Packing - what are your carry-on must haves?

[Tonichelle]

I've got 48 hours till I fly out for my second trip of the year. I pre-pack (get things together) about a week out, so that I make sure I have *everything* and then some.

My must haves when I pack my carry on are:
Camera gear (there's a lot, most of which I don't use but need just in case)
Set of clothes - just incase my checked bag doesn't make it to my destination
Ibuprofen, Sudaphedrine, Dremamine - Obviously not to take together, but since it's a walking germ infested, nauseating, headache to travel for me, I come prepared!
And of course the iPod to sing me to sleep (actually I normally put on the one sermon I have by the pastor of the chuch I grew up in on repeat and sleep through it )

 

[dorispulaski]

My computer & camera, because I never trust them to baggage handlers.
My ereader stuffed full of books to read & Kindlefire for watching movies.
One change of underwear & a shirt, in case they lose my baggage (this has happened twice, and it's a life saver).

 

[Tonichelle]

My computer & camera, because I never trust them to baggage handlers.
My ereader stuffed full of books to read & Kindlefire for watching movies.
One change of underwear & a shirt, in case they lose my baggage (this has happened twice, and it's a life saver).

Thankfully I've never had my bag lost for long... but after the mess that Heather had at nationals 2006 trying to get her luggage found and returned to her at teh hotel? I'm not taking any chances!

My carry on is consistently heavier than my checked bag due to my electronics, like you I don't trust checked bags with anything breakable or valuable.

 

[dorispulaski]

The worst was when our luggage was lost for 3 days when we went to visit my brother in FL some years ago. Ski & I left work and flew in business suits & shoes--arrived on the beach with no other clothes or shoes. We bought some, and when the suitcases did not arrive for 3 days, were reimbursed by the airline. I don't know whether they have some way to squirm out of it these days....But I don't travel without undies and a shirt since (and I never make the mistake of wearing non-fun shoes on a plane any more).

Another time, Ski's luggage went on an unscheduled trip to Puerto Rico and came back to where he was in the continental US without some of the items that he had packed in his bag.

 

[Tonichelle]

you might recall the crap we went through last year with Southwest after they made my uncle check his diabetes medical bag because there was no room for carry ons (they wouldn't let him store it under his seat either?!) as he was one of the last ones on theplane... never mind the bin above where I was sitting could have fit it. They rerouted it to RENO (we were going to LA) and we didn't get it for nearly 24 hours. He rran out of insulin just about the time they called to let us know they'd found it.

the BLAMED US for not putting our destination info on a tag before checking it when we didn't check it to begin with, the flight attendant basically threatened to kick him off the plane if he didn't give it to her. They were AWFUL. I don't care if they're cheaper, I won't ever use them.

AlaskaAir has a new policy that if your bag isn't in your hands in teh first 20 mins after landing, then you get a $200 (? I think it's that much) voucher or 20,000 miles (something like that)... and if they lose your luggage, after 48 hourrs, they re-imberse you for the least amount they can get away with lol

they also now have a policy that Alaskans can get their first two bags checked for free no matter the destination. I want to believe my one man social media campaign for that helped them come up with the deal.

 

[Olympia]

What a great perk for being Alaskan. It's kind of like the in-state tuition discount for a state university. That's dreadful that your uncle was deprived of his insulin. That would make me boycott the airline for life.

It's been a while since I traveled. Not having a lot of electronics, I pack a blank notebook, a pencil and eraser for drawing and a pen for writing, and a book or two. Definitely undies and socks! and some extra things to layer on top of what I'm wearing in case it gets cold. I guess some compact shoes just in case. An umbrella. (I must have cat blood. I don't like being cold or wet.) If I ever get a Kindle, it'll be easy to take a good-sized library with me. Toothbrush and toothpaste.

Toni, just two days? How wonderful. I hope you have a delicious time. Say hi to all the princesses for us!

 

[Tonichelle]

it's the least they could do considering our travel costs are double the rest of the US.... AKAir has a bit of a monopoly up here most months of the year (summer being an exception, but since travel to alaska is a big deal, you can't get big deals in or out lol)