just emailed Virgin....

[Isafari]

...let's see how long it takes for me to get a respnse :rolleyes:

Have asked them very nicely indeed the best way for me to 'transport' our wedding vow clothing which will be in a suit bag. Asked if we took it on the plane with us, would be charged excess :unsure:

I think they will probably tell me (very nicely indeed) where to go :rotfl:

Will let you know........

[Keith]

I think they'll say you can take it on the plane with no problem!

[Isafari]

Even if we already have an overnight bag each!!!
Keith - don't know if you were being sarcastic or not :lol:

[Keith]

We had a full hand luggage (probably over the limit if weighed) bag each, Helen had a handbag and a bag of stuff bought at the shops in the airport. I had a large camera bag and a large dixons bag full of goodies. They were absolutely fine with the wedding dress in a large suit bag and let us on the plane first, hung it up for us etc. No sarcasm I promise :)

[Bec]

Really? keith they let you on with the suit bag no problem?

[Bec]

I've just emailed them too, let's see if we get the same response!

[Keith]

We had absolutely no problem at all although ok, it was a couple of years ago.

Funnily enough, on the NEXT trip we had a cuddly toy as a present in a bag from Disney and they got really really shirty about it and wanted it in the hold (I said, loudly, you want the cuddly toy in the hold? in case it falls on someone and hurts them? It'll be all cold for them... and I think they caved in rather than argue publically)

So I think the difference is a) its a wedding dress so a bit special b) we'd contacted them in advance like you've done

[susieh]

We're going next week and my brother and fiancee are getting married out there. Virgin have said the dress has to go in the hold. They said that they'e no longer allowed to hang stuff in the Upper Class cupboard or crew cupboards like they used to. There's also stuff in the FAQs on the Virgin web site about it.

Will be very interested to see if you get a different reply :blush:

[Lisa1976]

You could always get a travel box for your dress, thats what i am doing.

I am getting my from an internet company called The Empty Box Company, the boxes are the exact size for hand luggage so you shouldn't have any probelms and they come with acid free tissue paper to protect your dress, also after the wedding its a nice box to store your dress away in.

I think they are around £30.

HTH.

Lisa

[Keith]

Definitely sounds like the way to go if Virgin would insist on the hold otherwise :/ No way I'd leave it in the hold given how often the cases come out scraped, wet etc.

[susieh]

Mandy's dress won't fit in one of those boxes cos of the style of the skirt. It's going in the hold in a hard suitcase labelled accordingly (Virgin's suggestion) and maybe we'll put tape around the suitcase edge where it closes as extra weather protection.

To be honest the thought of lugging a dress around the airport fills me with dread - I want my hands free for any shopping we do and I want to be able to relax before the flight - not try getting in and out of the shops carrying baggage.

The men's suits are all going in the hold too - we were also told we couldn't take the suit carrier on board as hand luggage and there are no 'dress box' options for them.

Maybe I've been lucky but we've never had a problem with cases and flying and I have flown to the US 15 times in the past 8 years. We always lock the cases too.

[Lisa1976]

The thought of my dress being in a suitcase in the hold fills me with fear, i only have the one and if it got damaged i would be so upset.

Im quite lucky that my dress is very plain and simple so is small enough to go in the boxes and i will feel far more at easy with it being in my sight and by my side all the time.

We are hiring the mens suits out there so no problems there!!

[Isafari]

ok, here is the reply I received a few minutes ago.............

Dear Diane

Thank you for your email dated 21st August and I apologise for the delay in replying.

Congratulations on your forthcoming 20th wedding anniversary. I am sure you are going to have a wonderful time in Orlando.

The carriage of dresses/suits for special occasions can be taken into the cabin as long as they are packed in your hand luggage and fit into the specified weight and dimension requirements. They cannot be taken into the cabin in addition to your hand baggage.

We look forward to welcoming you onboard.

Kind Regards,
Sandra Mortimer
Contact Centre Customer Service Team

Voted Best Transatlantic Airline 2004 by Travel Weekly Magazine.

[candyman]

Mandy's dress won't fit in one of those boxes cos of the style of the skirt. It's going in the hold in a hard suitcase labelled accordingly (Virgin's suggestion) and maybe we'll put tape around the suitcase edge where it closes as extra weather protection.

To be honest the thought of lugging a dress around the airport fills me with dread - I want my hands free for any shopping we do and I want to be able to relax before the flight - not try getting in and out of the shops carrying baggage.

The men's suits are all going in the hold too - we were also told we couldn't take the suit carrier on board as hand luggage and there are no 'dress box' options for them.

Maybe I've been lucky but we've never had a problem with cases and flying and I have flown to the US 15 times in the past 8 years. We always lock the cases too.




i do know that virgin do have giant plastic bags at check in that are used for things like baby car seats
perhaps you could get them to put your case in side one of those
it costs nothing to ask

steve

[Keith]

Shame about them not allowing it in addition :( but I'd still do whatever you possibly can to take it in the cabin. No way I'd trust it in the hold <shudder>

[candyman]

i dont know about you keith but i would just take it to check in with me and assume that i would be allowed to take it on board
i am sure if you are nice enough and ask very nicely thewy may let you

steve

[PaulaK]

I wouldn't take a suit carrier to the plane with you and hope they give in! It is better to be prepared for the fact that you can't take it onboard and pack it well in a hard suitcase. I saw a programme a few weeks ago (the one on Southwest Airlines) and the girls dress had to go in the hold in a suitcarrier. It blew off the luggage cart and was run over. Her dress had big black tyre marks running across it :oops:

[Keith]

:(

Last year we saw the luggage handlers throw a case on the cart and I mean *THROW* with considerable force the case AT the cart. It hit the back, burst open and what looked like a wedding dress (brides maid dress at the very least) fell out and onto the wet floor. They kept talking whilst they scrumpled it up and threw it back on the cart with other cases on top of it. Not a care in the world.

I think I'd pack any non-valuable hand luggage in my checked in cases. Then i'd pack all the valuable stuff in one carry on bag & women are allowed a hand bag too (and some of those can be fairly cavernous ;-). a camera case is also allowed, so take that out of the hand luggage too. Then i'd use the other person's hand luggage allowance for the dress.

Frankly, mens' suits etc can go in hard suitcases... if they get messed up? it's not the VERY end of the world, a guy can always pick up a suit/tux whatever.. rental or buy at the mall... but if a wedding dress gets lost/damaged well ;(((

[Wendy]

I wouldn't take a suit carrier to the plane with you and hope they give in! It is better to be prepared for the fact that you can't take it onboard and pack it well in a hard suitcase. I saw a programme a few weeks ago (the one on Southwest Airlines) and the girls dress had to go in the hold in a suitcarrier. It blew off the luggage cart and was run over. Her dress had big black tyre marks running across it :oops:
:overhere: I saw that too, Paula! :eek:
How about sending it on ahead by courier service? :unsure:

[Bec]

Got the same response from Virgin everyone. Their suggestion is to put it in the hold:afraid:

I too am going to have difficulty getting dress into travel box, but Im going to try my very best to to avoid putting it in the hold.

Should have booked with an American Airline, their much, much nicer people!!

[candyman]

ok i havbe been on to the virgin boards to ask if anyone there can help you her is the latest reply .................................................. ...............

I have seen many a passenger carry there wedding dress on board the flight and the crew will be happy to stow it for you in a wardrobe.

The other option is you ask the check in agent to let you take it to the gate with you and if the crew say no it cannot come onbaor then they will check in it at the gate and go straight in the hold!!


The other thing is ask if you can speak to the FSM on board and let them decide if it can go onboard.

REMEMBER the check in staff behind the desks wear the VS uniform but work for Groundstar, you will see this from there name badge!!!

'Normal' VS staff are normally walking around the check in Q, look out for them and speak to them or just go to the ticket desk and spk to VS agent there!!



hope this might help
i will get back if anyone else has any ideas

steve

[candyman]

hi bec another reply from the virgin boards for you


Steve
My daughter brought her wedding dress back from LA in April. She did get a negative response from FC when she asked if it could be hung in the UC cloakroom. However, following good advice from this forum, she spoke to the manager at check in. She rode economy and the dress UC! They even gave her an exit row seat.

steve

[candyman]

bec you may want to check out the virgin boards your self


you will have to get a log in like here i think

http://www.v-flyer.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=2381

this is the topic address i posted about your worries about the dress
they are a real nice lot---- a bit like us here but not quite as mad

steve

[Bec]

Cheers Steve, you're an angel:angel:

Will check link out now!

[Bec]

:) Found the forum, steve and I've introduced myself to the boards, great link. You sound okay in UC Steve, wish I had had the sense to do that now! I'll keep thinking.
Thanks again for all of your help Steve xx
Mandy is a lucky lady having you, doing all this organising and researching. Perhaps I should introduce my H2B to the boards and you can hint to him that planning a disney wedding is not that easy!:wink:

Speak soon xx

[candyman]

awwww thanks bec

really made me smile i had to go and get mandy so i could read it to her lol

BTW did you subscribe to the thread in the virgin board it is differert
in here it is auto subscribe but in virgin you have toi check the box under your post

steve

[Bec]

Ok steve, will do. xx