Air Travel with my Guitar

mbgreen · Unread post by **mbgreen** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 1:28 pm

Pressure changes aren't the problem. The airplane is pressurized, and and the changes are too small to be an issue. It's the lunkheads loading and unloading your stuff tossing it around, or tossing 400lbs on top of it...they break guitars. A guy I knew in college works that job. He said they didn't pay any attention to whether or not an item was fragile...that they'd slide stuff across the warehouse floor, huck it to another guy who'd miss and drop it. That kind of stuff.

MahlerGrooves · Unread post by **MahlerGrooves** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 1:37 pm

checkii wrote:
MahlerGrooves wrote:
mbgreen wrote:I had a friend who had an HD-28 get ruined from packing it on a flight. Make sure you tune wayyyy down and get the tension off of the strings. He didn't and his neck snapped from some mis-handling.

My good friend just flew from Los Angeles to Germany two weeks ago and they let him take his hardshell case/guitar on as a carryon. The flight attendants just stowed it in a special case. Don't know if every airline is as accomodating though.
What airline was it? I am flying on British Airways, and I hear they are pretty fair about stuff like that.
british air is pretty bad. those people are morons.
And when you say hard shell case do you mean a chipboard case or an actual "Hard-shell"?

Hmmm...damn English :wink:

I have the Taylor hardshell case...here is the link. I don't know about the exact specs.

http://www.taylorguitars.com/guitars/fe ... .html#copy

MahlerGrooves · Unread post by **MahlerGrooves** » Wed Apr 13, 2005 1:39 pm

Davy28 wrote:
rekeen01 wrote:I think they say to loosen the strings due to the air pressure....is this correct?
Yes. I always de-tune my guitar before taking it on a plane, because I take great pride in the are I take of my guitars and do not want to take any risks while traveling with my guitar and having it the neck snapped by pressure changes.

I always take it directly to the gate and get a gate-check tag so I can retrieve it right at the gate when I get off the plane.

What are the advantages of gate check? And do airlines usually allow you to do this upon request?

sunglassesatnight · Unread post by **sunglassesatnight** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 7:55 am

MahlerGrooves wrote:
Davy28 wrote:
rekeen01 wrote:I think they say to loosen the strings due to the air pressure....is this correct?
Yes. I always de-tune my guitar before taking it on a plane, because I take great pride in the are I take of my guitars and do not want to take any risks while traveling with my guitar and having it the neck snapped by pressure changes.

I always take it directly to the gate and get a gate-check tag so I can retrieve it right at the gate when I get off the plane.
What are the advantages of gate check? And do airlines usually allow you to do this upon request?

They're a lot nicer with your stuff at gate check. You should work it like this, check in at the main desk and don't check the guitar. Go to the gate and ask the ugliest airline employee there really nicely, maybe flirty, if you can carry the guitar on. If no, talk about how valuable and important it is to you, and how you need her to take special care of it with the gate check. Be very nice, lean toward her, speak quietly and all that good stuff. Remember that you can't lock the case, however.

MahlerGrooves · Unread post by **MahlerGrooves** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:51 am

slimerdmb24 wrote:
MahlerGrooves wrote:
Davy28 wrote:
rekeen01 wrote:I think they say to loosen the strings due to the air pressure....is this correct?
Yes. I always de-tune my guitar before taking it on a plane, because I take great pride in the are I take of my guitars and do not want to take any risks while traveling with my guitar and having it the neck snapped by pressure changes.

I always take it directly to the gate and get a gate-check tag so I can retrieve it right at the gate when I get off the plane.
What are the advantages of gate check? And do airlines usually allow you to do this upon request?
They're a lot nicer with your stuff at gate check. You should work it like this, check in at the main desk and don't check the guitar. Go to the gate and ask the ugliest airline employee there really nicely, maybe flirty, if you can carry the guitar on. If no, talk about how valuable and important it is to you, and how you need her to take special care of it with the gate check. Be very nice, lean toward her, speak quietly and all that good stuff. Remember that you can't lock the case, however.

Sweet deal. If I check two other bags and wait until the gate to check my guitar, will they count the 3rd against my baggage allowance?

sunglassesatnight · Unread post by **sunglassesatnight** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:53 am

It's really doubtful that they'll pay attention to it. As far as I know, Gate Check isn't 'really' checked when it comes to F.A.A. Regs.

MahlerGrooves · Unread post by **MahlerGrooves** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 9:56 am

Sweet. Thanks again for all the info. I just get so nervous flying with any sort of instrument, and it is nice to find out that my baby has some sort of survival chance 8)

sunglassesatnight · Unread post by **sunglassesatnight** » Thu Apr 14, 2005 10:05 am

MahlerGrooves wrote:Sweet. Thanks again for all the info. I just get so nervous flying with any sort of instrument, and it is nice to find out that my baby has some sort of survival chance 8)

It definitely is nerve-racking. Can't blame anyone for that.

lyrics101 · Unread post by **lyrics101** » Fri Apr 15, 2005 12:31 am

Carry it on! I've been dragging my guitar around for years, and I've never been told I couldn't. Just tell them you have a large object and need to be allowed on early to stow it. It shouldn't be a problem (I usually fly United, by the way, and they've always allowed it).

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Air Travel with my Guitar

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