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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
 Posted - 11/20/2002 : 1:16:34 PM
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With the permission of Mark Hanson, I'm posting his recent article titled "GUITARS ON AIRPLANES". It addresses questions commonly asked when traveling with a guitar. -Admin
GUITARS ON AIRPLANES
By Mark Hanson
Travel season is approaching, so many of you will once again face the guitar-as-a-carry-on problem.
There are several easy solutions:
1) leave your guitar at home;
2) buy a tank-like case and check your guitar as baggage (have fun carrying it around after you arrive!);
3) take a tiny travel guitar.
If these solutions are unacceptable and you feel you must carry your valuable guitar on the plane, consider a few of the following suggestions:
1) Wear a tie (a suggestion from Guy Van Duser). This simple statement implies much more that it states. If you are trying to carry your guitar on the plane, dress nicely. The airline employees are likely to treat you more respectfully. I always wear a sport coat and tie when I am carrying a guitar on a plane;
2) Have a pleasant demeanor. Do not threaten or argue with airline employees. They have rules to follow, and are less likely to bend them for surly people;
3) Check in at curbside if you can, not at the main ticket counter. Give the curbside check-in workers a few dollars for your checked luggage. If they ask, pleasantly tell them you are carrying your guitar on the plane. They will produce your boarding pass for you, after which you can proceed directly to the security screening area. I've never had a curbside worker question me about carrying my guitar on board. Generally, they are very pleasant because you may give them a tip! But, I have had trouble at the main ticket counter;
4) Book your seat in the back half of the plane. Since airlines generally board from the rear of the plane, you will get on board first and have ample room for your guitar in an overhead compartment or a closet. Also, by having the guitar near the rear of the plane, fewer passengers will see it, decreasing the likelihood of complaints;
5) Stewards are generally helpful once you get on the plane. If an airline employee expresses pessimism about your guitar, smile politely and say, "Oh, it always fits." (Guitars do not fit in overhead bins on 747s. Ask for a closet.) Don't argue, and remain pleasant;
6) Get a well-padded over-the-shoulder gig bag. They are less intimidating then bulky hardshell cases. I use a Reunion Blues dreadnought bag for my Collings SJ. It fits through the security templates with no difficulty. Guitars with wide lower bouts may have a problem fitting through airport templates;
7) On the rare occasions when you can't get it on board, you might wish to opt for "gate checking." Use a hardshell case and loosen the strings if you plan to gate check. At the airport, have the airline employee tag the guitar as checked baggage. Then carry it to the gate, down the breezeway to the plane, and give it to a flight steward just prior to getting on board. This employee hand-carries the guitar to the baggage compartment that holds the crew's baggage. The guitar will be delivered to you in the breezeway at your destination as you disembark from the plane. Gate checking's main advantage: It avoids the dreaded conveyor belt;
8) Make sure your insurance is up-to-date on your travel guitar. You may be able to add a zero-deductible Instrument Rider on your home owner's or renter's insurance policy. It is low-cost peace of mind; in case the worse happens, you'll have the cash to replace it;
9) Final option: Totally avoid the hassle; leave your guitar at home, and rent one at your destination.
Airlines have different rules regarding musical instruments. I don't pretend to know them all.
However, for many years I have had success getting my guitar on board Alaska, Southwest and Frontier flights, even after 9-11, and even when the flights were full. I've also had success with Northwest.
Recently I read that the musicians' union is discussing with the airlines the possibility of them relaxing the rules and standardizing what instruments are allowed on board. Perhaps someday soon carrying a guitar on board will be less stressful!
Mark Hanson
Copyright © 2002
Accent on Music
All Rights Reserved
Used By Permission
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Bruddah Chrispy
Lokahi
USA
164 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2002 : 6:53:16 PM
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I've abandoned the idea of travelling with my surfboard. I've got access to a couple of different boards in Hawai`i. And I really don't feel like surfing anywhere else, anyway.
I may do the same thing with the guitar. My sister's got an extra at her place in San Diego, bruddah Clayton has a couple in Oakland, if I just buy a 'travel' guitar the next time I'm home in Hawai`i and just leave it there I'll be all set.
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Aloha a hui hou,
Chris P.
There's no regrets; only good times. |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 11/20/2002 : 7:15:50 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Bruddah Chrispy
I may do the same thing with the guitar. My sister's got an extra at her place in San Diego, bruddah Clayton has a couple in Oakland, if I just buy a 'travel' guitar the next time I'm home in Hawai`i and just leave it there I'll be all set.
Ah, the "guitar in every port" approach! |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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rossasaurus
Lokahi
USA
306 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2002 : 12:45:39 AM
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Great post Mark, thanks.
I heard from someone that there is ONE extra large(long) overhead compartment on liners, way in the back. I don't know if it was an Airbus or what; anyone know?
I'm flying to Portland tomorrow morning; I guess I can live without "my precious" for four days!
Ross
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2002 : 2:40:26 PM
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Here is the crux of the issue: If you read Mark's treatise carefully you will notice that he recommends a soft-side case and trying to convince the attendants to let you stow on board. However there is a definite possibility that you will NOT be allowed to stow on board. This is entirely up to the flight crew and they have absolute power granted by the Federal Government. If you fly often enough you WILL encounter a crew that will not allow you to stow on board. So what happens when you have you guitar in a soft case and you are forced to gate-check? Nine times out of ten your guitar will be broken. I know one person who used to tell me that "he could always get his baby Taylor on board" but was eventually forced to gate-check it (and of course it arrived broken). Anything longer than 22" can be refused aboard the plane.
I use a Calton case now because my travel guitar has been broken three times by Airlines.
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Edited by - Lawrence on 11/22/2002 5:38:24 PM |
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Russell Letson
`Olu`olu
USA
504 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2002 : 2:53:24 PM
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A caution about gate checking: While it has worked for me in the past, on my last trip (Northwest, Mpls-SeaTac in early October) the agents gave me gate tags coming and going, but the SeaTac off-load crew put the guitar (in its sturdy travel case, fortunately) through the regular baggage system instead of bringing it to the jetway. Seems that now Northwest will give the old-style treatment only to wheelchairs and baby gear. (I confirmed this twice by asking about policy.) There was a bit of special handling, since my flight case went to the odd/oversize shelf instead of the carousel--but it still sat out there in plain view at the baggage pickup area. I got lucky on the return trip--the crew let me stow the case in the closet in back of first class. (It was an Airbus, and the closet was pretty roomy.)
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Admin
Pupule
USA
4551 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2002 : 3:19:24 PM
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You guys summed it up. If traveling with your guitar were not worrisome enough, the uncertainty and inconsistency of the airlines’ method of handling the issue makes it even worse. My personal experience is flying Continental. Back in 2001, I was on their DC-10 which had overhead compartments large enough to store guitars. As long as you could get it on board, no problem. Seems to me that the important factor was how full the flight was. When the plane was full, I had to gate check but at least Continental handled all the instruments with the baby strollers and wheelchairs. Last items loaded onto the plane and then first items taken off… waiting for you as you exit.
This year, Continental was flying new planes (767s I think) with cool individual TVs with multiple channels and games. The downside was that the overhead bins were small. I could not even fit my parlor hard shell case up there. I lucked out though… both ways, I met flight attendants who were kind enough to stow my instrument for me in the 1st class closet. That’s luck though.
I’m with Larry – put it in a Calton if not some other HSC, definitely not a soft gig bag. It's never happened to me (knock on wood), but I've been waiting for "odd-size" baggage at Newark International and seen guitar cases coming out. |
Andy |
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duke
Lokahi
USA
163 Posts |
Posted - 11/23/2002 : 01:52:16 AM
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This is good info. Mahalo to all. I'm wondering how the airlines are to deal with when they DO break your guitar. What are the limits of their liability? Do they replace the guitar or just the repair cost? Are they prompt? I'm sure it's all in the extra-fine print on the ticket jacket or gate check claim. With a three-time track record, Lawrence, how did it all work out for you?
Duke
P.S. Aloha to Cynthia too! |
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cpatch
Ahonui
USA
2187 Posts |
Posted - 11/23/2002 : 03:28:25 AM
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| Someone may need to correct me on this, but if I recall correctly the airlines have a liability limit for checked luggage of around $200-$300 per piece of luggage. If you're checking something worth more than that you need to insure it yourself. |
Craig
My goal is to be able to play as well as people think I can. |
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launie
Aloha
USA
23 Posts |
Posted - 11/23/2002 : 5:49:01 PM
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Has anyone else come across this: airlines now charging extra to carry checked-in guitars? I was just about ready to set off to Europe to play some music a couple of weeks back when I received an email from USAirways saying that, in common with other airlines, they would now be charging lots of money (something like $80) to carry oversize luggage - and the definition they gave of oversize luggage included my (jumbo) guitar in its Calton case.
Needless to say, I didn't risk it, but arranged to use a friend's guitar while I was over there, instead. And USAirways still hasn't answered the letter I sent. Has anyone else come across this?
Jamie |
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duke
Lokahi
USA
163 Posts |
Posted - 11/23/2002 : 11:04:27 PM
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quote:
We don't own the airplanes... we don't own the airlines... we don't make the rules... but we must live by them. You have NO rights on an airplane. That's all there is to it. And in today's world, that's the way it has to be. Like it or not.
Ironic isn't it? Where would they be without their paying passengers? Guess THAT simply doesn't figure into anyone's equation. |
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Bruddah Chrispy
Lokahi
USA
164 Posts |
Posted - 11/24/2002 : 12:03:25 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by jwn
We don't own the airplanes... we don't own the airlines... we don't make the rules... but we must live by them. You have NO rights on an airplane. That's all there is to it. And in today's world, that's the way it has to be. Like it or not.
That's the way it has to be? That's the way it has to be?!? Says who?!? I'm sorry John, but I ain't one of the sheep lapping up the crap that they're feeding. The idea that I am going to willingly give up the freedoms that my forebears fought for so that we can have cheap oil really makes my skin crawl.
I guess I'm getting off the Ki Ho`alu trail with this screed, sorry everyone.
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Aloha a hui hou,
Chris P.
There's no regrets; only good times. |
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Pauline Leland
`Olu`olu
USA
783 Posts |
Posted - 11/24/2002 : 2:14:08 PM
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Calton cases, Fed Ex shipping, surcharges? Yikes! It makes a uke more attractive every day.
BTW, on Fed Ex/UPS/USPS shipping and insuring - Fed Ex limits liability on some guitars, the hand-built kind, to $500. The discussion is here, http://www.acousticguitar.com/ubb/Forum12/HTML/000195.html Double check if you ship and insure. |
Pauline |
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Lawrence
Ha`aha`a
USA
1597 Posts |
Posted - 11/24/2002 : 7:38:40 PM
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To answer Duke,
Note: this was all BEFORE 9-11:
The most dissapointing affair occurred when Cynthia and I went on our second honeymoon for our twentieth anniversary. I intelligently brought my Seagull guitar and not one of my semi-custom Taylors, in a Taylor plastic case. There were 11 flight legs to this trip and they (American Airlines) forced me to check the guitar and broke the neck on the very first leg (SFO to Miami). We arrived on Tobago in the southern Carribean and I called AA. The call cost me $50 and AA was only willing to "fix or replace" the guitar if I mailed it at my cost to a service center in Nebraska (with a $250 limit on repairs). Nevermind that I had brought the guitar to play on my trip, and nevermind that there were no places to rent a guitar on Tobago! I spent half a day going to all the hardware stores on the island (two), buying Black Five-Minute Epoxy Glue (the only kind available) and some C-Clamps. The next day I quickly glued the thing together (I had to be quick with only a 30 second working time for the epoxy) and had a guitar to play for the rest of the trip. (Imagine having to do this to a $5000 guitar). I later gave that guitar to George Kahumoku for his students at Lahinaluna H.S.
I will never fly American Airlines again.
If the airlines a going to treat people this way then maybe they do not want our business!! Perhaps some of the airlines are in trouble for more reasons than just 9-11, if you read about airlines that are doing well (like SouthWest and British Airways), you will find that they treat their customers better.
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Mahope Kākou...
...El Lorenzo de Ondas Sonoras |
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Mark
Ha`aha`a
USA
1628 Posts |
Posted - 11/26/2002 : 6:52:12 PM
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May I join in?
I have flown with musical instuments on just about every kind of deal with wings. I've done the deck check route, soft case route, suit and tie route (those of you who know me can stop laughing...) Fort Knox style case route, and most of the rest. I used to spend maybe 6 - 8 months out of every year on the road -- so we're talking a lot of flights...
In all this time, I have had two incidents of damage: one was my fault -- I was 20 -- the other was about two years ago where the case was torn up. In both instances the airline made good, no prob. Oh, and I've had instruments dissappear for days (and once, weeks) and they did come back.
Some thoughts -
1) Consider picking up a working person's guitar for travel. Not a cheap piece of junk, but not something that you'd totally regret losing.
Guess what? Most of the pro's on the road ain't playing one-of-a-kind irreplaceable axes. They are playing good solid tools. My 400 series Taylor cost a grand -- not peanuts, but amoritized over all the use it gets, a bargain.
(OK, Keola's got a brace o' Grimes.... and great cases and case covers, too, to make sure they get where they are going.)
2) If you cannot spring for a flight case, consider using one of the molded plastic deals (SKB makes most of 'em). They absorb shocks much better than do wooded cases -- sort of like the new cars that crumple up to safe the passenger compartment.
I've flown with the Taylor in one of these case maybe 25 times. Like I said, once the case got crunched, but the guitar was fine. I am sure the guitar would have been severely damaged had it been in a wooden case.
3) Look into a zippered case cover to protect the handle, latches, etc. For years I traveled with two instruments, each in a wooden hard case covered with a padded case cover... no worries.
Alternately, put the case indiside one of the huge plastic bags the airlines keep on hand for golf clubs... This will make a huge difference.
4) If you are still worried, pack the whole thing inside a shipping carton. Go ahead and check it -- how the heck do you think UPS/Fed Ex and all the rest ship packages, by boat???
Whatever you decide, I hope that you have a music-filled holiday and eat lots of ono grinds. |
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wdf
Ha`aha`a
USA
1153 Posts |
Posted - 11/27/2002 : 10:44:37 AM
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Eh Mark,
>> suit and tie route (those of you who know me can stop laughing...)
I was just trying to picture... |
Dusty |
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