Help! British Airways Destroyed Our Guitar and Won’t Pay Up.

Russell Letson · January 28

Just want to reinforce a couple points from my earlier post. First, even on a full-size jet (which I suspect is what Chief took to DIJ), a full or nearly-full plane means that overhead and closet space might be full or at least very crowded. And I've noticed an increase in major airlines using regional jets even on longish flights (e.g., Minneapolis-NYC), and those planes just don't have the cabin space for a big case.

Flying first class (which I also do on my single annual trip) might give you an edge, but early boarding doesn't help if the overheads just aren't big enough. So I always figure that gate-checking is a strong possibility and pack accordingly. And airline culture does matter, at least when flying Delta out of MSP. (Though their gate personnel at both NYC-area airports I've flown into have been equally accommodating.)

Bottom line: Do not rely on a gig bag. Use the sturdiest case you can find and be prepared to ask nicely for a gate-check tag. I finally found a used Calton, and while it challenges my ancient shoulders, I don't worry (much) about the safety of my guitar. And for workshops where I'll be lugging the guitar around for a week--for example, Ashokan--I have a TKL gig bag that I fold up and pack in my big checked suitcase. Lightweight, decent low-end protection, and lotsa pockets.

(Side note to Michael: How close *is* that non-Hoffee carbon-fiber case to Hoffee sturdiness? I mean, that's a very hefty price difference, and I wonder what accounts for it.)

Buco · January 28

I mean, I hope I don't eat my words someday, but is it really a death sentence if you need to gate check the gig bag or a regular hard case? Surely all of the airlines must successfully transport thousands of instruments which we never hear about. When we would gate check baby stroller it always came back in one piece. A scuff here and there but no broken parts. I understand everyone wants zero risk, myself included. Usually the guys that gate check are standing right there at the entrance so you ask them to be gentle, chances are it'll be fine. All that said, if I was flying often with the guitar I'd certainly get something tough. This Gator case is described as flight worthy and very cheap compared to others

https://a.co/d/4b4DGWK

Jangle_Jamie · January 28

I bought a Hisox case to get my handmade De Rijk back from Melbourne Australia to the UK in the hold. All went well and the case looked as good as it did when it left Oz, and the guitar was perfect. Many years ago I brought a fairly cheap classical guitar back from Melbourne to the UK. The case was a standard cheapo plywood case and had a chunk out of it at the other end, but again, the guitar was perfect. That was flying with Qantas both times, but you're at the mercy of ground staff to look after oversize items.

I have a little Yamaha Guitalele which goes in the cabin. Not the best instrument in the world, but it at least keeps my fingers moving and strong while I'm away on a trip, and that I find is the most important thing. A 3/4 or half-size gypsy guitar would be ideal, and i believe several top luthiers have made them in the past. They'd go in the overhead lockers no problem. Plus you could entertain the flight!!!

Russell Letson · January 28

Think about the common hazards of travel and baggage-handling: impact and crush. Even a pricey gig bag is not going to provide the degree of protection you'll get from an expanded-foam case. But not all foam cases are created equal. I've been using them for decades, and the ones that I have all have rigid structural components--rims, tops, and backs--as well as lots of foam all around (at least 2") and internal support structures--neck cradle and endpin notch.

Gate-checking minimizes some of the drop/impact hazard, and a careful crew will probably not put a case at the bottom of the pile. Nevertheless, the foam cases I would currently trust have a lot of the design features of good hardshell cases. For my GS-Mini or National M-1, I have a Travelite TL-60. The photo shows how much foam and support it offers. I like this design, though I wish it had a bigger gear box inside and a big external pocket. There's also a dreadnought-size model.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61RTkRsZ37L.__AC_SY300_SX300_QL70_FMwebp_.jpg

MichaelHorowitz · January 28

Think about the common hazards of travel and baggage-handling: impact and crush. Even a pricey gig bag is not going to provide the degree of protection you'll get from an expanded-foam case.

@Russell Letson back in the 90s British Airways forced me to check in a nylon string guitar that was in a gig bag. I got it back with a big hole in the lower bout which they refused to take responsibility for. Fortunately I only paid $300 for it and it actually still played fine. In fact, British Airways may have inadvertently invented the sound port 😁

Nowadays. people pay a lot of money for a hole in the side of their guitar....

JSanta · January 28

https://djangobooks.com/forum/discussion/comment/119711#Comment_119711

I certainly hope the answer is no, but I've been around enough to know there's only a handful of people I trust implicitly, and none of them are baggage handlers. Not a slight to them, but there's too much out of my control to trust that my instrument will remain unscathed when handled by others. I basically view them all as the people at gigs that have had a few too many and ask to play my guitar. Chances are probably fair that nothing will happen, but I'm not willing to turn my back on them, or honestly let them play my guitar for that matter.

paulmcevoy75 · January 29

I would prefer a mono case to a regular hard case in that situation. The typical hard cases don't really have any cushioning for a fall or means to decelerate the guitar so you'd get the sort of neck breaks that are common there.

I'm not saying that a mono case is great for gate checking but a regular hard case isn't any better, I think they are worse.

flaco · January 29

There are 2 kinds of threats: falling and crushing. A Mono-type bag is good for protecting against falling, but poor for protecting against crushing. The hard case would maybe be the opposite depending on the design. In the hold of the plane I’m a little more worried about the crushing danger than the falling danger. Right now my plan for DiJ is to fly with my guitar in a Calton as my carry on, and then check my Mono as my suitcase with my clothes in it. Best of all worlds!

Russell Letson · January 29

Impact absorption is one of the reasons I like expanded-foam cases--or hardshells with lots of internal foam cushioning. Before I got a Calton (which is not magical but very tough), my only flightworthy case was a SuperCase*--lots of foam and cushioning, internal neck support, rigid rim/top/back, and a canvas shell. I don't think it would have survived being run over by a baggage truck, but I'd trust it in a reasonable drop. For me, it represents a very good alterative design formula for a non-Calton/Hoffee/BAM case. It ain't light, but it beats a conventional plywood hardshell for hard traveling.

*Made for now-defunct First Quality Music of Louisville. I got the last one, a show demo unit, more than 20 years ago and have used it ever since for my dreadnought-size guitars.