| Airlines and basses
Some airlines allow basses in a trunk in the baggage compartment. It must weigh less than 90 lbs or 70 lbs depending on the airline. You will pay overweight and oversize charges which can be more than a passenger ticket! Air freight is possible but must be done through a certified shipper. It used to be that you could show up to air-freight and get the trunk on the next plane to your destination. No longer. Check with each individual airline for their air freight rules. Trucking in a trunk is possible as is train baggage. Both are super risky and you can expect long delays and damage to the trunk and possibly the instrument. Be sure to carry tons of insurance as carriers are rarely liable for the full value of a nice double bass. The Intl. Society of Bassists has been working with airlines for many years to solve these issues, but we are such a small number that the airlines have essentially ignored us. Check with the ISB for any updates though. Each individual airline has its own rules, and ultimately it is the pilot of the aircraft that you carry your bass on (whether it be in a seat or in baggage) that has the final say as to whether it will be allowed on-board. So when a flight attendant starts telling you that you cannot bring the bass on-board (even though they sold you a ticket for it), ask to speak to the pilot.
Best of luck.!!!
Patrick
PS: borrowing basses from friends and colleague is becoming more and more the norm. Another thing is to see if they will accept the bass in trunk as an "HR" -- Human Remains! I had one airline call it a bicycle so that it would go in baggage!
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Last edited by PNeher : 05-21-2009 at 12:16 PM.
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