Agree that carry on luggage for a 10 day trip is easily do-able and a good life skill. Good luck.
“Luggage won’t be checked through if she’s clearing customs in PHL.”
Right but the poster was talking about clearing customs in Ireland. If that happens, the luggage will be checked through to the midwest city.
All this needs to be taken in context that the trip is on Dec 23. Anything can go wrong. What I’d do is the carry on only, plan to get off in Philly, but book a Southwest flight for Dec 24 home from the midwest city in case the plan doesn’t work. Then if it does work she’ll have a way to get home the next day. Cancel the SW flight if it does work.
First thing I would do is call the airline and ask what it would cost to change her ticket, say you’re just considering it. Sounds like you bought her the ticket individually. If the cost isn’t too great, I would call whomever is in charge at the school and inform them that the ticket is being changed. This is right before Christmas. It’s ridiculous.
When they say, “Uh, okay,” call the airline and change the ticket. Done deal.
That way you don’t have to worry about bags, airlines, anything. But if she’s going to check bags, she should confirm it’s going to where she wants to, as in a group, bags can get mixed up. Maybe the school doesn’t want hassle, but they can take it, it’s not that difficult. And it’s flying right before the holidays, give me a break!!!
I realized I’m saying what others are, but it would not be good to just plan to grab her bag and go. Bag might not be there, might be checked through, people might get upset. Plan ahead, and I don’t think I’d have my kid asking for this…might need the big guns (Mom) to make this happen.
We flew through PHL on an international flight. Definitely we were reunited with our bags and had to take them through customs and then rechecked them.
There might be an insurance or liability problem as far as the school is concerned with a student not taking the final leg of a trip. We are a very litigious society and I see the problem with both sides.
The problem as far as I’m concerned is that everyone thinks their situation is special and they should get consideration. Multiply that by 20 and I can see where the university becomes inflexible. What if a bunch of kids want to change their arraignments? You have a bunch of people going a bunch of different ways and no way to police it.
The university is responsible for the students on the trip until it’s finished. Which is when they land in the city of origin.
“What if a bunch of kids want to change their arraignments?”
Then I certainly hope each one has a lawyer! :))
If a parent can verify that they are meeting them, and their luggage is stopping there too, and they fill out some sort of form, I don’t see why the school would object. They aren’t kindergardeners!
Lol! Love spellcheck, not so much!
@twoinanddone , OP didn’t say Ireland was the origin. Simply Europe.
But I did say she should check that she wouldn’t clear customs at origin.
I posted earlier in the thread that my kid was permitted, with advance planning, to leave one airport earlier than most other students. Just wanted to add that I picked her up outside the terminal after she texted me from baggage claim. No chaperone verified that she had a ride, from a parent or anyone else. I didn’t think this was odd, as D was 19 (so not a minor), plus the other students and chaperones were on their way to their connecting flight and may not have had time for a “handoff.” I would have parked and waited inside the airport if asked to do so, but it never even came up for us.
Perhaps this is different situation but if you travel to Israel on Birthright and you are not returning with the group you are of course charged a surcharge for different flight arrangements and that to me was understandable however we were not told in advance nor was older d and she was on Birthright at age 26, not 18 that the group must all travel back to the airport in Israel together and then those staying on further are free to make their own plans. For older d that meant travelling as part of group from hotel in Jerusalem to airport to back to Jerusalem to meet friend studying there on Fulbright to spend a day or so.
This was not the case when my D went on Birthright. She stayed in Israel for another 10 days and left the group the day they left for the airport–she did not accompany them to the airport. There was no issue. I can’t see any reason why a student couldn’t leave the group prior to returning to the city of departure if appropriate alternative flight arrangements have been made.