Guitar on the plane

population

Off tommorrow with my acoustic and just wondering if there is anything else to do besides sticking the humidifier in the case and slackening the strings to make sure she is tip top on arrival???

Fingers Mcginty

Stick a load of fragile stickers on the case then the baggage handlers mightn't just fwok it into the luggage compt :rolleyes:
Make sure you open and check it on arrival. I had a lovely 12 string that was damaged in transit. One of the wee wooden struts was broken inside. Since then I have always fought tooth and nail to get the guitar in the over head bin on the plane with me.
What I always do is check before hand what type of plane you will be using and make sure that the guitar will fit then you can tell them this at check-in.
There is a resource on the net somewhere that explains what planes will accomodate an acoustic in an overhead bin....Also explain to them how expenive and sentimental the guitar.
If you get past check-in the next port of call is security where you have to place the guitar on the security belt....this is the easiest in my experience.
The trickiest is boarding the plane where you politely tell them they said it was OK at check-in. If this don't work at least the guitar will be placed with the buggies in the luggage compartment and will be the last in -first out.
Hope this helps

boycey

This is of no help to you population, but its one mans experience and response...

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

Sorry, I haven't figured out how to embed youtube vids yet...

Kenny_D

If its anyway expensive courier it over or buy a seat on the plane for it. Fragile stickers did SFA for my nice acoustic when I brought it home from the states. Never again. I brought an acoustic home from the UK a few years ago and bought it a cheap seat on the ryanair flight home. Worked out about €30 or €40. Well worth the peace of mind

Savman

My personal experience:

raindog.promo

Savman wrote: »

My personal experience:

Ouch. Did you complain? Did anything come of it?

Savman

raindog.promo wrote: »

Ouch. Did you complain? Did anything come of it?

Got absolutely nowhere. 1 day old Martin guitar btw.

population

Well I am now officially bricking it!!!!

First time to fly a guitar anywhere and I reckon its gonna be a nervy flight now!!!

Have already paid the cash for it to go in the hold so I am afraid that is where its going. Wish I had of thought of Fingers idea......

Balls

population

Savman wrote: »

My personal experience:

I cant even make out what happened there???

Useless gits

Welease

I always make sure it's in a hardcase, and for extra protection I pack the case out with jumpers and other clothing.. The guitar is probably going to be slung about so that should help with any movement inside the case..


Best of luck..

Seziertisch

In my experience flying over and back to Germany I have never had a problem. They have always checked it in with outsized luggage rather than taking it from me at the desk and it has always been amongst the first items on the luggage belt upon arrival. This procedure probably varies from airline to airline. Don't check it in as regular luggage, most airlines offer to take golfing equipment, musical instruments, bicycles etc. for a separate fee of 30 or 40 Euro. Go that route.

population

That's actually what I have done. I paid the 30 quid either way so fingers crossed. Also re: jumpers idea, I might see if I can dig up snd fit in a little bubble wrap to line the case.

It is just such a good acoustic, I would hate anything to happen to it

CianRyan

I did 14 flights in the space of 7 weeks with my acoustic in a soft case. I put it in the over size baggage ever time and it came back perfect.
I had a few fragile stickers and tags on the case.

I wouldn't worry about it too much, OP.
There's always the horror stories and although they are true, a lot more guitars fly and are fine than the ones that fly and get wrecked.

Paolo_M

Guitars On A Plane, eh?
I smell a hollywood blockbuster!!

DamienH

In fairness I flew with Aerarann about 25 times over the space of 4 years and they've never broken my guitar. Now I have had to pay for it at some stages, but in fairness it's been okay.

ball ox

i just put it in a soft case, the kind with 2 straps, and wear it like a backpack. They never say anything at checout that way. Then just stick it in the overhead compartment or in with the prams if they are fussy. No way would I let it near the cargo hold. I know a guy that used to work in Dublin airport who claims that some of the baggage handlers have their own agenda.

Fingers Mcginty

ball ox wrote: »

i just put it in a soft case, .

Ultimate fail

Seziertisch

Fingers Mcginty wrote: »

Ultimate fail

+1 I didn't even think you could bring hand luggage that didn't conform with the size restrictions.

Also, Ball, what do you mean with agenda?

unclebill98

Get a proper flight graded case. End of story. If you use anything else your asking for trouble, simple. As Savman's picture shows it makes not difference. I brought a MusicMan Bongo on a 13,000km trip, it made it bearly! Must have got knocked around so much something gave and the electrics are no in need of some attention.

Put your guitar in a softcase, your asking for trouble.

Tbh, lots if fragile stickers are a sure way to have it get that special extra attention for abuse.

Lastly, even after (Having to!!!) paying the extra for it to be hand loaded as an over sized item it comes out the other end on the conveyor belt with everthing else.

Vim Fuego

Interesting blog post here on the subject:

http://www.gottaquirk.com/2009/07/11/united-break-guitars/

The United Airlines/Sons of Maxwell Story

While on tour in the US with his band in 2008, Canadian Dave Carroll was shocked when a fellow passenger exclaimed that the United Airlines baggage handlers outside were manhandling luggage as it went into the aircraft - specifically his band’s guitar cases. “My god they’re throwing guitars out there”, she said.

I've never had any problems myself but I'd say I've just been lucky.

Malice

I would second what Welease posted. Basically make sure you've got a decent hard case and don't forget to lock it. The last hard case I bought has a velcro strap that goes around the neck of the guitar to hold it in place but I packed some clothes around it just to be safe. Some people recommend detuning the strings as well.

ball ox

Fingers Mcginty wrote: »

Ultimate fail

The chances of you getting a guitar on to the actual plane as opposed to the cargo hold if it's in a hard case are slim to none with a lot of airlines.

Also, Ball, what do you mean with agenda

well aparantly some guys like to 'test the strength" of luggage that has a "fragile" lable if it's in with the regular luggage.

The only way I'd stick any piece of musical kit in a cargo hold is if it was in one of those steel AT&T approved flight cases that touring bands use which has been checked in to oversized luggage. Otherwise your asking for trouble IMO.

Red Sleeping Beauty

I've brought a les paul on two flights between here and the UK (well, actually four cause they were returns).

Going over the first time I took it in the cabin and it fitted snug i the overhead bin (there's plenty of space i them things). This was New Yrs eve December 2006 mind you before the charges came in. On the way back I checked it in and everything was fine.

Second time I think I checked it in both ways.

Flew Aer Lingus both times. In all fairness, Aer Lingus' insurance I think only goes up to about a grand so you could argue the toss that you're not checking it in the hold for fear of it's safety and say that it'll fit in the overhead bin. A les paul case doesn't really take up that much space in the overhead storage. Techically it's larger than hand luggage yeah but only in length.

Oddly enough the first time, at the security desk , the fella asked me was there strings in the case. I replied "of course, it's a guitar" and he was talking about loose strings . I just said there's strings on the guitar and that was grand. Don't know what they'd be like now though. Dublin Airport security can be hit and miss.

I've seen people come back on the Glagsow-Dublin flight a few times with guitars in the overhead cabin bins. Aer Lingus don't measure your hand luagge everytime. Mind you though, that was when there were 2 flights a day and the plane would be a half to two thirds full. Now there's only 1 flight a day and it's usually full.


All four times I losened up the strings , I heard you've to do it for neck relief or something.

Fingers Mcginty

Alan Rouge wrote: »

I took it in the cabin and it fitted snug i the overhead bin (there's plenty of space i them things).

Bit of a sweeping statement there chief....they're all different sizes

population

Well am back from my little jaunt and thankfully the guitar is fine, but the hard case now has a pretty wicked crack at the base.

Way too much hassle and stress to be repeated. Bar emigrating I might pick up one of those backpacker guitars and stash it in the carry on

Red Sleeping Beauty

Fingers Mcginty wrote: »

Bit of a sweeping statement there chief....they're all different sizes

Soz, plenty of space in there for a Les Paul size case.

kenon

I flew from toronto to london with an accoustic in a soft case without any trouble whatsoever.

Lookin back on it the other day I remember giving it no thought whatsover (wasn't the most expensive guitar...), they just stuck a "fragile" sticker on it and it was fine.

There wasn't an extra charge on it either (I dont know if this has changed) which impressed me in my reminiscing...

-=al=-

highly relevant/appropriate/usefull/funny

http://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/united-breaks-guitars-becomes-a-youtube-smash-213213

Red Sleeping Beauty

Hah, he wrote a "trilogy" of songs about it ;p

loudog

I always bring my guitar to portugal with me and wrapp it in that bubly paper, 3 years and its still perfect