Mitchell Wagner
I stumbled across this article last night. The article seemed timely as tradeshow season is coming up again and summer is the prime vacation time. The article definitely offers food for thought on luggage handling and airline travel.
Next week, my wife and I are leaving on a trip to see friends in Nevada and we’re trying to decide whether to check our luggage or pack light and carry-on. Historically I’ve been one who always opts for the carry-on option. Packing became an art form for me — a real-life version of Tetris. T-shirts were rolled and lined the perimeter of the suitcase. Jackets or sweatshirts were worn on the plane, etc. The only issue with this was I had to get to the gate as soon as my boarding section was called to ensure enough room in the seemingly ever-shrinking overhead bins. I decided to abandon this routine last tradeshow season and check my carry-on size suitcase. Seems crazy I know. Just when all airlines started to bump up their baggage fees, I decide to start checking luggage. The problem was everyone was trying to carry-on and pushing the limits on size and number of items. I just couldn’t deal with the stress and hassle of it anymore. However, I may be carrying on again after reading this article. The tone is cynical yes, but those of us who travel frequently can almost hear the words being spoken. If you travel often, you no doubt have tallied up as many horror stories as frequent flyer miles.
Do you have any great packing tips to maximize a small suitcase? Denise could use the pointers. You should see the monstrosity of a suitcase she brings to tradeshows! Or maybe you have some other non-baggage tips for airline travel you would be willing to share? Or, as marketers, perhaps you have some suggestions on how the airlines could combat the cynical tone of today’s travelers? Share your thoughts with us.
