This discussion is scary! We're booked on AA going to Vancouver this May. Got a 1 hr layover in Dallas. Hope we make the connecting flight, and hope the luggage makes it. I think I'd almost rather miss the flight (and the cruise) than have the luggage lost. Can you imagine a 7-day cruise with no change of clothes?
Lanie, here are a few tips to help make your connection smoother. First, bring along a few items in your carryon that you cannot do without -- at least a change of clothes. I'll usually wear a blazer onto the plane and have a pair of pants in the carry-on so that I won't be underdressed for dinner.
Connecting in Dallas is easy compared to most airports in the U.S. When you get off the plane, look for the Skylink, which is the train that connects the terminals. Near the Skylink entrances are the boards showing you the location of your connecting flight. Take the escalator up to the Skylink platform, and follow the signs, which are very well marked. And, there is very little walking!
Also, have a copy of your itinerary inside your bag. That way, in the unlikely instance they are misdirected, they'll know where you are. Put your cell phone number on there, too, so they know how to contact you.
Yes, I hope you do NOT loose your luggage either. I don't know if you have read about my/our plight with the loss of luggage, but it was NOT from the airline, but the cruise ship.
Our luggage went on another cruise line for almost "5" days. When I got my luggage back, it looked like a football player had kicked it out of an airplane. Aweful I wouldn't wish that on anyone.
Not only carry your itinerary, but I carry the phone numbers of the airline, travel agent (if you have one), or the cruise line numbers. Get the toll free ones. You never know when you might need them.
Gread advice. Also we're planning on using the largest carry-ons allowed on the plane, and putting all the stuff in them that we just couldn't do without.
LisaP, do you mean to put the itinerary inside the checked luggage? You think they would go through it if it didn't make the flight? Oh my, I better watch what I pack!
Lanie, we usually put one copy of the itinerary/contact information page inside the suitcase, right on top. Another copy goes into an outside pocket of same suitcase. We do this for every bag we check.
One piece of information we do not provide, though, is our home address. In fact, we don't even put this on our luggage tags -- we use a business address instead. (Or, if that's not possible, the address of a family member whose house will not be empty while we're gone.)
Hello, I am not LisaP , but when it comes to the itineray, this is what I do. Yes, you can put it in your suitcase, but then I always make sure I have another copy on my person. In otherwords, in my purse/carryon bag. This way I don't have to go through my luggage to find out the flight times, phone numbers, etc. that I want to know, as soon as I get off the airline.
I do the same, brneyes. I also leave copies with family members and trusted neighbors.
I've also been known to print out the layout of the airports through which I'll be connecting, and carry these with me, too. I like to know exactly where I'm going.
Had to put in my 2 cents. We just returned to Toronto from Miami on AA and this is what i thought of them. The fact that we had a direct connection was a definite bonus. The ground crew was very friendly and check-in was easy. The aircrew however was rude on both flights. Both flights were on time. I already knew in advance from their website that they would not serve anything, so we just had a good breakfast at Timmy's before takeoff.
I just flew AA from Vancouver to Dallas. I knew before that there was no meal, but was very surprised that there wasn't any snacks or movie. The flight was 4 1/2 hrs so I would have thought that a movie would have been shown.
We flew Princess air to Ft Lauderdale on Continental last May and were very impressed. We got breakfast and a movie from Vancouver to Houston and lunch and another movie to Ft Lauderdale. Would definately fly with them again.
We usually fly Alaska here on the west coast. They have great service and flights to California and Mexico
days. When I got my luggage back, it looked like a football player had kicked it out of an airplane. Aweful 
I wouldn't wish that on anyone.
, but when it comes to the itineray, this is what I do. Yes, you can put it in your suitcase, but then I always make sure I have another copy on my person. In otherwords, in my purse/carryon bag. This way I don't have to go through my luggage to find out the flight times, phone numbers, etc. that I want to know, as soon 
as I get off the airline.
Linear Mode
