Uh, Southwest is Freaking Me Out

I can not imagine a flight attendant on the face of this earth who is so evil that he/she would make you check a wedding dress. Hell to the N-O. I don't fly Southwest, but I did study them in B school and aren't they known for their customer service / friendly policies?

Bring a good steamer with you and don't fret about this. It will be ok.

ps. If this DOES happen, send me a PM. I will get you national news coverage. I'm not kidding.

How big is your dress? if it's huge and poofy i could see there being an issue

I am having a DW and this is my BIGGEST fear. I am sure that you will be fine (maybe a chance to go Bridezilla on them if its not?). I would maybe call and ask to speak to a supervisor closer to your fly out day. Maybe they will have some answers? Good luck and keep us posted!

I too have to travel with my dress. I'm going to bring an empty roll-on suitcase to my last fitting, and my bridal salon is going to professionally pack my dress in there. Honestly, you're going to have to get your dress steamed regardless of how you travel with it. I'd rather know my dress is safe in a carry-on suitcase rather than just a bag IMO.

Southwest has excellent customer service. I wouldn't worry

We flew southwest for our wedding. There was me and another girl with wedding dresses. Her was really poofy. Neither of us had to check our dresses. The flight might be packed, but the flight attendants were super accommodating. The worst that will happen is that your dress may be at the very front or very back of the cabin and you might have a hard time getting to it when trying to get off the plane. That's all.

For those of you who already did this, did you just leave your gown in the garment bag, or did you put it in a suitcase?

My dress is poofy-ish. It's not full-on layer insanity, but we're not talking a sheath here. Exhibits A and B:

Last time I went to Vegas on southwest there was a woman on my flight carrying her wedding dress. She just put it in the overhead on top of all the suitcases. No problem. The flight attendants even congratulated her!

Yep, left it in the garment bag

Our destination wedding is in August, 2015 and we are flying Southwest. I really hope I'm able to bring my dress.

I have always flown Southwest and they have always been gracious.

Fingers crossed!

Like Rachael, the boutique where I purchased my dress is going to pack my dress into my carry on for me. It will be a standard carry on with nothing else packed inside. I'm also bringing a handheld steamer and will call my mom's tailor to see if he can steam it if all else fails. It shouldn't be problem for my dress, the skirt is tulle. I'd see if you can have your dress packed into a carry on for you, then you won't have problem with anyone smashing it!

United told me something similar. I really don't think, though, that when I'm standing there with my wedding dress and my fiance and my parents and my aunt, they're going to pry it away from me and toss it in the filthy luggage chamber in front of a whole crowd of customers.

I flew SW with my gown last week. I kept it in a garment bag and we had a really empty flight so I was able to lay it flat in an overhead bin. On the full flight back the attendant layed it on top of ccarry-ons in the overhead.

We had a DW to Mexico, and flew Southwest. They let me carry my dress on board, although I DID have to fold it up to store in the overhead. It steamed out fine on arrival to the resort.

DO NOT GO BRIDEZILLA. That is BAD advice. They could remove you from the plane as they have removed people for less.

Just be courteous but firm and pick the nicest looking flight attendant/gate agent, and let them know you need to be accomodated.

I recently had to fly home and asked on my return what I would have to do in August. I am lucky that my dress is back home where we are getting married. I asked both the ticket counter agent and a flight attendant. The ticket counter agent said I would be able to carry it on and put it in the overhead. The flight attendant told that I should either check it or have it shipped. The flight attendant told me that because she said there is no guarantee on how full the flight will be. I had also showed her a picture of my dress. I am considering paying the extra fee to get on the flight first and using one of the overhead bins with our carry-ons, that way I can fold my dress and put it on top of our stuff. I did add a rolling duffel to our registry so that I could check it. I haven't had issues with getting my luggage, but I still worry about it. I am wearing the dress again when we have a party back out here in LA.

I didn't fly with Southwest, but we had a DW and I was allowed to carry on my dress, and hubby carried on his suit. The airline even let my parents carry on theirs.

If it fits in the compartment, you should be fine.

I just flew Southwest twice last week and their customer service was phenominal. Be sweet as pie with them and know that you will probably need to steam your dress when you get to your destination.

I will also chime in about Southwest. I think of any airline giving you grief about this, Southwest is probably the last to. I think you'll be fine!