Does anyone have airline questions? Ask me!

Another note:  be sure to put your name and contact details inside the bag.  If the handle with the tags comes off during handling, and there's no nametag inside, your bag is now one of a thousand unidentifiable nondescript black roll-aboards in the unclaimed bag warehouse.  That's also why it helps to have a bag that stands out, be it a bright colour or pattern, or one of those patterned straps that goes around the bag.

As for what not to check, I would never check electronics.  The airline won't pay for damage or loss to high-value items like jewelry or electronics.  Also, make sure to pack a few days of essentials like toiletries and medications in your hand luggage in case your checked bag decides to go on holiday for a while.

Good advice. In addition to the toiletries and meds I always pack a change of undies in my hand luggage as well. You never know ...! Sometimes I even put in a spare t-shirt. My mother once had an attendant spill a glass of orange juice on her mid-Atlantic and had to sit in a sticky top for the rest of the flight. 

I took my wedding dress as carry-on last year. I phoned the airline in advance asking about it and they said it would be fine to carry on. At the check-in desk I asked about hanging it up and they said to ask on the plane. I asked again at the gate and they said to ask on the plane, but they usually make an effort to hang wedding dresses. The flight attendants were more than happy to hang it and gave me priority over people wanting to hang suits. I was also given help carrying it off the plane and even other passengers were really helpful and were congratulating me. This was on Delta, which has crap service compared to BA IME, so I would think you'd be fine.

Oh that's good to know! I am flying over at the end of September, I will ask when I check in and phone BA too, it would be easier to carry around packaged in a box, but I hate the thought of having to get it steamed when I arrive because there is not much time between arriving and the wedding, I will decide based on what BA says I guess!

Thanks DrSuper!

Reserve a special dietary meal. Kosher, oriental, vegetarian, etc. Usually the special meals get served first, so they don't sit in the ovens as long. That's usually what makes the food bad, fresh airplane food is actually pretty good IMO.

I ususally order the veggie meal on BA, but the past couple of times it wasn't very good (pasta tubes with a sweet red tomato sauce) so this time I decided to try the Kosher meal and I must say it was amazing!  My meal was a piece of smoked mackeral on lettuce with sour cream, and then an actual cottage pie that was delicious, with browned mashed potato on top. The dessert was an apple crumble with custard.  I snuck a peek at what other people were eating and my meal looked way better.  This was in coach class from LHR to PHL and I have to say I am going Kosher from now on!

WHY does Spirit suck so much? I already know they are awful, so why did I book the ticket? Ugh. My boyfriend and I are going to Florida and they had the cheapest tickets and the only nonstop flights. I knew they charged for everything, but they were still cheaper after the charges. We bought one check in and for each way it was $28! Other airlines charge $20-25. We opted NOT to choose seats, for $10-$30 each. So my question is, will my boyfriend and I get to sit next to each other? I am not giving in to their ridiculousness of paying to choose seats. Now I am having second thoughts about booking. I have flown with them once before and their cabins are dirty and outdated. I also remember the seats being small and he is 6 ft. It's his first time going on a domestic flight and to a vacation spot in the US and I want him to have a good impression, but I should have thought more of that   I guess we will put up with since the flight is a little over 2 hours....

Also I just read that Spirit is charging FIVE DOLLARS to print your boarding pass. Yes, the boarding pass that you are GIVEN when you check in and drop your bags. It's not included anymore! The boarding pass to get on a flight you just paid $200 to be on. I'm going print ours at home and then double check this at the kiosk because I simply cannot believe it.

My other question is, how long will Americans put up with Spirit? There are probably many budget travelers who will go through it to get a cheap price (like myself, but this is the LAST time, period.) I even talked to my grandma, who flys Spirit every time she goes to Florida, and she said she puts up with it because it is one of the only airlines with direct flights to Florida out of our airport. Its sad that older people have to put up with this just so they can have a direct flight. Travel is not a luxury anymore. Spirit is such an embarrassment of an airline. Can there be a law put into place that stops airlines for taking advantage of its customers like Spirit does? Spirit can't be doing well, do you think they will go out of business in the next 10-15 years?

Bottom line: I wish we had Easyjet.

Bottom line: I wish we had Easyjet.

  Have you flown with Easyjet? Easyjet isn't much if any better when it comes to charging you for random things.

Totally!  Allegiant, EasyJet, RyanAir...they're all the same.  Nothing unusual; that's just their business model.

Have you flown with Easyjet? Easyjet isn't much if any better when it comes to charging you for random things.

Yes. I found their rates pretty reasonable and their cabins were extremely clean, modern and roomy. In my opinion I think EasyJet is a better value then our "budget" airlines.

My other question is, how long will Americans put up with Spirit? There are probably many budget travelers who will go through it to get a cheap price (like myself, but this is the LAST time, period.) I even talked to my grandma, who flys Spirit every time she goes to Florida, and she said she puts up with it because it is one of the only airlines with direct flights to Florida out of our airport. Its sad that older people have to put up with this just so they can have a direct flight. Travel is not a luxury anymore. Spirit is such an embarrassment of an airline. Can there be a law put into place that stops airlines for taking advantage of its customers like Spirit does? Spirit can't be doing well, do you think they will go out of business in the next 10-15 years?

As an American I have never heard of Spirit

As for the rest, well, the tickets are cheaper because nothing is included. If you don't think the experience is worth the money, then don't fly with them. If you think a better experience is worth a little more, fly with someone else.

I Googled it for you. They are new budget airline out of Florida. Hopefully we both learned something.

As an American I have never heard of Spirit

Spirit is the RyanAir of the US. They suck and try to nickle and dime you, but they're a cheap way to get from A to B. You even have to pay for a carry-on bag with them if it's bigger than what fits under your seat! They also tend to fly out of odd airports, like Atlantic City, for example.

Why does the name "Spirit" for an airline give me a bad feeling?

I've flown two round trips with US Airways to and from the UK.  I have the entire ticket from almost all of my flights, Am I supposed to have these? Is it bad that I have them...? I mean, I'm showing them as evidence of visiting my then boyfriend (now DH) and I was worried if I should rip them away and just have the stub, not the entire ticket.  Would the entire ticket imply that I wasn't on the actual flight?  Then again, does it even matter?

Also I have a lot of flights I got there so early for that I was able to take an earlier flight rather than what was on my itinerary (a little excited = waiting in the airport for 5 hours for my first flight).  I'm probably worrying too much, but just wanted to cover my bases.

My cousin is going over with us to help me and my husband get settled. She is willing and able to spend that time on us and I couldn't do it without her.

I am assuming that UK husband and I (ILE) won't need to buy return tickets. My cousin will need one but isn't really sure when she will return as that depends on our situation. She said she can go ahead and buy it and then change the return date for a fee of about 150.00 dollars. Is this how she would do it?

Thanks.

I've flown two round trips with US Airways to and from the UK.  I have the entire ticket from almost all of my flights, Am I supposed to have these? Is it bad that I have them...? I mean, I'm showing them as evidence of visiting my then boyfriend (now DH) and I was worried if I should rip them away and just have the stub, not the entire ticket.  Would the entire ticket imply that I wasn't on the actual flight?  Then again, does it even matter?

Also I have a lot of flights I got there so early for that I was able to take an earlier flight rather than what was on my itinerary (a little excited = waiting in the airport for 5 hours for my first flight).  I'm probably worrying too much, but just wanted to cover my bases.

I don't think you have anything to worry about. I have tons of domestic and international tickets that were not ripped. A lot of the times they are just scanned.  I'm keeping my whole tickets for when I need to apply for a visa. I don't think they would look that far into it that a non ripped meant didn't fly or something.