International Flight with Dress..advice?

CarlesnEm

Here's the situation:  I'm going to have to make an international flight with my wedding dress.... I'm terrified and I also don't want to spend a fortune on making sure it gets home safely.  Has anyone done this?  Or even continental flights with their dresses?? I read an old post from about a year ago but I'm curious for a little more recent info and maybe to find someone who has flown internationally with their dress. Or even if you know how someone else did it! 

Oh, side note: My dress will be completely cleaned, pressed, fitted..everything at the time of my flight.

[Deleted User]

Can you have it shipped instead?

Definitely buy a garment bag for it.

It really depends on how you are flying. If you are flying first class, you can ask the flight attendants if there is room in the little closet up front (assuming it will be a big plane since it is an international flight). If not, I would just say to do the best you can with carrying it on the plane.

jagore08

Call the airline and see if they're able to let you store your dress in the first class cabin.  If they can't guarantee you the space then you should ship it.  Either way you'll probably have to have it steamed again before your wedding day because traveling with it will cause a wrinkle or two.

HappinessByTheKilowatt

I am going to be shipping mine to a relative ahead of my wedding. Space on planes is such a hot commodity now, the odds of them having a place to store it are pretty slim. Do you want to take the chance of having to bunch it up in the overhead, or worse yet, check it? There is really no point in pressing it before you leave, as even if they have space to hang it, it's not enough space for it to lay flat or anything. See if you can have it pressed upon arrival, or if a trusted relative can get it pressed for you before you get there.

Soon2BeMrsTing

I imagine the hotel will offer services (cleaning, steaming, pressing) which will mitigate any damage wrought by traveling. 

CarlesnEm

Thanks for the advice everyone.  Once we buy our tickets I will check with the airline to see about hanging it in first class or other options they might suggest.  I wanted to avoid shipping it because of costs and I don't trust them.. I know companies like DHL do a good job but I've had some bad experiences with shipping even minor things internationally.  Anyway, thanks for the advice!

siljereed

I faced your situation in January. I bought my dress in Houston and had to fly it to Norway where I live. I had a great experience with KLM. My dress was handed to the flight crew and was stored in the captain's closet the entire flight. I had no problems through security in Amsterdam or on my transfer flight to Oslo. I had my dress pressed before leaving Houston and when I arrived in Oslo you couldn't tell it's been on a plane for 14 hours. My dress made it home just as pretty when I picked up at the bridal boutique Don't worry your dress will be in the best hands onboard!

CarlesnEm

That is very reassuring Silje! Thank you!

thejessy

I work for an international airline... we are actually advised to take great care when passengers are traveling with a wedding gown, even in economy class. If it's Delta or United they may not have the same courtesy but most airlines are sensitive to traveling brides. Good luck!

[Deleted User]

Okay, so I am not the only one. I am also travelling internationally with my wedding gown. I called British Airways and they said the flight crew can hang it in one of the closets if there is room. If not, I will have to leave it over the head compartment. I would rather leave it in the over-the-head cabinets rather than checking it in. In the worst case it will get wrinkled, which i can steam/press it when i arrive. As long as it is in its travel bag, it should be okay.

-Mariana