Airlines and Rucksacks

[santaman2000]

I can add to that, always wear, or have available in your carry on gear, clothes that are suitable for your destination (at all hours) or indeed any possible unscheduled stop overs between your point of departure and destination.

Another trick for having a spare change of clothing (only applies if you're traveling with a companion): Each of you pack you're own separate bag but also each of you also put one complete change of clothing and a personal kit (toothbrush, etc.) into the other's bag. The chances are that if the airline loses one person's bag, they won't lose both. Not foolproof but it improves your odds.

 

[sandbender]

"...Each of you pack you're own separate bag but also each of you also put one complete change of clothing and a personal kit (toothbrush, etc.) into the other's bag..."

Good idea that.

 

[backpacker]

What is the best way to protect an internal-frame pack from the savages of air travel? My 65L pack is too large for a carry-on, but I would like to find it intact upon arriving at my destination, if possible.

The best way to protect your pack is to have it wrapped in cling-film which is done at the airport and it protects your pack and also is a deterrent to the baggage handlers wanting to put there hands into your kit! when ever I have travelled with my pack abroad I have always had it wrapped and everything seems ok when I get to the other end!!

 

[tim_n]

Another trick for having a spare change of clothing (only applies if you're traveling with a companion): Each of you pack you're own separate bag but also each of you also put one complete change of clothing and a personal kit (toothbrush, etc.) into the other's bag. The chances are that if the airline loses one person's bag, they won't lose both. Not foolproof but it improves your odds.

To further this, we often take a change of underwear/socks/t-shirt in our hand luggage, copies of all documentation inc passports all in hand luggage.

If your baggage gets lost, you've got spares
If you get mugged, a passport copy is invaluable for speeding the process up.

I also scan and email all documentation to my email so worse comes to worse I can access it internationally via gmail.

 

[Quixoticgeek]

When abroad I have my passport and important stuff (EHIC, driving license, etc...) in a waterproof money belt round my waist. It's there from when I leave to when I get back. I've even scuba dived with my previous belt...

In the days when I flew (I detest airports). My pack never fit in the standard conveyer things, so they always handled it as outsize luggage. I simple sinched all the straps to their tightest, wrapped the waist strap round it, and handed it over. No problems.

Nice side effect of it being too big to fit on the scales, is they never tried to weigh it to see how much I was over weight...

These days I avoid airports, and have travelled across much of Europe by train, sure it's slower, but it's a much nicer journey... I digress.

J

 

[sandbender]

"...These days I avoid airports, and have travelled across much of Europe by train, sure it's slower, but it's a much nicer journey... I digress..."

Me too, a much more civilised way to get around, in mainland Western Europe anyway.