Members J.Paul Posted November 6, 2007 Members Share Posted November 6, 2007 According to Northwest Airlines , carryones (such as guitars) cannot exceed 45". Either this is standard policy that gets a blind eye and is not enforced or musician/guitarists do not fly Northwest. Anyone got any feedback. Another airlne???So on and so forth.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members willie the wimp Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 i brought my guitar on carry on from rome to toronto. althought that may be different as it was an international flight so the plane was bigger. you should be able to. if not get the airline to put it with the fragile stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 The thing to do is to get there early and board with the first group of people to board the plane - handicapped people and those "requiring special assistance." That's generally what the airlines will tell you to do. The special assistance you want is to put your guitar in the front closet. 90% of the time or better this works, although you must have the guitar in a gig bag, most of the airlines will not accept hardshell cases. It also helps to phone ahead and make sure the particular aircraft you're flying on has front closets. Some of the smaller planes don't. The downside is that if it doesn't work - if the closets are already full by the time you board or they just feel like not accommodating you (which does happen) - you will have to check the guitar as baggage. And it would suck beyond all suckage to have to check it in a gig bag! The safest route would be to get a flight case for your guitar and check it from the get-go. And just don't bring an especially valuable axe. You can also call ahead and ask the airline what they would recommend to do in terms of carrying the guitar on, but even if they tell you what to do and you do exactly what they say, there's a chance you will not be allowed to carry it on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members biz Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 We fly Northwest every once in awhile and they let the guys carry on their guitars. If your flying on a smaller regional jet you can gate check it as you board. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hurricane97006 Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 I flew Southwest from Portland to Spokane with my acoustic guitar and gig bag. It wasn't nearly a full flight so I was able to just put my guitar in the overhead bin right above my seat. Probably a good idea to board early if possible like Lee said. I also have a friend that suggested loosening the string tension just a hair. Not sure if that really matters or not. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ccdwiu Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 Ship it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DevilRaysFan Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 Flap your arms really fast Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackbelt1 Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 I've probably made over 100 domestic flights in the past 2 years with a guitar. I've only run into an issue one time, at LaGuardia in NYC. Ironically, I had flown in there with my guitar, but for some reason they wouldn't let me carry it on as I left. Here are my tips: ~Blackbelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Roy Brooks Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 I usually play guitars made in the fifties and sixties, guitars that I would never ever consider putting on a plane. So I bought an Eastwood Airline Harmony Stratotone copy, a really short guitar with a small body, that is small enough that I can stick it in a small gig bag and put it in the overhead compartment. I will be doing just that in January when I go spend a week in the Keys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Blackbelt1 Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 I usually play guitars made in the fifties and sixties, guitars that I would never ever consider putting on a plane. So I bought an Eastwood Airline Harmony Stratotone copy, a really short guitar with a small body, that is small enough that I can stick it in a small gig bag and put it in the overhead compartment. I will be doing just that in January when I go spend a week in the Keys. Roy, Size doesn't matter. I carry a Fender Strat onboard everywhere - I never travel on a plane WITHOUT it. My job involves traveling a lot, as I direct live network sports events. My Strat has easily been able to fit in the overheads of every plane I've been on. I did have one flight on a plane that had no overheads at all (never had seen that before) but the guitar went into the coat closet. My Strat has never sustained any damage at all; for that matter, it's usually still in tune when I take it out of the gig bag. ~Blackbelt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members J.Paul Posted November 7, 2007 Author Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 Thanks for the input folks.I've done a bunch of flydates before.....just never any after 911. It annoys me that the official policy is one thing (guitars are longer than 45") and the reality is another. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Lee Flier Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 Yeah, that's what bugs me too. Basically it's like they're saying, "It's OK to bring a guitar on... sort of... but the rule against it is there if we feel like messing with you." I myself have only had an issue once, and that was on a return flight from the UK where the guitar was in a hardshell case. But a friend of mine who'd flown dozens of times with his guitar in a gig bag was refused about a year ago, and no amount of arguing would get them to relent. He had to get a friend to take his guitar home, and make the trip without it (he ended up using borrowed guitars). Good thing it wasn't on the return flight that he had the problem! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Roy Brooks Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 Roy, Size doesn't matter. I carry a Fender Strat onboard everywhere - I never travel on a plane WITHOUT it. My job involves traveling a lot, as I direct live network sports events. My Strat has easily been able to fit in the overheads of every plane I've been on. I did have one flight on a plane that had no overheads at all (never had seen that before) but the guitar went into the coat closet. My Strat has never sustained any damage at all; for that matter, it's usually still in tune when I take it out of the gig bag. ~Blackbelt It's good to know that. One of the reasons I decided to buy that small Eastwood Stratotone copy is that my favorite solidbody to play is a mid-1950s Harmony H44 Stratotone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Outkaster Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 I wish I knew what to do with a keyboard. It does require a flight case and I would have to check it. I wonder if how much they charge for it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SH3MP Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 I agree with blabkbelt1 and about using a gig bag if possible.... In January I traveled from Dallas to Newark with a full sized Jackson hard case. My flight attendant friend said no problem, you'll get on but neither airport let me on with it. I had to check it. They did mark it "special handling" whatever that means..... Luckily I was prepared and had a nice sturdy case but I was nervous nonetheless. Back to the gig bag, I saw at least 5 people walking the airport with gig bags so go figure. Pre 9-11 I carried guitars on all the time..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassred Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 What guitars do you have that are longer than 45"?? Just curious, if the scale length is around 24-ish, there isn't an extra 20 inches of body.... I put my basses in cases and check them, never had any problems. I have a 'Fragile' sticker on my acoustic case that Delta airlines put on it for me, never had any issues with it either... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members elbow Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 What guitars do you have that are longer than 45"?? .. +1 ... and I've checked guitars (electric and acoustic) with a decent hard-shell case and never had any problems... knock on wood. Personally, I am more concerned about it getting lost than damaged, so I won't bring a guitar that means a great deal to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members elbow Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 .... and one more thing. I flew a lot until very recently, and I saw many episodes with people and large items/overhead vs. closet/gate check messes. Flight attendants are like the cops and noise complaints. There are some rules or guidelines for sure, but it's up to them and they can help you or blow you outta the water. Just sayin. It's best to be nice and smile a lot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fling the poo Posted November 7, 2007 Members Share Posted November 7, 2007 i'm going to second this. I fly all over the place with my guitar in one hand, my laptop in my backpack and sometimes my marshall head in the other. sometimes i get caught but theres nothing they can do. find the closet. i tried the whole flight case thign. ended up shipping the flight cases empty and carrying the guitar and amp on the plane. they weigh too much to go into regular baggage and not get charged. I've probably made over 100 domestic flights in the past 2 years with a guitar. I've only run into an issue one time, at LaGuardia in NYC. Ironically, I had flown in there with my guitar, but for some reason they wouldn't let me carry it on as I left. Here are my tips: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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