I, too, have brought the ashes of my Stepfather on the plane. The FA wanted us to put them in the overhead but when I explained they were allowed as a "lap Child"

For business, once I had to accompany a Logging Sonde (in box) that was 12' long and the box was 8"x8" that would not fit in the cargo compartment of the Metro Airlines Plane. So it wound up in the Aisle. That was also the flight that they sold the jump-seat the FA used and pulled the FA off the plane!

Ah the good old days of flying!