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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | Seems like the company policys are variable.
I used my "get a human" phone number list to call Northwest airlines. I asked if there was any way to avoid the conveyor belt system for a guitar case. She said the ONLY way was to buy a seat for the instrument, at full price. I would not mind if it was "gate checked", but she said no, can't do the either.
Now that may be the "official" company policy but I know others have had a different experience.
To add to it.... there would be two of us showing up at the gate with cases. |
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Joined:
September 2005
Posts: 3618
Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | I never bother to ask anymore. Now I just take it to the gate with me and the crew either lets me carry it on or they orange tag it and check it the same way they would a stroller. I have not had any problems since. As a matter-of-fact, I just flew Northwest a month ago. |
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Joined:
July 2002
Posts: 1900
| Some airlines are just jerks these days.. I never had to buy a ticket for my guitar before 911.. I've taken it onboard and they just store it wherever it fits best... :rolleyes: |
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Joined:
November 2006
Posts: 3969
| "Easier to get forgiveness than permission." What Vince said. Just carry it with you to the plane door, ask very politely if there's any possibility of storing it in the closet, and if not they'll tag it for gate check. It'll be hand placed in a separate baggage compartment for gate check items, and hand carried off and given to you as soon as the plane parks at the gate. Be aware that it counts as one of your 2 allowable carry-ons. |
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Joined:
August 2002
Posts: 8307
Location: Tennessee | Just take your guitar to the gate with you, Brad. 95% of the time they'll let you put it in the overhead bin (just don't take another largish bag with you at the same time). The other 5% is when you act like an asshole ... then they generally tell you where you can stow your guitar. |
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Joined:
January 2002
Posts: 14127
Location: 6 String Ranch | Of course you won't need them in March.......... |
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Joined:
September 2003
Posts: 9301
Location: south east Michigan | I know, I know...
And I went through the same mental exercises last year. |
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Joined:
May 2008
Posts: 1553
Location: Indiana | I always carry mine to the gate. If it's a small commuter, they'll gate check it for you.
Most airlines will even let you preboard with the "special assistance" folks. It really is a lot easier to get a hard case down the aisle and into the overhead before the rest of your section gets there. And they usually agree.
By the same token, I'm usually the last one off. |
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Joined:
October 2005
Posts: 4025
Location: Utah | Hard case, just in case. Also, detune it because many airlines will not insure instruments tuned to concert pitch that get sent as checked bags.
Be polite to the flight attendants, they have final say where that git fiddle goes.
Check out the airline's webpage for their policy on musical instruments, and print a copy out to take with you to the airport.
Northwest's website says that a guitar exceeds the carry on size limitation of length+width+girth max of 45" and you must check it. They also say that they are not responsible for any damage to musical instruments, which they classify as fragile.
Still, I'd take it to the gate. The TSA has no input on whether you can take it through as long as they don't think there is a security violation. The ticket counter agent also has no authority to tell you that you cannot take it to the airplane, but they might be very insistent. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | Over this past weekend, MasterWhitehead brought along the CompositeAcoustics Cargo.
For a small TravelGuitar, the thing just STONKS!!!
(and it recently became the "Official Guitar" of USAir) |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | too soon?? |
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Joined:
November 2003
Posts: 11039
Location: Earth·SolarSystem·LocalInterstellarCloud·Local Bub | :D |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12750
Location: Boise, Idaho | I went through all this a few years ago, thinking it would be cool to take the famous Wooden Roundback down to Witko. The official word was we had to check it and for some reason I thought they wanted it boxed. Turns out the box was too big, so they wanted $50 to check it. The gal at the desk asked why I didn't just carry it on and I told her they told me over the phone I couldn't. We took it out of the box, left the styrofoam peanuts all over and carried it on. No problem down or bringing a different guitar back. We changed planes in Vegas on the way and every other person was carrying a guitar at the airport.
Like Jonmark said (and I assume he has way more experience) try to board early. If I couldn't, I'd still try to get toward the back of the plane and put the guitar in the overhead on the right side, facing the back. It was easier to put it in headfirst than trying to swing it around, and that left the handle facing out. I then put any other of our luggage up by the neck. |
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Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | having flown numerous times with guitars, i have not had any flight attendants refuse a request to store one in the first class closet, even though i fly coach. often they reply, "sure, if there's room". so far, so good. |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15651
Location: SoCal | I was absolutely surprised the last time I flew that I was able to pre board with my guitar. It doesn't hurt to be very polite and to grovel a little ("this is a very very special guitar to me" -- of course that's true of every guitar I own). A bit of courtesy goes a long way with the airlines.... |
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Joined:
April 2008
Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | I took my precious 08C AND my Traveler guitar from Atlanta to LA to Auckland to Brisbane without incident. One of the flights didn't have a coat locker, but the full sized Ovation case just made it into the overhead locker. As advised I was polite and ready to have them check it, but went to the gate first. |
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Guitars & Airlines
