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Recent trip DFW to Fairbanks AK, cautionary tale.

We just returned from two weeks in Fairbanks to visit family. Great time seeing grandkids and being in cool rainy weather after 100 degrees days here in Ft Worth-Arlington area of Texas. I’m always a carryon girl but my husband went in heavy (37 lbs!!) so I decided to check my bag too. And indeed mine was there on arrival but my husband’s stayed in Seattle. Since we were staying with family in Fairbanks it wasn’t a big problem. The suitcase showed up 5 hours later. We got 4,000 air miles as an apology but he did have to drive 20 minutes back into the airport to get it.

I will also say there was great evidence that a lot of Delta passengers were still having BIG luggage issues from the recent computer glitch. Well over a hundred bags sitting unclaimed at DFW July 24, the morning we left. We flew Alaska Air but walked by Delta. At the Fairbanks airport there were more problems with people arriving on Delta with missing bags needing to get on Princess Cruise buses.

When we returned into DfW we waited 40 minutes for our flight’s baggage to deliver. Scored more miles but it was midnight and we were so ready to not be in the airport another minute! So, unless it really won’t matter, I will continue to be team carryon.

Posted by
14719 posts

Good to hear your experience! AND your assessment of issues for other airlines.

Laughing at your husband going in heavy, lol!!

Hope you had fun otherwise and enjoyed family and the cool air!

Posted by
2637 posts

Thank you for the heads up. We fly on Delta next week and knew we would do carryon on the way there, but will not try very hard to do it on the way home as well.

Posted by
596 posts

Pam, my guy is the ultimate, ‘but what if I need it!?’ packer. To be fair he wanted to be ready to work on outdoor stuff with our son in law so he packed his work boots. But our largest suitcase was stuffed with that and much more. I couldn’t believe it when it went on the scales.

Mikliz, when we were waiting for-freaking-ever for our bags at 12:20 a m Aug 7 I was walking the area and down by the Delta baggage office I counted over 50 unclaimed bags grouped together in a sad huddle. Yep, I’d definitely hang on to your bags if at all possible with them for awhile. Hopefully they are back on track by now, but……..

Posted by
2637 posts

Lyndash--We always do carryon, except when we go to Fairbanks on our way to the bush and we need our hip waders etc. I do like to shop though, so for our European trips I tend to check my bag on the way home if I have to. I have come to detest Delta lately so will make sure to keep my bags small enough to do carryon on the way home as well. Your post is very helpful!