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January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | Those of you who have taken an O or Adamas with on a flight: is there a SOFT case that can "carry on"? Can it be done with any degree of confidence? I imagine many will say: "Don't!"
For the record: I lugged my Legend around Europe for a year in the mid 80s. Got lucky I guess... |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | I carried on my hard case many times. Put it up in the overheads. I would worry about using a soft case in the event they MAKE you gate check it into the hold, which sometimes happens if the plane is a "regional jet". |
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March 2002
Posts: 15666
Location: SoCal | I have only rarely had to check my hardshell case. Most of the time, if you can get it to the gate (which is most of the time), you'll get it on the plane.
The worst case scenario if you can get it to the gate is that they'll hand carry it on from the gate and get it back to you at the next gate.
I think out of the last 15 times I've flown, I've had to check my guitar once from the ticket counter and maybe twice, it's been hand carried on.
The best was when I was allowed to pre board to ensure the guitar was going to have a spot on the plane..... |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | When flying with a guitar the flight crew are your friends. Treat them NICE.
Nobody else can make you give it up. They will try to. The ticket counter will want you to check it - say no, I'll carry it to the gate. The gate crew will want you to gate check it, I've even been told the flight crew insists on it - say no, I'll ask them.
Once at the door, VERY politely explain that your guitar is precious to you - may you please put it in an overhead?
I've found this will most often get you great cooperation. The last time I flew with a guitar (bringing the Koala back from AI) both the ticket and gate crew got very upset with me because I insisted on asking the flight crew. The flight crew told me, "Sorry, the flight is full, so the overheads are going to be full." Then they proceeded to totally empty the 1st class closet and repack it so they could make room for the guitar. It rode home in more comfort than I did. |
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Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | I've been refused bring it on the plane in Asia, so I wind up gate checking it. Haven't had a problem thank goodness. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Sure, the flight crew can refuse it for whatever reason. I've had it happen.
I'm just saying a little sucking up can go a long way towards keeping your precious baby inside the heated, pressurized portion of the aluminum tube. |
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December 2004
Posts: 62
Location: Phoenix | I've travelled with electrics in soft cases and acoustics in hard cases, all as carry-ons. With Southwest I've never had a problem--but I fly enough I am almost always a Group A boarder, so I can find a bin space. I've seen folks try to board late group B or Group C with a guitar and they haven't had room, so they had to check it (eek!!!) With soft cases, my main concern is the moron that tries to shove their giant oversize rollaway into the bin... |
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March 2008
Posts: 355
Location: Wichita, KS | It seems to me that with most airlines charging additional fees for checked baggage, more passengers are carrying stuff on board, thus filling the overheads to capacity. Last flight I took, I had no choice but to stow my laptop and CPAP under the seat in front of me, leaving absolutely no foot room. No way a guitar would have fit under there. I've never tried checking one at the gate. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | The one positive about gate checking (if you're forced to) is that they're usually the last in the luggage hold and the first out. |
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January 2006
Posts: 2120
Location: Chicago | Good advice and important details to consider. Thanks! I wonder if the even EXISTS a custom soft-shell for an O? Makes me nervous anyway.... |
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April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Last time I flew I watched the baggage handler pick a guitar off the conveyer belt then drop it into the special section for fragile items from a height of 1 metre. Don't take the soft case! |
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September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | Woman down the hall from me went home for Christmas.
She received a Lyon acoustic guitar as a present, she was very happy.
She took a plane home with the guitar in a soft case.
They broke the neck! Then they claim that she had no proof that it wasn't like that when she checked it.
Yes, it was a cheap guitar... But it was Her Guitar.
Do Not Check A Guitar In A Soft Case! |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Alagoas, Brazil | Ok, I am beggining to worry. Would it help to put some kind of padding inside the case? What kind of padding would help? Stirofoam? |
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Joined:
June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | In an original Ovation hardcase no padding necessary.
If it makes you feel better put some bubble wrap around the headstock and make sure you back the strings off a couple of turns.
I have brought three guitars back to Oz and I had to gate check them each time from LA to Bris, domestically in the US carry on.
The staff were courteous and I have had no problems.
Miguel, where are you flying to?
AJ |
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October 2005
Posts: 4050
Location: Utah | Check the airline's website for their policy on musical instruments. Some airlines specifically permit a musical instrument as long as it fits in the overhead compartment. Some airlines specifically don't allow instruments in the overhead that are bigger than a regular carry on suitcase.
Print out a copy from the website and take it with you to the airport. That way if anybody gives you trouble you can whip out their policy from their website and point out that you are permitted to take it on the airplane.
Many airlines will specifically deny any liability for musical instruments as checked baggage if they are tuned to concert pitch. So if it gets checked be sure it is detuned a bit. None will accept liability if it is in a soft case.
Your best bet is to hand carry it to the gate and get it gate checked if it has to go checked. It will get hand carried rather than tossed around with all the other checked bags. It isn't all that rare to see a bag cart driver making a high speed sudden swerving turn which causes a bag to fly off of the cart onto the ramp. Gate checked bags are hand carried and are usually stowed in a different area. You may get the guitar back planeside at destination.
Check to see if the flight is on a regional jet. Even though the ticket says the name of a major airline, many flights are flown by subcontractors on the RJ. Guitars definitely do not fit in the RJ, but if the flight isn't full you might sweet talk the crew into using a closet or even strapping it into an unused seat. Yes, that is legal as long as it does not block an exit!
The main carrier's website will list the type of aircraft scheduled for that flight.
Originally posted by Dale Lutes:
It seems to me that with most airlines charging additional fees for checked baggage, more passengers are carrying stuff on board, thus filling the overheads to capacity. You have no idea! People are checking so few bags that we regularly have to put on ballast to get the airplane into proper balance! Airliners are designed with a presumption of a certain ratio of checked bags to passengers, and when that doesn't happen in real life we have to move people around or use ballast. |
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Joined:
February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Originally posted by FlySig:
Airliners are designed with a presumption of a certain ratio of checked bags to passengers, and when that doesn't happen in real life we have to move people around or use ballast. Leave the luggage in the overheads and put the passengers who brought more than their share of carry-ons in the luggage hold... |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Alagoas, Brazil | Originally posted by AussieJames:
In an original Ovation hardcase no padding necessary.
If it makes you feel better put some bubble wrap around the headstock and make sure you back the strings off a couple of turns.
I have brought three guitars back to Oz and I had to gate check them each time from LA to Bris, domestically in the US carry on.
The staff were courteous and I have had no problems.
Miguel, where are you flying to?
AJ Miami and then back. I will see around a bit also. I will be flying American Airlines, they say its a 777 on their website. I´ve never had a problem carrying a guitar as hand luggage here in Brazil, but people usually brings lots of things from the US to Brazil, and I´m afraid the crew won´t let me carry the guitar on the flight back. |
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June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | Miguel,Miguel, haven't we taught you anything? :rolleyes:
The idea is to go to Miami empty handed an take a new one home :D
Trader Jim is in Florida, he'll hook you up.
AJ |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Alagoas, Brazil | Originally posted by AussieJames:
Miguel,Miguel, haven't we taught you anything? :rolleyes:
The idea is to go to Miami empty handed an take a new one home :D
Trader Jim is in Florida, he'll hook you up.
AJ Quosque tandem, Jimmy, abutere patientia nostra?
Where have you been? You should have checked this thread.
First you take a good look on the map. Then, you draw your own conclusions. After that, we can discuss further who knows what and who should be paying attention to the classes.
Miguel |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Alagoas, Brazil | Well, I´ve flown back with the guitar as carry on all the way.
In Miami I just carried it straight to my seat. It didn´t fit in the overhead bin, so I placed it on the seat and waited. When the crew came check why I wasn´t sitting for the take-off, I said I had nowhere to place the guitar. They offered me a crew closet, after emptying it, so the guitar came to Brazil unharmed.
Then, to fly from São Paulo to Maceió, I just carried it to the plane and placed inside the overhead bin. No problem at all. Obviously, declaring that I had a loaded weapon and was carrying it with me in the plane went a long way to get plentyful smiles all the way around... :D |
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Joined:
June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | Gee Miguel, I've never thought of an Adamas as a "loaded weapon" :D
AJ |
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Joined:
January 2009
Posts: 379
Location: Alagoas, Brazil | It was not the Adamas, but the new-from-Al Al di Meola Custom Legend.
SWMBO asked me to bring a new guitar to Brazil.I had to oblige.
Miguel |
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Flying with an O: advice?