<p>pizzagirl, that was my exact plan. Just use sample sized toiletries. I already have them at home. I save little sample sized items for travel. I know about the 3 oz. rule/quart sized plastic bag rule.</p>
<p>anxiousmom, I don’t know for sure, and hope that son will be able to ask. It seems like a formal interview just from what I know. The rest of the week-end I think is casual, and khakis should get him through any other events.</p>
<p>What section boards first? They skip around?? Is it best to get a seat in the rear of the plane, if no connection is involved (for carry-on reasons)?</p>
<p>Most airlines board by your status, not by where you sit in the plane. If you are traveling with companions, piggyback onto the status of the “highest” person. H flies a lot with American, whereas I fly with United. If we fly American as a family, he might be boarding class 1 and the kids and I might be boarding class 5, but we just walk up there with him and we’re “grandfathered” through.</p>
<p>I would suggest not using a “garmet bag” … the clothes get wrinkled and smooshed when you put them in the bins, etc. I would get a small, carry on bag. Put each piece of the suit - pants, jacket, shirt, and hang them separately on hangers with a plastic dry cleaner bag over each piece. Then fold and put in the bag. It will fit toiletries, etc for the entire two day trip. Make sure the toiletries are in a 1/2 gallon bag - and put them in the zipper pocket on the outside of the bag. He will have to put this in a bin when he has the bag screened. He can also carry on a backback with this bag. I would have him wear khakis and a nice shirt, with his nice shoes. He can always have these cleaned by the hotel the night he arrives if he would need them in a pinch on Saturday. If he runs into major flight problems, weather, etc … have him see if the airport has a “members lounge” he can usually buy a one-day pass for about $50. He can sit there, wi-fi, free snacks, but most of all they will take care of rebooking him, etc - without standing in the long lines in the terminal.</p>
<p>I was traveling for business on one of those semi-private plane deal one time. They had someone escort me through security (part of service they provided). I only had a carry on, in it had my toiletries - day, night, eye cream… (took up half of my carry on). They stopped me and wouldn’t let me through with all of those creams. I looked at them, “I don’t get on the plane without my creams.” (they weren’t over the counter products) They looked at each other (my escort and the security guy) for few seconds and let me through. After that, I only bring samples.</p>
<p>If they are prescriptions they don’t count if they are in the original bottles. My kid carries a ton of prescription liquids on planes with him whenever he travels. They are simply too expensive to lose…and the temps need to be controlled as well.</p>
<p>Kansasgirl, thanks. We have a carry-on bag that will hold one suit. I never knew that you could buy a one day pass to the member lounges. This is good to know in case there are delays due to weather. The fact that they’ll help rebook is worth the $50 peace of mind for me.</p>
<p>correction to an earlier post: gels, creams, liquids must fit into one 1-quart zip-top bag. </p>
<p>That bag must be removed from the carry-on and placed on top of bag, shoes, coat, etc, when going through security.</p>
<p>Our son traveled to job interviews with a carry-on garment bag this year. Worked fine for him. OP’s son has benefit of an overnight during which the suit can hang out.</p>
<p>Note: many hotels have hangers in the closet that will not accommodate the shower rod for a quick steam-hang. He might want to pack a couple of hangers.</p>
<p>My husband travels all of the time for business. If he needs a suit, he just wears it on the plane. He usually just puts his suitcase in the overhead bin – he is getting more miles lately, so he boards early. He hasn’t had a problem in 15 years with wearing the suit on the plane – also the shoes. It will get no more wrinkled than if he put it in a suitcase.</p>
<p>You can freshen a suit by hanging it up in a steamy bathroom. The shirt can be ironed in the room. His travel rule is to wear the suit and be careful.</p>
<p>I am a buisness traveler who logs more than 100,000 miles per year over the past 10+ years (not as much as the George Clooney character in “Up in the Air,” but damn near). I try to avoid checking luggage at all costs. For prolonged domestic trips when I must pack more than will fit in a carry-on bag, or if there are liquid items that can’t be carried on, I started shipping my bag by overnight carrier (FEDEX) so it would arrive at the hotel (or wherever I would be staying) on the day that I arrived. It is actually very easy to do and relatively unexpensive (much less expensive than the airline charges for a checked bag). I prepare an airbill to take with me so that I can ship the bag back home. Hotels are very accomodating about this–most major chains have regularly scheduled pick-ups with overnight carriers, but they will also call for a pick-up if needed.</p>
<p>FEDEX is very used to shipping suitcases–they have special envelopes for the airbills that are attached to the suitcase handle. You don’t have to box it or do anything special. It has been a terrific convenience for me on numerous occassions. For those of us who fly frequently we know what a hassle it is to carry a bag through security, rental car van and/or taxi, and worry about an available overhead space in the plane. Not being encumbered and knowing that my bag will be waiting for me at my destination makes travel so much less stressful. I have never had a bag get lost, though on one occassion (out of 100’s of shippings) my bag arrived late.</p>
<p>You might want to consider shipping your son’s suit and any other appropriate items in a bag so they will be waiting for him when he arrives. It may reduce the stress factor. Just my two cents.</p>
<p>Northeastmom-if there is a delay/issue, tell your son to use his cell phone and call the airline immediately- then while he’s on hold he can be walking to / standing in the appropriate line. Chances are high that he’ll get the problem resolved, rebooking done, etc more quickly on the phone. You can tell the difference in the lines. The non frequent flyers are either just standing there or calling home. The frequent flyers are already on the phone with the airline. </p>
<p>Last year, I was on the ground (not pushed away from the gate) on a flight that had been delayed and it was clear we were going to miss our next connection. I called from my cell on the plane, got rebooked, grabbed my luggage and kids and go off the plane, all while everyone else was just sitting there complaining about the delay. Another reason to only use carry on, btw. We shaved 6 hrs off our trip. We couldn’t have done that with checked bags. </p>
<p>I’m also flying on free miles to several college visits bc I negotiated to be bumped off a full flight and got $1600 worth of vouchers. Our family of 4 is flying to Colorado and to Boston for absolutely nothing. Again, you can’t bump yourself if you don’t have carry on.</p>
<p>Clarkalum, great suggestion. I was proud of myself last year when I had to go to Boston 2 weeks in a row for business. I packed everything in a carry on and planned my wardrobe such that I took the bag out there, left it over the weekend and carried only a briefcase back, went back out with only the briefcase, and then took it all back home. So much quicker through security. </p>
<p>Another thing I like to do is wear stuff I’m trashing anyway as pajamas and just dump it. Like ratty old sweatshirts or sweatpants. Wear em and toss em!</p>
<p>ClarkAlum, I actually had thought of this idea prior to your posting. I just did not discuss it because for my son’s college week-end, it seemed a little too over the top to me. I guess it isn’t all that crazy! Still, I think that I’ll go with the carry-on luggage, and have him at least wear a pair of Dockers and a sportcoat.</p>
<p>Pizzagirl, about getting bumped, DH and I did that when our kids were younger. We flew to FLA and it was Christmas week. We signed ourselves up to be bumped if they “needed” four seats. Sure enough, we were able to be bumped. We had checked our luggage. The airline paid for our hotel, provided transportation to and from the hotel, and provided a voucher for some toiletries. We all had our carry-on with a couple of outfits and toiletries in them anyway. We were offered vouchers to fly anywhere within the continental US. We took a family vacation in California that summer. Oh, and we were all able to fly home on the same flight the very next day.</p>
<p>I negotiated when I was bumped. This was an oversold flight to Florida over spring break, and they offered $200 per passenger and no one was biting. I went up to them and said we have 4 people and we’ll be bumped and solve your problem, but not for $200. They hemmed and hawed but as the line grew and passengers got annoyed, I was able to negotiate them to $400 per passenger. This has been HUGE for our college trips, to have, essentially $1600 worth of free tickets!</p>
<p>Depending on where you live and the schedule and whether it’s a route that fills up, it may be something worth teaching your S how to do – on his return flight of course!</p>
<p>We flew free for 2 vacations: took a bump on paid trip number 1 and got vouchers for free round trips. Took another bump on trip number 2 (taken on the vouchers), and got another set of vouchers, which were used for trip number 3.</p>
<p>I tip my hat to you! My H and kids thought I was nuts in asking to be bumped, but who saved $1600 towards college visits? (Boy, did I prance around on THAT one, LOL)</p>
<p>My DH also thought I was nuts. He did not think that we’d all be able to get bumped and get 4 airline tickets. It wasn’t that hard when flying back at the end of Christmas week. We would never have flown to CA without those vouchers! It gave my kids an opportunity that they definitely would not have had otherwise. Good for you, pizzagirl and mafool! Since my son is new to all of this, I am not going to try to teach him about getting bumped. I just want him to get back and forth safely with his luggage!</p>