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October 2004
Posts: 124
| anyone carried your ovation on board at JFK recently? i'll travel with my ovation next week & not sure if they'll let me. |
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August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | You may have to "gate check" ... that is, carry it through security and to the gate. If there is room onboard and the crew is ultra accomodating (doesn't hurt if you've got a first class seat booked) they may find a way to get your O inside the cabin (it's easier with an electric in a gig bag or small case). Most likely though, you'll have to hand it to the ground crew at the bottom of the jetway, where they'll hand stow your guitar below, and then bring it back to you at the jetway after you arrive at your destination.
Be careful what you try to get through security. I had my string cutters confiscated ... and rid your case of any screwdrivers or anything else that could be even remotely construed as a weapon.
Whatever you do, DO NOT check your guitar with your other checked luggage at curbside of the ticket counter. |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Let us know what happens with the gate check. When I go by air, I just make sure someone at the otherend has a guitar I can use. It usually works out. |
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May 2004
Posts: 2850
Location: Midland, MI | Two years ago we flew Northworst and they were very accomodating with the stroller (yes, I know you're asking about a guitar...'bout the same size, though). They let us gate check it so we could push Littleman through O'Hare (connecting flight), very cool. Last year we flew Untied. The first airport refused to let us gate check, so we had to hoof from one end of O'Hare to the other with ~25# of squirming child and all his attendant detritus and baggage. On the return flight, the gate attendant assured us that there was no problem gate checking a stroller and sure enough...it worked. Feh.
Point is...good luck, it's hit or miss with some of these outfits. I wonder if you wouldn't be farther ahead to just UPS/FedEx it out there the day before you leave? |
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May 2002
Posts: 3005
Location: Las Cruces, NM | an4340 has a point.
Someone saw Tom T Hall in an airport travelling without any type of instrument and asked him why. He answered yhat he had never been anywhere that didn't have a guitar for him to play and usually someone was begging him to play their guitar. Of course he wasn't primarily a guitar player. |
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November 2002
Posts: 1300
Location: Madison, Wisconsin | Many of us brought our guitars to the 1st and 2nd OFC factory tour and took them on the plane without incident. I don't recall anyone having a problem. I ususally consider myself one of those "that need a little extra time" and try to board early so I can find room in the overhead to store my Ovation.
The only problem I've had is on a smaller plane where the overheads weren't big enough for my case. I was able to fit it in the coat storage up front without any problem.
Listen to the StoneMan and be sure there is nothing in the pick/string/crap compartment of the case that might be used to bring down the craft. They have looked at my string winder with disdane especially after I told them it is used to grab someone by the ear and twist it off. They don't like jokes. Leave the fingernail clippers at home. |
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June 2004
Posts: 271
Location: Ft. Lauderdale, Florida | The last time I went to Los Angeles on American Airlines, (summer '04) I was told that if Im locked my Guitar Case they would break into it, post 911 stuff...
So, I put 6" of blue 3M tape, (the no residue kind) over all the latches, in the hopes that after they, "had their way with her", she MIGHT get taped again to keep latches from opening up, along the way...
I curb checked it because I was told there wasn't any room in the passenger section and gate checking "was not an option" !!!
Maybe next time, I will try and insist on taking it to the Gate with the hopes I might get onboard early enought to find a spot for it... or at least, it might get hand checked more gently...
Do airlines still offer insurance for GUITARS, that travel with you or do they "limit their liability" as I think my wife just yelled at me to $750.00 and that is thru the Credit Card Co. if you pay by Credit Card !!!
AB |
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December 2001
Posts: 7222
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I usually ship my guitar to where I'm going and ship it back.
I know a touring band, they tour over 100 dates a year all over the world, they have proper anvil cases and always check their instruments.
I have checked instruments without incident, but that was long before 9/11. |
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February 2002
Posts: 5750
Location: Scotland | In the last couple of years I've been to the US around a dozen times, mostly through JFK or LAX and I've never had a problem with a guitar as carry-on baggage either on international or domestic flights. On several occasions I've had to stand my ground with check-in staff who insisted the guitars had to be checked, while I insisted that it was not their decision & if neccessary I'd hand-load from the jetway. Only problem was on a domestic flight from Dallas to Nashville where the overheads were too small and the closets were full, so we loaded from the jetway and the guitar was waiting for me by the time I got to the door when we landed. The key is to be polite but firm, insist that the instrument is valuble & fragile and must not go on a luggage carousel, and they are usually very accomodating.
Incidentally last year I checked an empty Ovation brown case from Heathrow to either Detroit or Dallas & they absolutely destroyed it. |
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February 2004
Posts: 171
Location: Tulsa, Oklahoma | I've been carrying on a guitar in a gigbag for years... pre 9/11 and after... never a problem.... I just show up early and place it in the overhead... Now that I carry on an Ovation I don't worry so much about hurting it... Gotta love the lyrachord back... I'll be carrying on my 1976 balladeer to St. Croix this Saturday... |
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December 2004
Posts: 5
Location: New York | I fly out of JFK very very often and as long as the guitar case looks like a soft gig bag you will not have a problem I use a fort case with a small dog cover on it and I allways am able to take it on board with me |
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October 2004
Posts: 124
| after 9/11, security is especially tight at major airport like JFK. even worse if you fly UA. i called UA, one rep said it's ok to carry guitar on board, another one said it depended how big it was. gigbag might be easily to carry on. if they insist gigbag must be checked, my ovation inside the bag will be "total".
i'll take a hardcase & update you all 2 weeks later. |
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May 2003
Posts: 4389
Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | Did you have any problems with the airplane? |
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October 2004
Posts: 124
| i didn't want to run any risk, as deep bowl ovation hard case is bigger than typical guitar case. |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | That's what I'm afraid of. If I take my HSC, it may not fit in the overhead. If I take a gigbag, they may make me put it in cargo and it'll get destroyed. At least in the HSC it would have a chance surviving the cargo hold. |
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June 2002
Posts: 6197
Location: Phoenix AZ | I would do one of the following:
1) First preference would always be to ship it ahead. Most airports have a fedex depot right on site and you can just pick it up right there. Also the airport depots usually have extended hours.
2) If you're going to check it, pack it safely in the case and then pack the case in the box. Somehow it survived getting to you from the factory via case/box in the first place.
3) Get a dog cage and paint the guitar case to look like a dog. Somehow they ship dogs and the majority of them seem to survive the trip.
4) If you travel frequently, get an anvil case. They actually are not all that expensive if you divide over a number of trips.
Dave |
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April 2004
Posts: 234
Location: Phoenix, AZ | Interesting that this subject has been beaten to death on other guitar forums, and even tho we're on page two, no one has come up with the correct answer. CHECK WITH YOUR AIRLINE. For cases which will fit in the overhead compartment (not Ovation acoustics), if you board early enough to get enough overhead compartment space, you'll be okay. Altho, on board personnel can remove it if, in their opinion, it takes up more overhead compartment space then recommended per passanger or is a danger to passengers.
Most airlines will tell you it's up to the personnel on your flight. (Note that TSB regulations allow the handcarrying of guitars to gates, but have no control over what airlines can or can not allow on their planes.) If they want to allow it on the plane, they can. If they don't, they'll send it downstairs to be checked. If the case can not be opened (required under current TSB regulations), it won't be put on the plane. If it's locked, and TSB personnel suspect something suspicious, they have the authority to have it removed from the airport grounds, where they can destroy it by the safest means. |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Just read that those lovely people at AirFrance recently trashed Ravi Shankar's two sitars . . .
It's my understanding that one (if not both) have been with him for many years.
THAT'S gotta suck!!!
I'm surprised that they don't fly in seats. . . . |
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September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | My Trekker in a gig bag fit just fine in the overhead. No problems at security. |
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December 2004
Posts: 2150
Location: Orlando, FL | Ravi should have taken his trekker sitar! Of course security would probably have to check that bowl out... |
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September 2004
Posts: 96
Location: Eugene, OR | Depends on whether U will be traveling domestic
or international. Treatment and security rules could be quite different depending on destination and security for the given terminal. |
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January 2002
Posts: 386
Location: nyc area | the only problem i have ever had ( with a gig bag) is with delta airlines...they have a no onboard guitar policy... now i fly any other airline... and im a medallion member |
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carry-on vs check-in at JFK post 9/11
