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I've traveled a lot with guitars and have found that for the most part on international flights you have few difficulties getting an instrument on board. Intercontinental flights are another matter.
There are times when no amount of begging will get an acoustic on board. Theres often no room. At that point if you don't use a flight case your doomed.
My advise is to have at least a Hiscox Lightflight II , or a Hoffee or Calton.
Personally I prefer to check an instrument .
I don't want to haul that darn thing through the airport and into the plane. Its just the baggage fer' gosh sakes.
If you have a flight case you just loosen the strings give it to the people in oversize luggage and go about your business unencumbered by your musical boat anchor.
There are times when you have a gig right after leaving the plane, you'll get it Soon enough.
In 8 years of touring 6 months out of each year checking guitars , I only had my guitar delayed once. I got it before I needed it. Air France and Air Canada straightened it out.
In those days I was using a Hiscox Lightflight I. Now I have a Calton for my GB10 and Hoffee's for my electric and Favino.
Check it. Insure it . Forget about it. Its the baggage.
Checked baggage (never mind guitars) is passe for some folks. Walk on, check in, insurance, there are risks all round.
Bring your Gitane, leave the VR at home. Gitanes are more replaceable with insurance and sound good enough.
Wish I could do like Al and just think of it as baggage. I've haven't stood at a carousel in a decade.
The only war I had was in a short flight out of Korea. I made the case that I was famous and my D-500 was a "stradivarius". Our guitars look odd, yet elegant enough that this tactic worked after opening my gig bag to show it to a very stern attendant. Something in my abnormal behavior and the flimsy lies worked.
The only fail I've had was with a case that was one increment to big for the overhead (can't remember the type of plane). I left that case in Vietnam and bought a gig bag for the return flight.
It's loose bag, with enough room in there for shirts and pants too! Height, when the bag is laid down (in the overhead), isn't a problem, and now I've got my whole kit on my back for hiking through the endless airports and all around Hanoi in comfort, playing in coffee houses and schools.
Sometimes, there just isn't room in the overheads. In 10 years of travelling with guitar I have only had to check it maybe four times.....but of those 4 once it got flying lessons, once my case looked like it had a grinder taken to it. I use a good case, that will fit in a full size overhead and slack the strings a third.............BUT
I will never ever trust an airline again.
Its freeing to know that the instrument is replaceable .
The problems happen when your required to do something serious with the instrument when you get to where your going.
Then you take the good stuff.
I was flying in Europe a couple of years ago. Going between Hungary and Italy or something like that . I got to the airport and attempted to check my guitar . The ticket agent said,"no, don't do that , they will either break it or steal it." He gave me fair warning. So I took it on board, stuck it behind the last row of seats. Not usually allowed, but thats how it went.
In some years past we were required to buy seats for the guitars traveling in Italy. When we attempted to board the plane, one of these small ,climb the stairs deals, we got to the top and the stewards attempted to refuse our instruments, though we had already been through the check points with our tickets which had Mr. Guitar and Mrs. Guitar as the passenger name. It seems that these folks had never had anyone buy seats for guitars before. Some pitiful 7AM flight.
Nothing about flying is fun . X_X
Its the worst thing about touring , apart from the hotels.
This is from Public Law 112–95 112th Congress FEB. 14, 2012, and likely only applies to US-managed airlines:
SEC. 403. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS.
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subchapter I of chapter 417 is amended by adding at the end the following:
§ 41724. Musical instruments
(a) IN GENERAL.—
(1) SMALL INSTRUMENTS AS CARRY-ON BAGGAGE.—An air
carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to any standard fee that carrier may require for comparable carry-on baggage, if—
(A) the instrument can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or under a passenger seat, in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Administrator; and
B there is space for such stowage at the time the passenger boards the aircraft.
(2) LARGER INSTRUMENTS AS CARRY-ON BAGGAGE.—An air
carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a musical instrument that is too large to meet the requirements of paragraph (1) in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to the cost of the additional ticket described in subparagraph (E), if—
(A) the instrument is contained in a case or covered so as to avoid injury to other passengers;
B the weight of the instrument, including the case or covering, does not exceed 165 pounds or the applicable weight restrictions for the aircraft;
(C) the instrument can be stowed in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Administrator;
(D) neither the instrument nor the case contains any object not otherwise permitted to be carried in an aircraft cabin because of a law or regulation of the United States; and
(E) the passenger wishing to carry the instrument in the aircraft cabin has purchased an additional seat to accommodate the instrument.
(3) LARGE INSTRUMENTS AS CHECKED BAGGAGE.—An air
carrier shall transport as baggage a musical instrument that is the property of a passenger traveling in air transportation that may not be carried in the aircraft cabin if—
(A) the sum of the length, width, and height measured in inches of the outside linear dimensions of the instrument (including the case) does not exceed 150 inches or the applicable size restrictions for the aircraft;
B the weight of the instrument does not exceed 165 pounds or the applicable weight restrictions for the aircraft; and
(C) the instrument can be stowed in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Administrator.
(b) REGULATIONS.—Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue final regulations to carry out subsection (a).
(c) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The requirements of this section shall become effective on the date of issuance of the final regulations under subsection (b).’’.
(b) CONFORMING AMENDMENT.—The analysis for such sub- chapter is amended by adding at the end the following:
RR
Iberia is friendly with guitars