when we flew out to LA via chicago we had our pads checked free all the way out as sporting goods alongside our luggage piece allowance.
same from LA to chicago - unfortunately on the change in chicago o'hare on the way back (change from domestic to international carrier) - the checkout idiot checked all the pieces including pads through seperately - ie gone through the little hatch - before telling us we had to pay $240 extra for the extra pieces of luggage (i.e. pads) - we say no way - we'll shove the bags in the pads and check that in as one piece (still within weight limit and all that) - oh but i've checked them through - cue us having to run round to the bowels of the airport to extract our luggage - shove the bags inside the pads - wrapped in tape and plastic willingly supplied by the cool dude who helped us get our bags back - run back round with these unwieldy packages and re-check them in - suddenly the hour or so connection time seeming scarily short - of course the $240 is for the extra handling cost of the extra luggage - which is crazy cos the bag and pad seperate is deefinitely easier to carry pack....
anyway imagine our joy, having had near hernias getting our luggage checked in on time, to find that although the snow was now all gone the previous days' backlog of cancelled flights meant we got to spend the night in chicago - minus our luggage.
