Advice on flying with guitar

bothyhead · 07-10-2011 8:32pm #1

I'm flying with Air Lingus to Portugal next summer, and will be bring my D28 along. What's the best way to book my guitar online - as a second bag, and hope all goes well in the hold? (it has a hard-shell case)

Many thanks

Welease · 07-10-2011 8:48pm

I used to pack out my hard case with clothes so any impact wouldnt transfer directly to the guitar, and the guitar wouldn't move inside the case. In 50+ flights, never had an issue..

You can also request a plastic fragile stacking box/tray (or you used to be able to anyway) which stops anything coming into direct contact with the case...

bothyhead · 07-10-2011 9:17pm

Yeah, I remember reading somewhere to pack the case tight with newspaper. 50+ trips sounds like the voice of experience to me

Thanks!

Doc_Savage · 07-10-2011 9:18pm

prepare for the worst, arrive early and ask nicely at the check in desk. you may be allowed to take it as hand luggage or you might be able to give it to the flight attendants at the gate and they'll stow it for you and give it back when the plane lands.... but seriously... ask!

i asked on the way back from beijing in a 747 and the guitar rode in a wardrobe in first class, it was probably better than my seat!

rockintothebone · 07-10-2011 9:28pm

My guitar traveled with me on the plane several times .... also had it next to me if there was an empty seat . it also wore a seat belt throughout the journey and never got up to use the toilet . On a serious note they might try to argue with you about throwing it with the oversized luggage...just tell them to mind thier own business ..i had some stuff thrown there and recieved it after a day or two ..quite risky

Carraig Fhearghais · 07-10-2011 9:31pm

There may be as much a threat to your Guitar from whether the hold is pressurised &/or heated, as the pressure drop/increase & thermal stresses this can put great strain on the wood.

often the holds may not be climate controlled unless carrying 'live' animals in the hold.

Just something worth checking.

bothyhead · 07-10-2011 9:33pm

On the Air Lingus website they mention that large musical instruments may be carried in the hold of the plane for 30 eur (presumably one way?). However, there is no place to choose this option on the on-line booking form. I'll give them a ring tomorrow.

It did travel with me once on a plane, checked in as regular baggage. The case took a right old bashing, but the guitar itself was fine.

Strings.ie · 08-10-2011 9:09am

Book a seat for your Guitar. My other half did this last weekend for her harp. Seat was for Mr. Harp

bitethebullet · 08-10-2011 9:58am

Not really recommended for flying. The soundhoile always creates too much drag. Pitch can be controlled but yaw and roll are difficult enough. Always pack a parachute.

Fingers Mcginty · 08-10-2011 1:09pm

Flying with a guitar is always a bit of a worry. Years ago I was bringing back a guitar from the states and they made me chuck it in the luggage compartment. When I received the guitar in case I brought it home only to discover one of the internal braces had cracked. Even though I had marked the case fragile they still couldn't be bothered to go easy with it.
Luckily enough it was only a cheap entry level Alavarez acoustic but it still leaves a bitter taste in the ould cake hole.
Since then I have always travelled with my guitar on board. On one occasion they actually stowed it in the cock pit. You should always put up a bit of a fight for the old axe but be prepared for a battle each step of the way ...check in / security /Boarding plane.

bothyhead · 08-10-2011 1:20pm

I rang Air Lingus: On the website there is an option to check in a golf bag - apparently you use this option for guitars, too. They'll still end up in the hold, but they 'go down a different chute' and bypass a normal airport baggage handling mechanism. I'm happy with this. What I forgot to ask, is how I collect it at the other side; any ideas?

dfkorg · 08-10-2011 2:57pm

If you value your guitar's safety, buy a flight case. The guitar will be fine in the hold in one. I've had a Hiscox for 10 years and it's been terrific, flown everywhere with it and never a problem. Think they run around €120

reniwren · 08-10-2011 4:30pm

You collect it with the normal luggage on the other side the only different route it makes than other luggage is you have to drop it off at the oversized baggage area, get yourself a proper ATA flight case that can take some punishment.

bothyhead · 08-10-2011 4:52pm

reniwren wrote: »

You collect it with the normal luggage on the other side the only different route it makes than other luggage is you have to drop it off at the oversized baggage area, get yourself a proper ATA flight case that can take some punishment.

Are you sure about this? my impression was that it gets stored in the hold but does not go through normal baggage handling procedures. If you are right, damn, as I've just bought my flight

reniwren · 08-10-2011 5:00pm

Just get yourself a good case and it will be fine pad it out like everyone else suggested

twowheelsonly · 08-10-2011 5:12pm

Just be glad that you're not flying with United Airlines

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

bothyhead · 08-10-2011 5:22pm

@twowheelsonly Classic!

Orando Broom · 10-10-2011 9:06am

A good flight case, if the guitar is snug in the case there is no problem. I am personally against packing around a guitar because if the case is inspected the danger of the packing being left under the body of the guitar and the lid exerting pressure on the neck where it meets the body.

TSA (in the US) do open cases so I rather the case be left as the manufacturer intended. Also (this may not apply to Ryanair) gatecheck your guitar. That means you'll get to carry the guitar with you to the door of the aircraft you can hand it to a baggage handler and get it at the door when you land.

Hayte · 11-10-2011 10:25am

bothyhead wrote: »

I rang Air Lingus: On the website there is an option to check in a golf bag - apparently you use this option for guitars, too. They'll still end up in the hold, but they 'go down a different chute' and bypass a normal airport baggage handling mechanism. I'm happy with this. What I forgot to ask, is how I collect it at the other side; any ideas?

It works exactly like people bringing prams/buggys etc. You bring your guitar with you through the gate and right up to the point where you board the plane. You do not check it in. Then like a pram you leave it on the runway or some Aer Lingus guy will collect it and put it directly in the baggage hold. On the other side you collect it from baggage reclaim.

I've country hopped with my Taylor 712 and that was the normal way of doing things on Ryanair, BA and Singapore airlines. The hard case came with the guitar and was made to fit so I never needed to pad out the case. It takes an astonishing effort to actually damage the case let alone the guitar inside it. For example, I can stand on my hard case and at the airport I regularly sit on it if there are no seats available.

Welease · 11-10-2011 5:23pm

Actually I forgot, I usually slacken the strings.. My untested theory being less tension on the neck is probably better if it does take a whack to the case..

(I may be completely wrong on this)..

Hayte · 11-10-2011 6:52pm

If you have a proper case, it doesn't matter if you whack it with a baseball bat. Multiple times. It won't damage the guitar, only the case (and it'll take a serious amount of effort to even seriously damage the case).

reniwren · 12-10-2011 9:08pm

Welease wrote: »

Actually I forgot, I usually slacken the strings.. My untested theory being less tension on the neck is probably better if it does take a whack to the case..

(I may be completely wrong on this)..

If you realese the strings you you have the truss rod pulling harder on the neck with no strings

Advice on flying with guitar

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