags will be the first off the plane (I remember time being a concern in your last post.)

Check it. Virgin is really good about the luggage. At least when we took it from L.A. to London last summer, we were allowed to keep our luggage locked when we checked it in. There were screening chambers to the right of check in, and they had us stand to one side while they screened it. We had to stand there and wait to see if they needed to open the bags. They gave us the okay, and we were off, without a hitch, and with locks on our bags. In business, they check the luggage separately, and it's the first luggage off the plane. You will have too much stuff with you on the plane for the baby to worry about the stuff in your checked bag.

When we took our son overseas as a toddler, we already looked like camels without the checked luggage!

My motto has always been if you can't carry it on your back don't bring it, so my main desire in carry on is, in fact, ease factor. Calamari's post about theft was only a bit of a surprise as I never thought much of it in the handful of times I've checked luggage on my return flights.

But... you've certainly given me more to think about. I need to start making a list of all the things we need to bring and do a test run to see how we'll pack it all.

What I admit I'm having a hard time understanding is how checking luggage, which then necessitates carrying 2 bags instead of 1, makes travels "easier." It becomes an invitation and excuse to carry more, which then makes you more weighted down with more bags to schlep around during your trip.

My eagle creek bag acts as a backpack which I can easily throw over my shoulders AND still push a stroller. My husband has the same bag so he'll be able to carry his bag and the baby's rolling suitcase, PLUS the diaper bag, which gets onto the plane as my "purse".

After 4 previous trips across the pond each time I'm say, "next time I'll carry even less." Not, "hey, I think I want to check luggage so I can carry more with me."

And as a mommy I practically live in the same 3 or 4 outfits during the week, and we're staying in a flat with a washer/dryer, so my bag will be very light. My daughter's clothes weigh a small fraction of adult sized clothes, even if we bring a lot of them.

I am planning on buying nappies when we get there, she doesn't take a bottle, so aside from a handful of interesting toys and a few books to keep her occupied, I don't see what will take up so much space and weight.

And we have a small foldable umbrella stroller with a carry handle that I'm hoping we'll be allowed to roll right up to the gate. Since we are flying in their "premium" economy and paid quite a bit more for those seats (even though I know they're not upper class), I'm hoping they don't sweat us on the stroller.

So... all that said, I'm going to consider your advice, and try a packing dry run this summer to see if we're really all that crazy.

Thanks,
kat

skatterfly, if you are good at packing light, why not do the test run now and try living out of just what you pack for a few days? If you can manage that, then you know you would be able to manage it in London.

Will... that's a great idea. I was also thinking of trying a "dry run" on public transit with the luggage and stroller... since I'm going to BART into SFO on the day of our flight (another reason we're so into the idea of packing light).

I'm already strategizing which top with which skirt/pant/jacket combo to maximize my clothing, and we're not leaving till September. LOL A little crazy, I suppose, but it's half the fun of travelling.

~k

skatterfly, I was thinking that it's quite likely that you will want to pack things like nail scissors or a nail file. In that case, carry-on is probably impossible. If you are sure you won't have any prohibited items, then of course there is no problem. (I'm not sure if nail scissors are still disallowed.)

Skatterfly: I don't know if you would be interested but in this month's budget travel I read about a service in London that rents out baby equipment(stroller etc.) by the day or week, sells a pack that incl. diapers etc. and also for a small charge delivers to your hotel before your arrival. If you are interested I will repost the exact info.

I must say I'm with travelbunny on this; rules about carry-ons should be strictly enforced.
And nail scissors are not allowed, neither are nail files or corkscrews, or anything else sharp.

I don't recall needing scissors or nail files in my baby stuff. I think you'll do just fine (how long is your trip?) with carryons. They may take your stroller at the door and stash it someplace, but you'll get it back when you land (and you need it). As you know from previous travels, if you really get stuck you can buy something in London to make it through the trip.

"Virgin has notoriously tight restrictions for carryon..." really?
I'm not sure I agree, depending on your definition of "tight."

I've flown them several times recently out of Dulles and my carry-on items were never once weighed and nothing was removed from them or my regular checked luggage, either. Admittedly, I wasn't carrying anything that is currently forbidden, either.

I am a big proponent of "being prepared" and I probably worry far too much when traveling but I hope you aren't either and based on possible very episodic circumstances.

Have a great trip.

Although we didn't fly on Virgin, we checked our two suitcases on American to London last month with no problems whatsoever.

We used the new TSA approved locks and they worked just fine. I had a notice in my suitcase when we arrived that it had been opened by TSA but the lock was still intact so they must have used their special tool to open it and then they put it back on. Nothing was missing. In fact, if they hadn't left me the notice that it had been opened, I wouldn't have even known it.

I just flew Virgin from NYC to LHR. On my outbound, I had no trouble at all with my carryon, which was good, because I had to make a bunch of connections. (I didn't check any bags.)

On my return, they insisted that I check my carryon at the gate (I had gone through the Flight Connections area at LHR to get a boarding card as I was connecting from Amsterdam). Now, this time I had that carryon and a plastic bag with stuff that I didn't really bother to pack and a small shopping bag from the airport. Maybe this was what ticked them off. They claimed the flight was full, and all they did was to try to carry my carryon to determine how heavy it was (no scales, etc.).

But I slipped onto the flight anyway. I just stood aside and packed the stuff in my plastic bag into my carryon and the other shopping bag from the airport.

I noticed that there were many passengers with bags bigger than mine (and presumably heavier). So it's a question of luck also.

I also flew Virgin Express from Athens to Brussels on this trip and they insisted that I check my carryon, which I did.

check your bag and carry on the bare minimum. At most airports you'll be able to use the stroller up to the gate where it will then be "ate checked." In London the stroller (now called a pushchair) will be given back to you at the gate. The walk from almost every gate at Heathrow and Gatwick is a long one, then there's the wait at passport control (you might get the fast pass in premium class), the wait for your bag will be minimal. However, the walk and the waiting in line will seem that much longer if you have a bunch of stuff to carry. Pack important stuff (snacks, water, quiet toys), and change of clothes and a two day supply of diapers with you. You can still pack light and check a bag. I have flown a ton of times since 9/11 and have had a bag searched every other time. A note is placed inside the bag to lt you know it's been opened. The stories I've heard of things being taken have been at the security and have been in the carry on bags. Don't make a decision based on one person's experiece! I have had nothing taken from my luggage (- perhaps because I don't pack anything worth stealing?)

I flew in premium economy (it's not business class and shouldn't be considered as such) from LAX-LHR. Neither the agent at LAX nor LHR even glanced at my slightly overweight carry-on (of course, I didn't have a diaper bag as my "purse" ;) )

Technically the carry-on allowance for both economy and premium economy is exactly the same in dimensions and weight, which is 13lbs (my bag weighs 8lbs empty). Since you're flying from SFO, you'll be on their 747 aircraft. Did you book the PE seats upstairs or downstairs? The overhead bins upstairs are smaller and will not fit a rolling suitcase, but they have a storage closet at the top of the stairway where you can store your bag - just hand it to one of the attendants. Upstairs PE seats do have a very convenient side storage compartment next to the window for smaller articles.

OTOH Virgin provides priority baggage handling for PE, so even if you have to check bags, your wait shouldn't be too long. You'll probably have to gate check the stroller.

We recently flew VA from LAX to LHR. At LAX they weighed our carryons. I had weighed them at home and knew they were okay. Next we waited until nearly flight time and then they herded us all out of the waiting area and went through absolutely everyone's luggage person by person. Needless to say, we did not take off on time! I'm not sure what purpose was served since many people left the waiting area to visit the restroom after their carryons had been checked. They could have easily picked up something forbidden and walked back into the checked area. Strange policy, but LAX is always strange!

In London returning home, we were pulled out of a huge long checkin line and a uniformed gentleman took everything out of my carryon (and put it back in). Then he escorted us to the front of the line. Down side: having the carryon pulled apart. Up side: not having to stand in line.

If you have a real concern, you might telephone VA and ask their advice. ((@))

I often travel with just a carry-on---but, when my boys were little, No Way. It is just too difficult to get throught the airport with the stroller, baby, diaper bag, plus your stuff. Check the luggage and relax. The longest my stuff has ever been lost in over a million miles of air travel is 24 hrs.

Thanks for all the input folks. I just confirmed with Virgin that since my dd is flying on an infant ticket she's not even allowed a carryon piece, which blows my plan out of the water. Either I cut my already lightweight packing in half so her clothes are in my bag, or I just check luggage. I guess I'm just obsessed with the idea... I love the flexibility of just one bag on my back. I guess we'll just have to check it this time, and bring an extra bag. Oh well.

I'm glad to hear that their premium economy (which I know I inadvertently called "business" earlier) gives premium treatment to their baggage... that would at least speed things along after an already very long day in transit.

Hope my babe sleeps on the plane!
~k

It's funny how a couple months can change your entire perspective. I have begun packing and making lists for my trip in September. I've been putting everything "for the trip" in a sort of staging area.

I've certainly realized that carryon by itself is completely impossible this trip. I'm actually laughing at myself for ever thinking it was possible. With a portable booster chair, backpack carrier, a sling, toys for the flight, gifts for my family members that are living in London (including a box of See's candy for my brother in law :) ) I'm bringing a ridiculous amount of stuff.

I do still believe that checking luggage somehow encourages you to bring more than you need... and I'm bringing probably an extra outfit or two that I'd leave behind if I we not checking luggage... but since my goal is to give my toddler a home away from home experience I'm bringing favorite toys, books, Elmo doll, her little pillow, bedding, etc. NO WAY would I do that in carry on. And NO WAY would I travel without it... since those are all part of her routine that keeps her so comfortable.

So... thanks all for bearing with me on this question. Looking at this pile of duffel bags and carryon bags and a stroller and a backpack and a bag of diapers and a few jars of baby food for the flight... I am just completely stunned. Luckily my parents are coming so we've got built in babysitters and baggage porters. LOL

~kat

Just seeing how much "stuff" my sister has to haul around for my nephew and neice (ages 1 and 2) I was wondering how anyone traveling with babies could possibly get by with carry-on only. :)

kat: The whole adventure with traveling is that it is a new, different experience for all -- including the little ones. I have bought my little girl something everytime I am there (an Italian doll, book, toy, etc) so you might not want to bring all those toy items, etc for her, maybe just 1 thing, then buy her a special coloring book, or book, doll, etc. That way you aren't lugging too much over initially........bringing things back is sometimes easier because you are finished traveling. Sounds exciting! You will all have a nice time.

Here's one issue to consider, unless you plan on bringing along a sherpa, there is a limit to what your husband can carry while you are taking care of the baby. Between your things, his things and the babies things, it really accumulates and becomes quite a load to carry.

So, unless you're prepared to have your husband in traction when you arrive in London (or have the Sherpa joining you) the reality of traveling with children is that some things need to be sacrificed. For us, it was carry on luggage. For me, it's just to much of hassle to drag everything through the airport.

BTW, if you are bringing along a stroller, few airlines will allow you to bring them on-board. We've traveled twice to Europe in First and neither time were we able to bring the stroller on board. So, you'll be asked to gate check-it. Which means you'll no longer be able to be the first one off as it'll usually take an extra 5 to 10 minutes for them to bring strollers to the jetway. Given the extra time, checked luggage no longer seems like that much of a wait.

Skatterfly -- I agree with Huitres. The first time I flew overseas with my two-year old, I took a lot of her toys, books and bedding to make her feel cozy, and regretted it.

The novelty of the trip was so distracting to her that all she needed was her primary Bear and Mama. We hauled the rest of the "comfort stuff" around without even upacking it.

And of course, you'll want to buy her a few little toys on the way.

Every child is different of course, but it's something to think about. (As if you needed anything more to think about. ;))

Have a great trip!