Bring a bass on an airplane...

can_v · #1 03-17-2010, 09:39 PM

Guys,

Since I'm going London to visit my girlfriend next month for 2 weeks, I wanna bring my bass with me. I'm considering bringing my headless hohner, since it's small. The question is:

Will they let me carry it on the plane, and not loading it?

I couldn't load it because my girlfriend has asked me to bring her bunches of stuffs and I'm almost overweight already.

I just wanna know if they're gonna let me carry it in a bag and on the plane with me.

Thanks

bbocaner · #2 03-17-2010, 09:46 PM

maybe, maybe not. Sometimes they are nice about it and you won't have any problems or they'll even let you put it in the crew's coat closet. Sometimes they can be really inflexible and you won't even get past security. if they stop you at the gate and make you check it there and it's in a bag you've got a potential disaster on your hands! There's a TSA memorandum with the AFM (you can google for a copy) that will almost certainly get you past security if you whip it out, but the airlines themselves don't really care.

bassmanjla · #3 03-17-2010, 09:47 PM

would most likely depending on how big it is. will it fit into a carry on space? they are stupid anal about that stuff.

if your out of loading space.. you might want to rethink how you are packed. and consider leaving some things. becuase you most definitely won't have any room for supplies your gonna need in your carry on

Ilikejazzbass · #4 03-17-2010, 09:48 PM

Most of the time you put it in the overhead compartment or they stow it under the plane. Just bring that and a backpack and you should be fine.

screaminglucy · #5 03-17-2010, 09:50 PM

sometimes you can ask them to put it in the coat rack space. i dont know about security though.

Jim Campbell · #6 03-17-2010, 09:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by can_v

Guys,

Since I'm going London to visit my girlfriend next month for 2 weeks, I wanna bring my bass with me. I'm considering bringing my headless hohner, since it's small. The question is:

Will they let me carry it on the plane, and not loading it?

I couldn't load it because my girlfriend has asked me to bring her bunches of stuffs and I'm almost overweight already.

I just wanna know if they're gonna let me carry it in a bag and on the plane with me.

Thanks

sometimes they do ;but they don't have to.....these days airlines don't really have to cater to the customer at all.....there was an interesting show on tv recently that said that in the not too distant future there will be 3 people competing for each available seat....

there was a time when getting bumped meant a free flight or some other perks,but these days raising a complaint can be very risky,even if you are in the right.....i would pack it well and check it through and carry on the other stuff that will fit their regulations

PaulNYC · #7 03-17-2010, 10:06 PM

If ou take off the neck, there should be no problems .. but I haven't tried. It really depends what the size restrictions are. ie. continental gives a number that the sum of the dimensions must be less than.

can_v · #8 03-17-2010, 11:07 PM

Thanks for all of the replies.

I did carry a bass on the plane before, and they did put it in the coat closet. But those times were domestic flights. I'm just not sure about the International flight and the more and more regulations they're having these days.

But, Thanks!! May be I just buy one when I get there. lol, my girlfriend would kill me..

uglyrumor · #9 03-17-2010, 11:13 PM

I haven't flown since 2007, but had no problem with my Steinberger in a gig bag, which fit in the overhead fine. I did once have a problem with my Gibson RD because of size, and because of that incident took to shipping that bass ahead Fed-Ex, as that was cheaper than the extra, and no chance of it being handed to the gorillas in baggage handling. Who knows, with times changing so much so fast anymore. Good luck.

bass12 · #10 03-17-2010, 11:21 PM

Two weeks? Leave your bass at home and save yourself the worry.

mike costelow · #11 03-17-2010, 11:39 PM

Who are you flying with? I always had good luck with southwest.might help to call ahead and ask if this is going to be a problem. Take your least fav bass.Be cool,honest and friendly when boarding,have a smile on your face but be insistant! this has worked for me when traveling abroad with bass.If you are friendly usually they will try and accomidate you in my experience,they usually have room in a closet.

60's Bluesman · #12 03-18-2010, 12:43 AM

it also might help if your case didnt look like a rifle case like my vintage eko's case looks. if i stepped near a plane with that id prolly get tazed

can_v · #13 03-18-2010, 01:15 AM

I Probably leave mine at home, and buy a new one there, lol.

You know, one of the reasons that i wanna bring one to London is because I don't wanna buy anything there. I've been saving for this trip for a short while and now I have quite amount of money to spend. I've been checking out on internet and I do find ones with reasonable prices. To prevent myself for buying (and listening to my girlfriend nagging), I thought i would bring one with me because there's no way I can carry 2 bass back home.

Sometimes it's hard for me to control myself when I see nice instruments.

bassmanjla · #14 03-18-2010, 01:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by can_v

Thanks for all of the replies.

I did carry a bass on the plane before, and they did put it in the coat closet. But those times were domestic flights. I'm just not sure about the International flight and the more and more regulations they're having these days.

But, Thanks!! May be I just buy one when I get there. lol, my girlfriend would kill me..

wait.. what is this coat closet you speak of???? ?? ? ?? ? ?

PJSShearer · #15 03-18-2010, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by can_v

I Probably leave mine at home, and buy a new one there, lol.

You know, one of the reasons that i wanna bring one to London is because I don't wanna buy anything there. I've been saving for this trip for a short while and now I have quite amount of money to spend. I've been checking out on internet and I do find ones with reasonable prices. To prevent myself for buying (and listening to my girlfriend nagging), I thought i would bring one with me because there's no way I can carry 2 bass back home.

Sometimes it's hard for me to control myself when I see nice instruments.

Firstly, you won't find gear much cheaper in London than in the USA and if you have to pay any duty/tax on it when you bring it back....

Secondly, with the current security issues with international travel they may insist your bass has to go in the hold and unless you have a proper hard case for your Bass, you can't risk it. Ditto for anything you might buy while you're over here.

can_v · #16 03-18-2010, 06:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PJSShearer

Firstly, you won't find gear much cheaper in London than in the USA and if you have to pay any duty/tax on it when you bring it back....

Secondly, with the current security issues with international travel they may insist your bass has to go in the hold and unless you have a proper hard case for your Bass, you can't risk it. Ditto for anything you might buy while you're over here.

Problem is I didn't live in the US

PJSShearer · #17 03-18-2010, 06:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by can_v

Problem is I didn't live in the US

Where are you coming from then??. Even so, the points about the international travel security situation AND the fact you may need to pay duty on anything you import back into your home country (assuming you're not in the EU) still apply!!.

For example, if you bring gear form outside of the EU into the UK valued at more than GBP150.00 you have to pay import duty on it (around 10% - varies) and 17.5% VAT.

deekay911 · #18 03-18-2010, 06:44 AM

I traveled Atlanta to Paris last week with my bass in a gig bag on Air France, and they put it in the business class coat closet (I was economy of course). No problems with security, gate or cabin staff. It doesn't always go this smoothly however...

WalterBush · #19 03-18-2010, 07:24 AM

In the US, they'll let you on with it if it will fit in the standard 48" overhead. I travelled with my 7 string in it's ProTec case last year, it's exactly 48" tall. My friend came back with a Gretsch White Falcon in a hardshell, no problem for the overhead.

On one of the puddle-jumpers with no overhead, we had to check our axes along with people's strollers and such at boarding.

I wouldn't want to risk it internationally, though. It's bad enough that US policy seems to change every time I set foot in an airport, I don't even want to think about the hassles various customs agencies could provide for one of my basses. If I didn't have gigs scheduled, I wouldn't travel outside the country with my bass, personally.

Munjibunga · #20 03-18-2010, 07:38 PM

I took my MTD over to Vegas on Southwest to sit in on a gig, and getting on in San Diego was no problem. They let me put it in the overhead bin. On the way back, a whole different story. This female flight attendant on the plane gave me, "Sir, you're going to have to check that, it's too big." Now, the bass is in my Undercover double bag. I told her they let me carry it aboard on the trip over, and she was unconcerned and insisted that I check it. I said, "Miss, this is a $5,000 musical instrument in a soft case. If you're telling me I have to entrust it to a baggage handler, I will have to get off the plane." Now things are starting to heat up. She says, "Do you have checked baggage on the plane?" "Yes." "Then you can't get off." "Well, the bass isn't going in the baggage hold." Fortunately, the #1 attendant was a guy who had seen the whole exchange take place, and he came up and excused the flight attendant, and put the bass in the closet.

So you pays your money and you takes your chances.