SmithAir747 From Canada, joined Jan 2004, 1599 posts, RR: 33 Posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 2700 times:
I was on my one-way trip to London for school recently (FWA-ORD-PIT-LGW), and at ORD, I saw several young men with guitar cases--at boarding lounges.
How did they get their guitars onto the planes, and where would they be stored in flight? (I flew UA from FWA-ORD-PIT, and US from PIT-LGW).
I left my guitar at home in the USA, because of all the luggage I needed for my school years in London, and I did not think airlines allowed them onboard. Guitars are not always treated carefully by baggage handlers.
Please enlighten me on airline policy for guitars (are they normally allowed onboard?). If allowed onboard, where can they be stored? They're too big for overhead bins on all the aircraft I've been on.
Thanks!
I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made... (Psalm 139:14)
Knoxibus From France, joined Aug 2007, 199 posts, RR: 21 Reply 1, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 2685 times:
When I was a student I did a lot of flights between home (RUN) and Paris.
Always had my guitar with me. At the start, the cabin attendants did not have any problem with me keeping it or just storing it in those wardrobe kind of galleys.
But as the years passed, right from the check-in, they told me to put it in the cargo hold. I did it once, and it took them two days to give it back to me because they considered it as a hunter-rifle because of the rectangular shape of the case and then lost it!
When they did bring it back to me, the case was entirely destroyed but the guitar was alright, but man I was not happy at all.
I do appreciate the fact that baggage handler do not have a very rewarding job but still, they could sometimes take care of specific stuff like this.
But in the end I would think it depends on the purser's attitude, maybe if you insist.
No matter what anybody tells you, words and ideas can change the world.
Foxiboy From United Kingdom, joined Sep 2004, 208 posts, RR: 4 Reply 2, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 2673 times:
It is more a case of having a place to put the item on the aircraft,some aircraft have loads of cupboard space whilst others do not, the rules in the UK state that carry on baggage must not weigh more than 5kg and it should also be of a size to fit into the overhead locker or underneath the seat in front. Anything lager than this has to be placed into the hold,however if there is a place in the cabin then the crew will use discretion but it all boils down to the config of the interior of the A/C.
Boeingnut From United States of America, joined Oct 2001, 402 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 7 hours ago) and read 2622 times:
Close, but when I was coming home from my year of study abroad in Beijing, I carted along a cello that I bought in an antiques market there.
When checking in, I knew they would try to put it down below, so I just "accidentally" left it back with a friend who had already checked in. When I got to the gate, the CSA gave me a sideways glance, but didnt stop me. The flight from PEK-NRT was full, so the FAs scrambled, and put it in the closet at the very end of the plane. Was last off the plane because of that, but I dont think any of us here would complain about that.
On the flight the next day NRT-JFK, I was op-upped to b/c, and at the back of the cabin was a small closet about 4 feet high. They stashed the cello right in there. Very easy, since I had to pass right by it to exit the aircraft anyways!
Now, if they saw my cello at checkin, would they have tried to make me check it down below? Probably. Would I have fought tooth and nail over that? Betcha I would!
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B757200 From Spain, joined Sep 2004, 184 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 6 hours ago) and read 2586 times:
I bought a guitar about 7 years ago and took it home as carry-on baggage. A F/A stored it in a closet which was a the beggining of economy class. This was on a A300. Hopefully I had no problems at all.
MD11Engineer From Germany, joined Oct 2003, 13334 posts, RR: 64 Reply 6, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 2509 times:
I´ve seen professional TV news cameramen bringing their huge betacams as carry on luggage. Obviously they didn´t trust anybody else with handling their expensive equipment.
Sabena332 From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 7, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 2499 times:
I don't know if it is a true story but long time ago I read in some newspaper or magazine that someone from the band "Oasis" bought two First Class seats on a BA flight, one seat for himself and the other seat for his guitar .
Ltbewr From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 12331 posts, RR: 12 Reply 8, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 5 hours ago) and read 2490 times:
Often classical musicians will buy a seat for their cello, or other large or valuable instrument, or make sure can carry on expensive violins, and have place in the cabin to put them in.
Pilottim747 From United States of America, joined Jul 2001, 1607 posts, RR: 5 Reply 9, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 2448 times:
All I can think of when reading this subject is the nun in the movie Airplane carrying her guitar onboard.
pilottim747
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JGPH1A From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 12, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 2381 times:
Buying an extra seat for a large/valuable musical instrument is not unusual. A special industry-standard Service Request code exists precisely for such a situation - 'CBBG' (Cabin Baggage) - as well as booking, fares and ticketing procedures for this type of booking.
VSLover From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2004, 1886 posts, RR: 24 Reply 14, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 2361 times:
Often classical musicians will buy a seat for their cello, or other large or valuable instrument, or make sure can carry on expensive violins, and have place in the cabin to put them in.
this is true. i am a cellist, and anytime i had to cart that thing around i always bought a ticket for it. i can't tell you how many times though the f/as have given me grief when i strap that thing in and they are like "you cant put that there--it must be checked" the hell it will be. and i get into a tussle, and explain how i have two seats, and this was already discussed with the airline, etc. of course, i have only have issues on UA and F9. When i lived in the UK, i never had any issues, but that was probably because i would buy two upper class seats, and no one really had an issue with that. buying two seats just ensures me that my instrument will be right there by me, and i know exactly whats happening with it, i mean these things are not easily replaceable!
i could never let my instrument down in the cargo hold--especially with such limited airline liability. going through security always makes me cringe though because i cant bear to see my instrument manhandled. i always get asked "is it an expensive one or not?" i just look at them like "what do you think, i've got two tickets" besides, even the most basic student cello would be more than $3,000 so they're ALL expensive.
Scf158 From Switzerland, joined Dec 2003, 413 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 5 days ago) and read 2269 times:
My brother has 3 guitars, and when we moved from canada to europe he checked one and carried the other two on. I think international flights are much more leniant on the subject whereas on short hauls they require you to check them.. at least in europe.
HlywdCatft From United States of America, joined Jan 2001, 5321 posts, RR: 7 Reply 17, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2136 times:
I would assume many professional rock stars travelling the world on tours would take the guitars on planes with them. I know most guitarists use more than one guitar on tour incase something goes wrong with one etc, but still it would suck to have a ramp rat mishandle the guitar and it be broken for the tour.
I would bet you that B.B. King takes Lucille on the plane with him.
ILSApproach From United States of America, joined Aug 2004, 410 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 2132 times:
Most rock bands usually have their own chartered jets...................can't say I've ever seen a Rock band on a flight. I could see a member of a band traveling alone, but the whole band, I doubt it. Most of the equipment (including guitars.......with Personal exceptions) are very well packed and shipped via semi even when the band flies.
Uswyjer From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 19, posted (8 years 7 months 2 weeks 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 2120 times:
Sabena332, funny story about Noel from Oasis! and the same for Brian May. A friend of mine was bringing a guitar on vacation, but the airline forced him to check-it, it got destroyed, needless to say he was uber-angry, luckily it wasn't the most expensive guitar he had, but it's still the principle of the matter. I play guitar, but have yet to bring one when flying; if I buy a guitar on vacation I send it back home via the USPS, and that's worked very well the times that I've found a good deal that I just couldn't pass up while vacationing
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