air travel with guitar

pchorman

pchorman

New member
I know this type of question has come up before but it was always some variant:

For those who have taken their axes on a plane before, is it always an item to be checked, or can they sometimes make room for the case in one of the closets up front?

If the baggage handlers treat a guitar half as badly as most luggage pieces I imagine it would be in for a lot of abuse.

thanks for any shared experiences
 
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if you "insist" you'll probably be taken care of...carefully, and at great length, explain to them how expensive and fragile your guitar is...how can they say no?
 
I'm going to start traveling with my guitar on board in case there are any terrorists. I will grab my guitar and smash it over their heads like Pete Townshend or Jimi Hendrix would do. :D
 
If you HAVE to check your guitar (which I wouldn't do), SKB makes cases that go over your hardshell case and meet flight regulations for baggage and would seem to be pretty durable (but somewhat expensive). But if that's your baby, you might not want go that route.
 
Have done lots of air traveling with a variety of guitars, including acoustics and electrics on inter-continental flights to short hops intra state.

What kind of guitar(s) and what type of case(s) are you looking to go with, and how long a flight and what size of plane?

foo
 
I've wondered about this too. I'm spending the next four months in Spain and I'd like to have my cheap Sigma with me. A music store advised my mom that the guitar would be safer if she mailed it to me. What do you guys think?
 
Get a cheap gig bag and carry it on with you. I'm assuming it's approximately dreadnaught sized.

Loosen off the strings and carry it on, it will fit in the overhead on a Transatlantic flight. Try and be one of the first to get on the plane and get an empty, or partially empty overhead and place your guitar in it. Have only it as a carry=on - if you go on board with two small bags and the guitar the attendants are less likely to be sympathetic to your needs.

Watch for other passengers putting their 50 lb carry-ons on top of your axe, but you can usually work it out that you can use someone else's bag to support the neck and get it nice and cosy in the overhead it you are nice and friendly with the other passengers and attendants.

If you get on late, there is a closet in First Class and you can request that the attendants put it in there. Act like you always do it and it's no big deal - just say to the second one you see 'Can I put this in the closet please' The first one at the door to the plane is a 'greeter' and wont be able to leave the door to help you.


Que Bueno!!!

and don't forget - Tortillas de arina caliente con mantiquilla is the breakfast of champions.

Have a great time.

foo

PS There are some places on our planet that transend the 'here and now' They are places for the ages that have survived for centuries and will continue to do so for many more. Two such places exist in Spain.

You must!!!!! visit the Mosque in Cordoba and the Alhambra in Granada.

foo
 
Don't check it in. They will let you take up to the gate and they will check it in there and put in with cargo last. It will be the first thing off and they will have it for you at the gate when you get off. I've only done this with an electric and it was fine.
 
I agree with Tex.


I take the guitar to the gate and act surprised when they say I can't take it onboard (they usually let me). They apologize and offer to put it in cargo. When I get off the plane it's always waiting for me just outside the door.
 
foo said:
Que Bueno!!!

and don't forget - Tortillas de arina caliente con mantiquilla is the breakfast of champions.

Have a great time.

foo

PS There are some places on our planet that transend the 'here and now' They are places for the ages that have survived for centuries and will continue to do so for many more. Two such places exist in Spain.

You must!!!!! visit the Mosque in Cordoba and the Alhambra in Granada.

foo
Click to expand...

¡Muchas gracias por los consejos! I can't wait to see the remnants of the Moor culture in Andalucia.

I'm thinking of going for Tex's idea, especially since I've heard about some size restrictions for carry-on luggage that I think my guitar (normal dreadnaught size) exceeds. I think if I can get it in the cargo hold last I should be OK. The main reason I'm taking this instrument is that it's not a prized possesion by any means; I like owning it, but it's just a cheap acoustic (I primarily play electric). So I think this is the one to take.
 
great inputs folks - thanks.

to answer a couple of questions: I'm taking domestic trips within the US and have an LP. I can't take anything less valuable or less important to me because my second guitar is another LP (sounds like it should be a bumber sticker).

I think the options presented will work out fine.
 
Years ago I was working in upstate New York over a three month period, so I was flying in and out of LaGuardia every week. I always took my Martin D-41 and it was always a coin toss if they were going to hastle me on carrying it on the plane (they wanted me to either check it as baggage or buy a seat for it, neither of which was gonna happen). I'd always raise enough hell that they'd let me stuff it in the overhead storage (it BARELY fit). That was way before 9/11 so I don't think I could get away with that now.
 
Don't know if there's anything to this thought, but I've heard that it's generally not a good idea to have your guitar placed in storage. Someone once explained to me that the lack of air pressure in cargo will cause funny things to happen to your guitar, including but not necessarily limited to completely wrecking intonation. Can anyone speak to this matter and whether or not it has any basis in truth?
 
Loss of air pressure doesn't bother me as much as the drastic swings in temperature when a plane goes from ground level to 30,000 feet.

Which leads to two questions, are baggage compartments heated and/or pressurized?

Bottom line, I've travelled with my guitar for years with no ill effects, merchants ship instruments this way all the time, and I suspect a fair number of touring acts also ship instruments this way.
 
Guitar Do's & Dont's

Don't assume that every airline will let you play stupid at the gate.

1. Some airlines used to offer to stow your guitar in the hanging bag closet usually reserved for first class passengers, but with 9-11 restrictions, don't count on this nicety anymore.

2. Some airlines will let you check your guitar at the last minute, presumably putting your valuable instrument on TOP of the rest of the luggage and coming off first. But bagage can be loaded prior to take off long after you've taken your seat. So you could just as easily end up with a couple sets of golf clubs and a tool kit bouncing around on top of your guitar during the flight.

3. Some airlines flat out won't let you play these kinds of "I didn't know" games. And the end result could be either having to buy a seat for your guitar at a VERY high price, or being bumped off the flight for not having your luggage checked in time for departure.

If you're a touring artist that HAS to carry a pre-war flat top for your performances, then you'd better have a custom made, bullet proof, flight case for the guitar so that it can be checked as luggage. But you still run the risk of theft...

If you just want to keep your fingers limber while you're sitting in the hotel room between board meetings, then don't take a prized instrument along with you. Full sized guitars are bulky and unnecessary for this kind of playing. Instead consider the wide array of travel guitars (My personal fav is the baby taylor that comes with it's own hardshell case and fits in the overhead compartment of almost all planes). And if for some reason it does get damaged in transit, you're only out a couple hundred bucks vs. hundreds or thousands of dollars for a full sized professional grade instrument.

As always, YMMV... ;)
 
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