Best way to get my saddle on the plane???

[Xctrygirl]

Short story: Saddle needs to come on the plane with me. I have very small allowances for bags (WOW airlines) I wouldn’t want to check it for fear it gets thrown on it’s tree. Thinking leathers and stirrups can go in with clothes.

Wondering if there’s a way to fold it up a bit more to fit under the seat. 17.5" and I feel like someone has successfully done this before!!! Help!

I’m measuring and trying the various contortions later tonight.

https://wowair.us/customer-service/faq/luggage/how-much-carry-luggage-can-i-take-me/

Em

[Madison]

I think you will have a hard time fitting it under the seat. I tended to stick my leathers and stirrups in my luggage to make it less heavy and easier going through security (not sure they would care anyway), and told the TSA people what was coming through the scanner because otherwise they struggle to figure out what they are looking at and pull it for a manual check. On the plane, I always had to put mine in the overhead bin but what I was often able to do is put my carry on bag between the flaps to save space. Otherwise I would just try to board early and put both your saddle and your luggage in the overhead - once you are on board if something needs to be checked they will often just check the luggage for free to avoid delays.

[kmwines]

Crazy that they charge you for a carry on. I don’t think you’ll be able to get away with it as a personal item with those dimensions. In the overhead yeah no problem.

[Xctrygirl]

@kmwines

Crazy that they charge you for a carry on. I don’t think you’ll be able to get away with it as a personal item with those dimensions. In the overhead yeah no problem.

Cheap airfare roundtrip to Europe on 7 days notice. I’m fine with carry on charges for not having to pay for a mainstream airline.

[kmwines]

@Xctrygirl

Cheap airfare roundtrip to Europe on 7 days notice. I’m fine with carry on charges for not having to pay for a mainstream airline.

I just meant it doesn’t seem like it would influence the flight at all so it seems weird to charge for it. I wouldn’t think carry ons substantially change the weight to make a difference in fuel but I’m not an airline executive so who knows. They do have great prices though.

[PonyPenny]

Leave stirrups on saddle and put in overhead bin. Security won’t care. Onetime there was no room in overhead bin, so my daughter put it behind her in the seat. She put a blanket over her and no one was the wiser. Of course she was only on a three hour flight.

[OneTwoMany]

Put the saddle in a duffel bag or a spacious backpack. Put a smaller bag packed with clothes between the flaps. Like an earlier poster said, let security know what is in the bag before they scan. Duffel bag or backpack goes in overhead bin. Voila.

[HoundsRun]

I carried mine to the gate, thinking it would fit on the overhead. When I tried it was found to be too big so they gate-checked it. I carried mine in a well padded Kensington carrier with a shoulder strap and it survived. It did however get x-rayed multiple times, swabbed, checked and rechecked, etc. Stirrups and leather in my normal suitcase.

[Willesdon]

Check with your destination in Europe to see if you need to take your saddle.

[greysfordays]

@Willesdon

Check with your destination in Europe to see if you need to take your saddle.

This!!! A million times this. It is such a pain to bring a saddle, if it can be at all avoided, go for it. I’ve tried a lot of horses in some very slippery german saddles and still prefer that to bringing my own!

[findeight]

Check with WOW on their seat and overhead bin dimensions. They are along the lines of Spirit and Allegiant here in tne States, based in Iceland. Was under the impression all of their flights connect via Keflavik with a rather lengthy layover time as all the IcelandicAir flights do…like 12 hours. Sort of a built in boost for local tourism. I hear The Blue Grotto is the place to go ( no it’s not a bar, hot springs pool). Seriously, look into that if you do have the mandatory tourism interval built in.

I just checked and yes, all their flights are via connection at Keflavik. They don’t have the rights to operate non stop between the States and Europe.

Saddle should fit rolled up in a gym bag in tne overhead bin. Probably not going to fit under the seats of an all one class discount carrier (757?). Put the irons and girth in your clothes bag, they can make the saddle heavier by the minute lugging around between the ridiculously early check in time and actual departure.

[Xctrygirl]

Layover Is only 2 hours. From 4:55am to 6:50 am.

Got a saddle bag that fits the airline dimensions nicely. All is good. Saddle is important to my comfort so it’s going.

Without getting too far into it there’s an ‘Inverness’ issue with me and MANY other saddles. Not going down that road.

Emily

[iridehorses]

I’ve put mine overhead plenty of times. Also folded flaps around and squashed it in front of me. Was a tight fit and the bottom was open so it went into my neighbor’s area as well, but it worked.

[50ShadesOfHay]

When I flew with my saddle I left the leathers and stirrups on, got a zipping saddle carry bag. It went in the overhead compartment. I used that as my carry on. I checked my other bag.

You probably could fit some other clothing items under your saddle if you were trying to really maximize your carry on.

[Xctrygirl]

Thanks for all the feedback. Saddle went and all was well. I packed my helmet in the bag with it and a couple things like socks and a pullover as well. It was problem free in respect to security, space in the overhead and that sort of thing. The only issue I faced was the crappy shoulder strap that Equine Couture includes on this particular bag. I’m not angry about it but for probably $5 more it could have had a memory foam shoulder pad.

I am planning to write the company a respectful feedback letter.

Emily

[Puddin_Pie]

Good jo. Getting the saddle on the plane. I tried desperately to pack my dressage saddle when we were traveling to try horses and could not get it to fit in any bag. I ended up leaving it at home, as I was terrified I would not be able to take it as carry on.