| my flying setup all depends on the gig really.....
right now I'm currently on a 6000 mile tour bus tour across america and we're carrying quite a bit of gear with us. I have two basses on the road with me, and have them crated in a Fender double flight case that the roadies can load out of the trailer every night and roll into the venue. I don't touch my basses except for playing them onstage. Kind of a drag for shedding, but I just have to give that luxury up for this tour with the logistics. As a band we have several fly dates right now too, where we leave the tour for a day or so, fly somewhere and do a tv date or one off show, and then fly back to the tour. I'm having them rent me basses for the one off tv and fly dates so I don't have to fly with the flight case right now.
As a general rule, if I'm working with my own band, I mainly fly with just one bass. I take it in a heavy duty leather gig bag and take it as hand luggage always. I fly at least 100,000 miles a year with united or any of the star alliance airlines which affords me some assistance with flying with instruments. First of all it gives me 3 70lb bags for free on any star alliance flight so if I have my gear crated in flight cases it doesn't cost me anything to fly with it. And flying that much with one airline means I rarely fly coach class anymore, and generally fly business or first which allows me to take my bass in the cabin with me without question. Airlines will mostly give you some leeway when you fly that many miles with them so I would recommend getting into the habit of flying with one carrier whenever possible, and being really conscious of making sure you give them your mileage card when you check in every time, and manage your miles online.
Easy,
Janek | 
