Alankria - Maybe I can... strap my books to my body?

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Oh god, I just noticed that my layover on the way home from Wiscon is only one hour long oh jesus fuck.

Oops.

The one on the way in is only two and a half hours, and I'll have to go through immigration+customs during that one, but I can help that partially by not checking in luggage (taking a bigger bag, empty and folded, inside my small carry-on bag). And I intend to plead with the nice people on the airline to help me queue jump at i+c.

On the way back, though, if I want to buy any books, I'm certain I'll need to check in my luggage.

And somehow make a one-hour layover.

Ooooops.

*chews of ~~fingernails~~ hands in a fit of panic*

*moves onto arms*

So, I should find out size restrictions on size of US -> UK carry-on bags. They may be less strict than UK -> US. Anecdata regarding US -> UK, specifically departing Chicago O'Hare and with United Airlines, please? I'm a pretty awesome suitcase packer, and other than books will not be carrying much stuff, and I can wear all my clothes if need be, so I ~can~ cram quite a lot of stuff in. And, I guess, it may be better to buy fewer books than to check in luggage. *woe*

~~And, obviously, I will be taking out travel insurance to cover costs incurred should any flights be delayed.~~ Ahh, if only travel insurance were useful and gave good cover for this. I'll still get some (medical costs cover!), but it looks like it'll be pretty useless if my connections go awry.

ETA: I've settled on just taking a carry-on bag. The increased likelihood of making my connections kind of outweighs the woe at having to buy fewer books.

	From: vylar_kaftan	Date: May 7th, 2008 06:28 pm (UTC)		(Link)

United charges extra for a second suitcase. That's new. One suitcase is fine.

An hour layover should be just fine if you aren't doing customs. 30 minutes is the bare minimum so one hour will be fine.

	From: alankria	Date: May 7th, 2008 06:34 pm (UTC)		(Link)

I believe on the way back I don't need to go through i+c; I didn't the last time I did a US -> UK trip with a layover within the US. And if I carry on a bag, it'll hopefully just be the one. (But it's nice they give the option for a second; flying out of the UK, it's one with no option for more.)

Thanks for this. =) My parents have just been raining doom and gloom on my entire trip because of this, saying I need 3 hours minimum, and that was in response to me thinking I had 2 hours not just 1.

	From: deadshrimpblues	Date: May 7th, 2008 07:07 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Don't worry about the layover only being an hour. I've managed to switch planes (going back to the UK from Dallas) in something like twenty minutes before, and even if by some fluke you miss your connection, they'll usually get you onto the next one without a hitch.

	From: alankria	Date: May 7th, 2008 07:18 pm (UTC)		(Link)

That's great to hear, thanks. =)

My dad refuses to accept "airlines actually practice customer service sometimes" logic, and if I tried to explain that they'd probably be good about getting me onto the next flight for low/no cost, especially as I'm a young woman traveling solo, he'd laugh in my face. My dad: not an optimist.

	From: deadshrimpblues	Date: May 7th, 2008 07:27 pm (UTC)		(Link)

It'll definitely help a lot that you're only taking carry-on. When landing at your stop-over, make sure to tell one of the flight attendants that you've got a connection to catch as well; they'll help you get your bags down and get off the plane before everyone else.

	From: deadshrimpblues	Date: May 7th, 2008 07:29 pm (UTC)		(Link)

I forgot to mention, I've done this 'back and forth to the UK from the States' thing about ten times in the past nine years, so I'm not blowing smoke at you.

	From: alankria	Date: May 7th, 2008 07:34 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Yes, good idea, that can take a while sometimes, especially if they offload from the front of the plane only. Thank you very much!

	From: smeddley	Date: May 7th, 2008 07:15 pm (UTC)		(Link)

Don't forget that there's a weight limit to checked luggage, so you're best off having your carry-on be mostly books (though I'm chuckling at the thought of you wearing all of your clothes at once...). Unfortunately, all I know about international flights is 1) going west out of the US and/or 2) in the back of a cargo plane flying military stand-by. Not so helpful...

	From: alankria	Date: May 7th, 2008 07:20 pm (UTC)		(Link)

I've settled on only taking a carry-on bag. Increased likelihood of making my flights kind of makes up for having to buy fewer books.

	From: rudi	Date: May 7th, 2008 10:53 pm (UTC)		(Link)

I don't know if they'll have this for Wiscon, but at World Fantasy, there's generally a shipping table right outside the dealers room. (Come to think of it, I think I first noticed that the year WFC was in Madison, and it's probably a lot of the same people doing the organizing.)

Of course, international shipping rates may hold you back somewhat. (Of course, those shipping rates will be in our puny New World currency...)

	From: alankria	Date: May 8th, 2008 06:00 am (UTC)		(Link)

Your shipping rates are horrendous, even with the puny dollar. I worked out that to ship stuff to Australia, it costs twice as much in the US as it does in the UK, and that's after I've changed the USD amount into GBP.

That said, yeah, it is an option if I need it.

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