SWA crew luggage...?

[tredding@swa]

What size overnight bag should we buy to fit in the allocated space in the -300/-500/-700??

I know that my current bag is too big, I have heard that the prices on what's offered in training are pretty pricey $$$.

Here are some TravelPro bags at a discount for SWA employees, will any of these work??

http://southwest.netbags.com/perks/...d=39&mscssid=1058BDRU482U8G0S282B9MH9BAV64VB0

Any suggestions??? Also - what about the "brain bag", what will work?? What won't!?!

Thanks in advance!

Tred

 

[RightBettor]

TravelPro is pretty much garbage!! I do not know anyone who has used TravelPro in the past and liked the product. Buy a TravelPro and you'll end up replacing it within 12 months... no kidding! I use the PNT bag (24") and it fits just fine inside the 300/500/700. The brain bags they sell at the school house are good albiet some are a bit pricey. Check out the two bags at www.pilotshirts.com. They will work just fine and sell for a lot less money.

One more note about TravelPro. My wife used them when she was a flight attendant, and they wouldn't honor the warranty when they found out she was an airline crew member!! Go figure... TravelPro sucks!! (did I already say that?)

 

[tredding@swa]

Thanks Righty....

I'll just wait until I see what is on sale at the school house - Glad to hear you like the TravelPro bags....
Tred

 

[Slug]

Bags

I was trying to keep expenses down when I started so I didn't go with any of the schoolhouse stuff. What I did find is working very well though.

Rollerbag: Bought it at Costco for $89. It is the Kirkland Signature Executive. It is a tough bag, not quite as good as my big "PurdyNeatStuff" bag, but durable. The telescoping handle is the only thing I feel is of slightly lessor quality. It has a lifetime warranty and fits under the jumpseat just fine. Very close to on par with the PNS bags. In fact, this is one of the most common bags used by the crews. You have to tag it with something identifiable or it will get mixed up with everyone elses bags when you get off the hotel shuttle.

Brainbag: Bought the ballistic nylon bag sold at the clothing/uniform shop between the training/sim building and HQ. Not the greatest, but easily fits everything we carry and will easily fit between the seat and the sidewall on all models. I like the fact that it is not hard leather because on the -500 it is a tight squeeze to get it in and the fact that it is malleable (sp?) is good. It was $56.02 out the door. My name and SWA logo were also stitched on for free. It took a couple of weeks for delivery.

If you've got any questions ask or PM me.

Slug

 

[Boeing4Me]

FWIW, 90% of pilots have the purtyneatstuff bags. 90% of flight attendants have travelpro.
B4Me

 

[J3CubCapt]

After 7 years my Prudy Neat Stuff bag is going strong. A Travel pro normally only lasted 2 years max, although the CrewIII Travelpro was a bit more sturdy. My 2 cents.

J3

 

[Cardinal]

After spending much of my childhood admiring creative damage - and still more creative repairs - done to TravelPros, I am now a 2nd generation Purdy Neat Stuff/LuggageWorks devotee.

 

[Phil O'Sopher]

I have the 22" Roll Aboard from TravelPro after having had one for 10 years that did relatively light corporate duty. This one is sturdy enough for the money but it doesn't fit easily under the 300/500 jumpseat. The hard plastic corner protectors on the bottom are just a hair too wide and you have to reach in behind the jumpseat to wrestle it all the way in, and out. It's fine on the 700. That's enough to keep me from buying another one.

 

[JakeAirspeed]

Travel Pro on the way out...

I had to laugh when I started to read these replys because my Travel Pro is on it's dieing legs... literally. It's barely hanging in there. Miraculously it made it through 3 years of airline flying though. Wow!?

I just wanted to drag the last life out of it till I got the class date so now I'm going to check out that Kirkland bag at Costco. I've got to have something decent to take to training. My present company gets the new Travel Pros for us at around $89, so I figure the Costco bag may be a better buy at the same price.

 

[qxeplt]

Travel Pro

I got a new Travel Pro just before I left my last job cause the price was right. Just like a prevous post mentioned it's easy to get it stuck in a 300/500. In fact the other day it was so jammed in there I had to stick my leg down the coat hangar area and kick it out of there and that didn't seem to work very well. Then I tugged some more and still wouldn't budge. Then after a sort breather I went for another pull and I just slid out like it was in butter. Go figure. Now I cant wait till it falls apart or gets stuck in there for good so I can justify a new PNS bag so I blend in with the other 90 percent of SWA pilots. One nice thing about the Travel Pro, it's a true commuter bag I can stick 6 days worth of crap in it. Also it fits the 700s wonderfully...

 

[ivauir]

My .02

My current bag works so I am speaking form hearsay - but - when I was jumpseating an FO recommended the Samsonite bag available at the grapevine discount mall foll 100$. It is hard sided, so when the Capt slides his PN over it (you know, the one with the razor sharp edges) it won't tear. The ballistic seems the best bang for the buck.

Best o luck

 

[Flyky]

Travel Pro User

I have a CrewIII Travel Pro and still going strong after 3 yrs of airline flying. This is the ballistic material so I am having a tough time wearing this one out. I can pack whatever I want in it and seems to fit in the spaces provided. May take an extra tug once in a while. It was a good deal also. $119.95 (3) yrs ago. My previous TP lasted 2.5 yrs. I have not tried the PNS bag so no comment. Happy Shopping.

 

[PTinbound]

What about PNS?

What about some info from some current PNS fans?
I've had one for almost five years getting beat to death in the cargo hold of a SAAB by rampies with a vendetta, and it has held up fantastically. I'll never buy another brand as it's truly a pilot's suitcase and darn near bulletproof (perhaps PNS should have got the contract for our new cockpit doors?).

However, I sure don't speak from any 737 experience. Mine is 14 inches wide, and I've heard rumor that it may not fit well in the 300/500? Any truth to this? Do they sell a smaller one in the schoolhouse? Will the 14" work with a shoehorn if you don't put anything in the side pockets?
Also, how is the fit vertically? Can you overstuff these things (like I do with 4 days worth of cans of tuna fish) or do you have to pack pretty slim to fit one of top of the other?

P.S. Righty, I measured mine again and it's only 21" long. Did you get the big international bag? How wide is it and does it fit well width wise?

 

[OakRBust]

Hey Chris and other fellow bag searchers....



Don't get suckered into a brand new 13inch. The 14 incher fits fine in the 3-5-7 with a little wiggle.

My PNS bag sat in the bottom of the cargo bay for 6 years and is still going strong. I had a zipper replaced after 5 or so years.... But the bag is going to last forever!


Pay the money for the PNS... It is worth it! JMHO and no my dad doesn't own the company!


CYAAAAAAAAAAAA

Oak

 

[menacef15]

Clue me in

I gather from this thread that the type of bag we purchase has a significant impact on morale on the road (can you tell I don't have a civilian background in flying?). Where/how does one purchase the PNS bags or the COSTCO bags.......I start class in DAL on 19 May - is there somewhere out there to purchase them (I live here in the sticks in Panama City-very few aviation stores anywere in sight) Is there a specific model number/size I should be looking for? I'd hate to go buy the one thats 1/2" too big........thanx........Menace

 

[T1bubba]

I got the Travel Pro because it was only $110 from Cintas (the uniform supplier) and I could add it to the payroll deduction with the uniform stuff (basically not have to pay for it for several months). I've been very happy with it so far, although it does take an extra shove or two to get it underneath the jumpseat in the 3/500. I don't think it's ever taken more than a few seconds, though. It's very light (at least it was before I crammed all my stuff into it) but still fairly strong.

The PNS seems like a great bag too, but for 2.5 times the price it should be!

Menace- You can get the PNS bag during training (they do a show-and-tell during lunch one day), or find someone in your class with a Costco card and organize an expedition to the nearest one in Dallas to check out their bag.

T1

 

[menacef15]

T1bubba - Thanx. Copy wait 'til Dallas to make the plunge........Menace

 

[Spooky Magnum]

Costco bag info...

BUY the Costco bag and its the last bag you will EVER buy!

I had a very bad experience with a Purdy Neat bag that I bought from the schoolhouse. The zipper broke, the handle wouldn't lock up and PN solution was to send me the hardware that took me about an hour to install myself to fix the problem. I also bought the extra round bag that fit's the Purdy Neat buckles on the bag and that Zipper broke ALSO. VERY EXPENSIVE JUNK in my opinion. I had heard great stories about their stuff but was very misinformed.

Sidebar: I sold my almost new PN bag to a PHX CPT and bought a Costco bag for $90 and pocketed the difference. The Costco bag is great, fits perfectly in ALL of the 737's and you can take it back for a new one, no questions asked if it breaks! Crazy to get excited abbout luggage eh?

 

[Boeing4Me]

PTinbound sez: "Also, how is the fit vertically? Can you overstuff these things (like I do with 4 days worth of cans of tuna fish) or do you have to pack pretty slim to fit one of top of the other?"


Dude, I'm sorry to have to ask this.... Are you a flight attendant or a loser? Eating tuna fish out of your bag is a FA trick. If you're getting a pilot bag, don't worry about tuna!!!

 

[SilentDave]

Obviously never been a commuter pilot with a family. Try on his shoes and you'll understand.

 

[Yahtzee]

PNT Link

Menace,

Here's a link to Purdy Neat Things (PNT).

http://www.luggageworksonline.com/product.asp?CatID=1

Based on the recommendation of a friend, I ordered one of their bags last year. I'm just a SWA wannabe, but the company gave me a military discount. You may get a better discount as a SWA employee.

Yahtz

P.S. OakRBust....thanks for insight on the 13"/14" debate since I bought the 14" one for personal use.

 

[SWA GUY]

I've had a PNS bag for about 5 years. The zipper broke once so I called them and complained. They shipped me a standby bag to use while mine was in the shop, which was nice. Also, they repaired my zipper and upgraded the bag with the new handle system and zipper guards...all for free!

I think they have great customer service!

 

[menacef15]

Thanx Yahtz - hope to see you at SWA someday.......Menace

 

[tredding@swa]

thanks everyone!

I appreciate all of the great responses to the SWA luggage question!!

FYI - I went to Costco and checked out the $89.95 Kirkland Ballistic bag. Not a bad bag - the real value is that it is 1/3 as much as the PNS Stealth 737 bag..... personally, I am going to buy the Costco bag today. I'll get the PNS bag when the paychecks are bigger.

On the "brain-bag" issue - the $$$ I saved on the RON bag went towards a Scott 7" Flight Kit. Yea, $295 is a BIG # for an FO who is starting out next week..... however, the pubs bag will be used 3-7 times a day, hard to argue the quality vs. $$$ issues here.

From MY point of view - I got the cheepie Costco bag and the killer pubs bag for the same net $$ as the PNS bag and the nylon brain-bag..... works for me.

Thanks again for ALL of the great responses - they helped me make an informed decision!!

See ya in DAL Sunday.... Turkey-Aid for EVERYone!!!!

Tred

 

[USNFDX]

ebag is PoPo

Don't get the $89 ebag. I just sent mine back. First day the zipper broke. It is too small, the external pockets are useless, and if you are able to put anything in them, the bag becomes unbalanced. I just ordered the PNS one. Like I was told to do in the first place. I guess you get what you pay for!