Traveling with a guitar on a plane - help needed

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 10:10 am

Advice or help needed. Sorry if that was discussed here before.
The story is: a mate was said he cannot carry guitar with him in the cabin, cause BA restrictions for hand luggage size is 56x45x25 cm. He's afraid that the guitar may be damaged while "traveling" in luggage compartment (hard case).
Question: is there any reason to worry, given it's a hard case, what are the chances the guitar would be damaged? Has anyone who traveled BA managed to avoid this restriction & get a guitar to travel in cabin (e.g., may a soft instead of a hard case help)?
Help/advice needed. Thanks in advance.

jdogric12 · Post by **jdogric12** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 10:26 am

Thanks, Sheena. I want to know too. I would never put a guitar in with the baggage. I have heard so many horror stories. For me, it's carry-on, ship it to a friend, or nothing. I may choose to bring a tulip if it fits the carry-on requirements.

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Sat Aug 05, 2006 11:11 pm

Thanks, Jason. Could you kindly tell a couple of stories in short? Any info would be great.
Thankfully, i never came across such policy: when i traveled back from US some 10 years ago with the acoustic my friend gave as a present (hey Chris, where are you now, mate? it's been ages...), i wasn't even offered to put it in luggage compartment. Well, that was the other time & the other company... my Mom traveled with a guitar in cabin just a coupla months ago no problem, but that was other company as well...

wints · Post by **wints** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 1:59 am

Sheena,

I have bought basses between the UK to the US with BA for many years and the policy has been somewhat varied. I have been allowed to bring a 30lb ATA case onto a 777 and it fitted perfectly in the overhead in business class as I asked BA in advance AND (very importantly) the cabin crew nicely. This year, due to a smaller plane and a fuller capacity I had to check it.

If your friend can get past the check in staff, then he may get lucky. I don't know where he is flying from, or what size plane, (the 777's and bigger planes have much more storage) but from London you can sometimes take guitars to the oversized luggage and asking nicely if the staff will hand load the guitar onto the plane bypassing the usual method. Of course that won't happen when he gets off.....

I would say to your friend, presume it is going to be checked. Pack it as well as possible, and get the fragile stickers slapped on it at check in, but, call a few times ahead to try and find a chink in the system and still try to get the guitar in the cabin.

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 2:39 am

Thx a ton, Andrew!

leftybass · Post by **leftybass** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 3:04 am

I have been told that in some instances that it's the discretion of various people in the chain of workers you go through to eventually get to the airplane, as Andy said the cabin crew among others. I am bringing a bass to Santa Ana, so I went ahead and had an ATA flight case made so it will ride in the cargo hold. Better to be safe than sorry, it only takes one person to say 'no'..then what do you do.

wints · Post by **wints** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 4:22 am

Yes, the only really safe way is the ATA case.

If you have a valuable instrument, (financially or emotionally!) vintage, or otherwise, it really should be mandatory to have one case that you know really protects your baby as best as possible!

Let us know how your friend does Sheena. I wish him good luck!

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 5:04 am

What's in that one, Wints?

Hmm, wonder if I can get one for a 4005 in time for the confluence...

lshaia · Post by **lshaia** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 5:37 am

Sheena, my experience wasn't with BA, so take it for what it's worth. I brought a Telecaster back from California once; it was in it's hard case, which was in a guitar shipping box padded with laundry. The box was clearly labeled "fragile" with the word "PLEASE" added in several locations. It came through a plane change at O'Hare and home without a scratch, although I worried the entire time. Otherwise, I recall seeing kids bringing guitars in gig bags onto flights, although I can't specifically remember that happening on a BA flight.

wints · Post by **wints** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 6:41 am

Let's open it up and find out....

The 73 fretless.

I had just bought that back from the UK and was relieved after seeing the treatment it got in Miami from the baggage "crew".

I may have mentioned this before, but, this ATA case could possibly be the best $200 I have ever spent.
In the last two years it has been sent to Alabama and Michigan to pick up cool old basses, and bring them home safely, rather than have them shipped in standard cases. More expensive, yes, but certainly peace of mind.

Last month it went back to the UK with me, carrying a bass, that I then shipped furthur into Europe. It's still there now and I will retrieve it next month when I return.

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 6:41 am

Thanks for your help, guys.
Andrew: actually, i'm not talking about a friend i know in person, i'm talking about a "web community mate", so if any info will be available, i'll let know.

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 9:24 am

Pleased to hear that your experiences with a quality flight case were all good, Wints. I'll be carting a Rick around the world starting next week and I'm pretty nervous about it.

Hopefully this will do the job:

sowhat · Post by **sowhat** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 9:41 am

Nice. Very nice. You couldn't go on without mentioning the upcoming event.

Oh well. Nevermind. Just kiddin'.

telebob · Post by **telebob** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 1:27 pm

I have carried a guitar on board several times and had no problems. I just call the airline in advance and tell them that I will be travelling with a very expensive guitar and that I do not want to check it. I haven't had any problems whenever I've called first.

sloop_john_b · Post by **sloop_john_b** » Sun Aug 06, 2006 1:36 pm

Twice I have carried Telecasters on board in gigbags - Jet Blue to NOLA once and Continental to Cancun the 2nd time. I would really like to bring my new 4005WB with me to the confluence but only if I can bring it on with me. I really don't want it leaving my sight, especially considering I won't have time to get an ATA case.

I'm going to take your advice and call first, Bob.