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Guitar Travel issues


NHTom

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Went to see Lita Ford last night......great show, etc.

 

One thing I love about Lita is she still plays all the cool old guitars from her past. Well, I couldn't help but notice that she was only playing her "stoli bottle" BC Rich (did break out the black hammer explorer for a bit also).

 

She then proceeded to tell the story of how her famous BC Rich Bich double neck was LOST at the airport. They supposedly had found it and said they would get it to her by 11:00.......show started at 8..........

 

She said she and her tech had sat in the window watching the baggage handlers wind up and throw it onto the cart at which point is slid right off the far side and onto the pavement......then they walked around the other side and through it right over the cart to the ground for a second time..............

 

 

She said it was in a really strong Anvil case, but still.............

 

 

The way security is in airports today, I can say for a fact that I'd have gone to jail because I'd have been trying anything to break the window and go save my guitar from those idiots.............

 

NHTom

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i think it's more a matter of a culture developed by the industry. all the airlines handle baggage in this manner. one can cite various causes, but the bottom line is, it's disrespectful, and should not be tolerated by their employer. and yet, it is. ever once heard of a handler being fired for mishandling luggage? google turns up a few stories, but you don't hear of it the way you hear about the complaints. each of the stories i skimmed through had a common theme. the firings occurred because passengers witnessed and filmed the event. i found no stories where employees were disciplined after an internal witness or investigation, or because of a written complaint.

ups and fed ex are no different when loading cargo. until people stop allowing themselves to be held hostage by large corporations this type of behavior will continue unchecked.

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The two times I took my Gibson V on a plane, I took pictures of the guitar and case before each flight and inspected afterwards. On the first flight, I was lucky enough to have it ride in the closet inside the plane. It was (and is) insured but if I would witness something like that, there would be quite the lawsuit occurring shortly afterwards.

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Gate checking is the way to go. When you check in, take your guitar with you as a "carry on". Go through security and make sure you don't have dangerous things in your case. When you board your flight they will either let you put it into the overhead if the flight isn't full or they will gate check it which means they put a tag on it and then the ticket or baggage person there will load it on last and take it off first so when you get off the plane after landing they hand it to you. I always just say "Please be careful, that guitar is my pride and joy." Just travelled last week with my J-45 acoustic. Absolutely no problem.

If you really want to check it in as baggage, which I've done as well, talk to the handler when you check it in and put a fragile sticker on the case as well as give them the same pride and joy story. They have fragile stickers for you. I travel a lot and these 2 methods have never let me down.

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Just brought an amp on the plane yesterday with me in checked baggage with a fragile sticker. Didn't work when I got it home, the power switch had twisted and disconnected the wires. I fixed it and now all is well, but it's definitely not safe to send a guitar or amp as checked baggage unless it's packed well enough to be thrown around with zero care whatsoever

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