guitars and airlines

renzok

I just bought a guitar from Spain, a friend who’s traveling there will bring it to me (Perú) in about a month
I’ve read all kinds of comments about traveling with an instrument, it seems that in most cases there are no problems but Im afraid that some airline employee will be determined to not let the guitar go on board, definitely do not want to check in the guitar ¿is it true that only certain types of cases are allow on board? Mine's just a Gig bag (see photos)
Any of you have experience with Iberia airlines?
Are there any laws that touch this issue?
Anyway In general I wanted to know if you guys have any advice or recommendation to help me reduce to a minimum the likelihood of an incident.

Jeff Moore

In 7-8 episodes, I came to believe the gig bag was best.
1. You really can't check it. Either they let it on with me or I don't fly.
2. My first time in a smaller plane the case wouldn't fit. On the return flight I brought a gig bag. No problem.
This still doesn't solve anything for good. I've had near misses with this all or nothing method, but seeing several guys with smashed guitars in baggage, and no recourse, set me up for war (win or lose) at the check in booth. One of the smashed guitars had a fork lift wound from the fork driven right through everything.
Never road on Iberia w/guitar.

Ryan Rhea

Yep. All or nothing with a gig bag. No ticket price is worth my guitar.

RR

Craig Bumgarner

Insurance takes a lot of the angst out of traveling with a guitar.

Buco

That's a great point Craig. I have all my instruments and amps insured. It was amazingly cheap to my surprise. I forget now but I think it came to $10-20 for every $1000 insured.
However only this guitar looks and sounds exactly like this and if gonne it can be replaced but not replicated.

There's were a few extensive threads on guitars and airplanes with lots of great info and advice.
I remember someone that traveled a lot with a guitar saying there was never a problem on bigger planes, only small regional lines were ever an issue.

Congrats on the guitar! Is it a custom order?
Picture looks like it's taken in the woodorking shop.

renzok

thanks Buco! the guitar is a Geronimo Mateos Model Audrey, mine is not finished yet, the pic was just for the gig bag, they're 100% handmade.

Will think about the insurance and the all or nothing approach ..

Russell Letson

Traveling with a gig-bagged guitar is asking for trouble, since flight crews have the final say on where it will be stowed. And even if it is allowed in the cabin on every leg of the flight, an overhead bin is no place for a guitar in anything less than a hardshell or reinforced expanded-foam case. I mean, have you seen what the other passengers are going to try to get into those bins, and how tight they're willing to cram them?

When I fly with a guitar, it is always in a case that can withstand some degree of rough handling and crush-force. I rarely have to surrender it, though many (or most) regional jets and even some older mid-size aircraft do not have overheads big enough for any kind of case. (And I mean not even a Baby Taylor.)

And I insure the guitars I travel with--though the money would be small consolation if my Dunn were smashed beyond repair. (Though it would take being run over by a truck to do that in its SuperCase.)

adrian

Personally I've flown about 30 flights with a guitar, and I've always been able to carry it on. No horror stories, knock on wood. I recommend Southwest Airlines in the U.S. (though that won't help you in Peru, @renzok).

A friend told me this great tactic for bringing instruments on planes:

If they ask you to check it, then open your case right then and there, and take some photos of the instrument, telling the flight crew "I'd like to take some photos of it so that my insurance agency knows what condition it was in before the flight." Evidently this can guilt (or scare) the crew into allowing it on.

klaatu

Craig Bumgarner wrote: »

Insurance takes a lot of the angst out of traveling with a guitar.

Craig, I think the airlines have pretty much put a stop to this practice.

Lovely guitar, by the way. I played an Audrey in Francois Charles' shop in Paris a few years ago - very impressed by the sound and wished I had the money to buy it at the time.

Craig Bumgarner

I was thinking of private insurance.

Joli Gadjo

One of the last time I travelled, my trip had 2 legs: one major across the Atlantic, and a 'city hopper'. There was no trouble at all on the first one (rarely has been): I was able to take my case (not gig bag) and store it in one of the biz class closets.
Then, when I got to the gate to my city hopper the staff tried to work out two options: gate check, or move me around so that my guitar could "sit" next to me in case there is an empty seat.

I only have little experience flying with guitars, as it's been mostly from Western Europe to US, but I think it's always a good idea to invest in a good case. Ask nicely whether your guitar can get on the plane. If not, make sure it will go with the oversized luggage, this is important (that's where skis go, the carpet is straight, so risks to get caught in a turn). On international flights I've had to check my guitar about 30% of the time. For reference, Jacques Mazzoleni mentions he rarely takes a guitar on the plane: always check in, and you know what kind of guitars he travels with...
Otherwise, the best way is to do like Django: expect a guitar maker waiting for you at the airport (didn't happen btw!). Private insurance should not be an option, even if you dont take the plane. [img][/img]