Flying with a guitar

[vw1300]

Sorry if this has come up before, the forum search function was not helpful in returning useful results.

 

My situation - traveling by air next weekend to visit my family up in the northeast US. They like it when I play guitar, but if I want to play anything halfway acceptable, I'll have to bring it myself.

 

I'd like to bring my J-50 that I got last May. I have a hardshell case. Is this really risky, or should I be OK if I loosen the strings and put bubblewrap inside? I would gate check it if they don't allow a carry on. Do they even allow guitar carry-ons anymore? If the guitar is damaged, I won't be heartbroken - it's too new to me to be really treasured yet - but I would be pretty mad of course.

 

thanks,

 

Charlie

[dem00n]

I brought a normal size electric guitar on the plane and they let me on, it was British airways.

They should allow you to bring it on, if it doesn't fit over head in the compartment ask one of the attendants nicely where you can put it.

If they airline doesn't allow you to it, have a backup...like a friend pickup or something.

Dont loosen the strings, i do advise wrapping in bubble wrap.

[powerpopper]

Everything you need to know about flying with a guitar is contained right here:

 

http://www.acguitar.com/article/default.aspx?articleid=25801

[E-minor7]

I'm not good enough to really fly with my guitar - Still on special nights it happens. . .

[BT Bob]

It's probably worth checking with your airline.

 

In the UK we appear to have 2 extremes - budget airlines that will allow you to take a musical instrument on if you buy a seat for it, right up to "proper" airlines like BA that allow you to take a guitar in a case as carry-on.

 

My niece recently flew with BA from UK to Sydney and checked in her Dad's 12-string. I managed to get hold of a "guitar" box from a local dealer and a "hard-case" box from a mate who'd recently bought a new hard-shell case - wrapped the guitar in bubble-wrap, put it in the guitar box, then wrapped that in the "air-bags" the case was shipped in and boxed in the larger one. Whole lot weighed less than 5kgs. She was flying Premium Economy so was able to check it in free of charge, but the worse-case would have been an excess charge of £25GBP.

[Danner]

Short answer; Insurance; detune 2 half-steps; quality hardshell case; check as baggage; enjoy your flight.

[drathbun]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo

[mking]

There are a few things you can do ahead of time. When you make your reservations check out the type aircraft on your route. The reservation folks on the phone can give you the info. With airlines like Airtran and Southwest, even the smallest aircraft they fly will accomodate a regular size acoustic. On aircraft where I know the guitar will fit in the overhead, and I have a high zone number for seating on the boarding pass, I've gone up to the gate agent and asked if I could board early in the process to ensure the guitar gets in the overhead; most have been very accomodating. Other airlines like Delta and Continental on some routes have the small jets were even a carry on bag has to be gate checked. If this is the case then you really have no choice but to gate check it. This is when a good hard shell case comes in handy. I take my guitar every time I fly so I invested in a Calton case. They are expensive but I have a 1999 Martin HD-28V and a 2007 J-45 TV. Enough said on that? If it looks like you have to gate check it you can make one last ditch effort and ask the flight attendant on board if there is a coat closet you could put the guitar in, that has worked before. On one flight on a small aircraft where there were empty seats the flight attendent let me strap it in a vacant seat. So you never know. Just be very polite and don't be afraid to ask. Lastly, I have do disagree with the fellow that advised you to check it like regular baggage. That puts the guitar out of your immediate custody and that's when they get stolen. Ask David Wilcox about his Olson guitar. If the worst thing you have to do is gate check it, you know it is on the aircraft and it will be at the end of the ramp when you get to your destination. I hope this helps.

[ponty]

I have just travelled from the UK to Atlanta, and then onto Bermuda with Three guitars and two banjos. The three guitars, j-45, J-45 and 000-28, were tightly bound together with lots of packing tape and covered with a clear heavy plastic bag.

The weight was 50 lbs - just right. I had no problem in the UK, they checked them without more than a couple of questions. Then when I flew from Atlanta to Bermuda, the problems started! The weight had suddenly gone up to 51 lbs, therefore incurred a overweight charge.They made me dismantle the perfectly bound trio, to look inside each case.

Then, they offered to re-package them, but wouldn't allow me to do it!

I stayed and watched this hapless pair of security guys mess with my guitars for 30 minutes, the end result looked bad...still, to my surprise, they made it without event.

Unfortunately,you just do not know what will happen. I think mostly, guitars do survive air travel, but there are many stories of ones that don't. Pack it well, use a good case, mark it fragile, ask if it can go in the cabin, or gate check it. After they say no, your risk increases has it goes into the hold....good luck!

[vw1300]

FOLLOW UP:

 

I flew from Houston to Philadelphia and back last week...since I don't have a gig bag, nor do any of my guitar playing buddies, I had to use the hardshell case that came with the guitar (detuned guitar, put bubble wrap around it). I ended up gate checking it and everything was fine. Both ways the plane was full and I think there would have been a lot of grumbling had a dreadnought hardshell case been taking up a good portion of the luggage bins.

 

The Chris Smither article was very useful - he was the one who recommended using a gig bag for overhead storage, but his statement that gate checking is not the end of the world made me feel a lot better about it.

 

Thanks to all who replied,

 

Charlie

[TommyK]

1. DO NOT CHECK A GUITAR.

 

Most carriers allow an exception to the size regulations for carry-ons for guitars and electric basses. Probably due to the afore-posted "United Breaks Guitars" saga.

 

Check with your air carrier, they will probably allow it as your one additional carry-on like a lap top case or purse, I think they call it a 'personal item'. Most usually, the stewardess will take it from you on the plane and stow it in a coat closet or somewhere within the pressurized, climatized cabin.

 

This policy is fluid at this point and it is most probable that not all stewardesses... I mean flight attendants are aware of the current rules, so when you find the guitar rules page on your chosen carrier's web site, print it and carry it with you.

 

My son flew from Chicargo, Il. to Austin, Tx a year ago and while they allowed guit tars as personal items, they did not have stowage room. No, he isn't a musician, but his flight was 80% guit tar players headed to some guit tar convention in Austin. They all had to fly with them in their laps. So, unless where you are going has a guit tar convention, the flight attendents will probably have a place to stow it in the cabin.