Airline Restrictions Master List

That's great, Max. Now we need you to add British Airways, etc.

 

This is great , thanks. One probable or possible correction.:
Summer 2014 I flew with bass in Gage trunk from Honolulu ( headed to NYC) with ten day stop in Portland Oregon. United Air, charges as outlined above.
But.....when I checked in again in Portland for NYC the United people would not let me check in my bass because they said under no circumstances can a checked musical instrument weigh over 75 lb , and mine was about 90 lb in trunk.They said I should not have been allowed to do so in Honolulu.
They sent me on a Delta flight , same charges as above, Delta does take a greater weight.
Maybe these numbers have changed since then?
In any case it was so difficult and expensive, surely removable neck is the best (in my view- only way) if one is doing any extensive touring. I sold my trunk down at Gage shop shortly after arriving in NY as I am not traveling enough to warrant all that.
It is great to have this info posted as a resource for those

 

Oh, it used to be easier of course then presently. This is the first time I was not allowed to check it at all. I did fly with bass in trunk, 4 for 6 times annually , in the past.

 

They have, in fact, changed their policies since then. As of 2015, they are now in compliance with FAA and DOT regulations stating all US carriers must accept any musical instrument as checked baggage up to 165 pounds.

 

This information should be posted on the TalkBass wiki.

I'll add some European and other foreign carriers, since that's what I'm normally dealing with. US carriers have had to add specific language to their contracts of carriage to be FAA-compliant, but no such luck for us on the other side of the Atlantic. Speaking anecdotally, it's best to avoid the budget airlines entirely.

Aegean Airlines (website)
"You may transport your musical instrument on any of our flights, provided it is in a secure hard case. Instruments may be transported either as checked baggage or carried with you in the cabin. If carried as checked baggage in the hold, instruments are subject to the baggage policy. In addition, you will be asked to sign a Limited Release Form when you check in the instrument agreeing that the musical instrument is being carried entirely at your own risk."
Note: This policy is crazy town. No clear policy regarding size, weight, or price. And you have to sign away all rights. Not recommended.

Aer Lingus (website)
"Larger musical equipment (including but not limited to double bass, harps and drums) is unsuitable for carriage in the cabin and must be checked in. If you wish to carry the instrument in the hold, then a special handling fee will apply. This fee will be charged at the same rate as golf equipment and skis. Normal excess baggage rates will also apply."
Note: Despite what appears to be clear language, it's difficult to find the price or any weight/size restrictions.

Air Berlin (website)
No specific policies or prices for double basses are available. Pre-registration required, likely to be refused. Not recommended.

Air Canada (website)
No specific policies or prices for double basses are available on the Air Canada website. Not recommended.

Air France (website)
"Musical instruments over 32 kg (70 lb) in weight or 300 cm (118 in) in length (cello, bass, etc.) are accepted in the hold, with prior approval from our customer service department. You must submit your request at least 48 hours before your flight's departure."
- Price not specified, but expect to pay between 70 and 140 EUR.

Air Serbia (website)
"Exceptionally, and with prior Air Serbia approval, an individual piece of baggage weighing more than 32 kg and/or with the sum of dimensions greater than 203 cm can be accepted as checked baggage if it contains a musical instrument, sports equipment or a wheelchair."
- Within Europe: 110 EUR
- Intercontinental: 200 EUR
Note: This information is under the "Excess Baggage" information, but not under the "Musical Instruments" section. Go figure.

Alitalia (website)
No specific policies or prices for double basses are available. "If you choose to or need to transport instruments in the hold, you must inform the Customer Center 48 hours before departure." Not recommended.

Austrian Airlines
No specific policies or prices for double basses are available. Not recommended.

British Airways (website)
"Musical instruments which are too large to be carried in the cabin, will be checked in. This will be part of your checked baggage allowance so excess baggage charges may apply.
Larger instruments can be carried as part of your free checked baggage allowance or as part of an additional purchased allowance if required. We'll even carry instruments larger and heavier than the standard checked baggage limits, up to 45kg (99lb) and 190cm x 75cm x 65cm (75in x 29.5in x 25.5in), providing you notify us at least 24 hours before your flight. Instruments over 23kg may incur a heavy bag charge."
Note: No price is listed on the website. You MUST call at least 24 hours in advance for approval.
Warning: Gate agents being particularly prickly about the size restrictions will leave you grounded. Most basses are about 190 cm (75 inches) tall, naked. A typical flight case will be closer to 210 cm tall.

Finnair (website)
"Larger musical instruments up to 32 kg and/or 190 cm x 75 cm x 65 cm can be carried for an additional heavy bag charge. Large musical instruments exceeding these measures (32 kg and/or 190 cm x 75 cm x 65 cm) may be accepted with a prior approval from the airline."
Note: Price not entirely clear on the website, but appears to be a normal "heavy bag charge". That would be 30 EUR within Europe and 100 EUR intercontinental.

Iberia (website)
"The maximum permitted measurements are 190x75x65cm with a maximum weight of 45kg (99 lbs). If the weight is 23 Kg to 32Kg an excess weight surcharge will apply. If the weight is 32 Kg to 45 Kg, it will always be considered excess baggage."
Note: It's difficult to find an exact price online, but looks like something like 90 EUR within Europe.

Japan Airlines (website)
"JAL has large cases for musical instruments such as double basses and bass fiddles available for passenger use. Reservations are required 48 hours before scheduled departure. Contact us for assistance in reserving a large musical instrument case. However, please note that the numbers are limited, and may not be able to correspond to your request."
-Japan Airlines will actually provide you their own hardshell case, but no price is listed and you must call well in advance. Sounds luxurious!

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines (website)
Policies and prices appear to be vastly different depending on your itinerary. Check very carefully before booking.

Lufthansa (website)
Musical instruments (e.g. any type of bass instrument (double-bass, violone, viola da Gamba)) which weigh more than 32 kg (70 lbs) may only be taken on Lufthansa flights after registration and approval.
-Within Europe/between third countries: up to 52 kg (114 lbs) and 200 cm x 75 cm. 200 EUR or 300 USD
-Intercontinental: up to 52 kg and 200 cm x 75 cm. 300 EUR or 400 USD

Ryanair (website)
No specific policies or prices for double basses are available. Website states musical instruments up to 20 kg (44 lbs) will be accepted for 60€, but that does not account for oversize instruments. Not recommended.

Singapore Air (website)
No specific policies or prices for double basses are available. Anything over 32 kg (70 lbs) must be shipped as cargo. Not recommended.

 

Ok, I give up.

Just a note about British Airways in particular. They used to have a great reputation with bassists. I flew my bass with them a few years ago for just $50. No hassle about the weight, size, or anything. Unfortunately, they made a slight change in the wording of their policy last year which effectively eliminates the possibility to fly with them without lying through your teeth and hoping the gate agent doesn't notice.

The old version said "We'll even carry instruments larger and heavier than the standard checked baggage limits, including double basses." The new version removed the words "double basses" and replaced them with specific weights and dimensions which are slightly smaller than any bass case I'm aware of.

 

thanks everybody for this!!!
a friend used to fly air berlin with his 30kg (bass + case) instrument, he had a "member card" (or whatever they called it) for 100€ a year, with this he could check the bass on any air berlin flight without overcharges. not sure if this option still exists.

 

I had a flight booked with Air Canada (in 2014, I believe), and went through all the motions and phoned prior to get information. I was instructed that the bass in its trunk was too large to be considered baggage and would have to be shipped Air Canada Cargo.

The prices I got were over $800 (one way, Winnipeg to Toronto), and they couldn't guarantee that my bass would arrive the same day I did. Definitely not recommended.

I used the same trunk with Westjet, and was always permitted to fly with it. I was only charged oversize about 30% of the time. It really depended on the gate agent.

It was a custom case that only weighed 50lbs with my bass in it--it was a full size case though. I just never had to deal with the weight issue. The problems and extra charges were what prompted my move to a Chadwick.

 

I haven't heard about any good experiences with Air Canada and basses.

And $800 is a very bad deal, even for cargo. For comparison, Southwest Cargo would ship a bass from Houston to Albuquerque for about $200 back in 2010.

 

Can we break this down into simple, practical terms?

For instance, under the post-2015 regulations, is it possible to fly a bass in a Kolstein trunk on Southwest for $150 each way as per the OP?

I ask because friends who tour internationally tell me that their experiences have not been that easy. Even with copies of the Federal rules and the airline's publicly stated policies in hand, I am told that traveling bassists should be prepared to arrive at the terminal hours early and argue fiercely with airline staff in order to get their bass on the plane with them.

SSDD, in other words.

 

Well, the FAA guidelines aren't super interesting to the gate agents. The agent's job is to follow their airline's own contract of carriage, and the policy is supposed to reflect the FAA guidelines. Most US carriers updated their policies last year to meet the new guidelines, but gate agents don't necessarily know that. Of course it doesn't hurt to carry those in hand, but it likely won't change their minds. The airline's contract of carriage is more useful, but those same contracts clearly state the airline can refuse any bag for any reason. In the end, it's the agent's decision. The amount they charge is also up to them, in the end.

Here are a few things you can do to help yourself:
- Check the airline's posted policies before booking a ticket. If their policies do not specifically mention either double basses, or give weight/measurement restrictions your bass will fit to, call the airline directly for clarification.

- After booking a ticket, call the airline to notify them your intention to check a double bass. Have the weight and measurements handy. Don't lie.

- If the agent on the phone says you can take the instrument, kindly ask them to make a note of it in your itinerary. If you can get a price quote, ask them to put that in as well (unless you think you can get a better price at the counter, which is unlikely). A gate agent is far less likely to have a problem with you if the itinerary has a note saying it's ok -- after all, they can blame any potential problems on the phone agent.

- Arrive as early as possible, in case you need extra time to check in. You'll have an easier time remaining calm if you know there's lots of time to resolve any issues.

- At the counter, wheel your bass up on its side. If it's standing tall, it looks less likely to fit.

- Be as friendly as you can with the gate agent. The final decision as to whether they accept it or not is entirely up to them. If they don't like you, they won't help you.

- If the gate agent refuses service, remain calm and friendly. Do not leave the counter. At this point, having printouts of the FAA regulations and the airline's policies would be helpful.

- Finally, you can ask to speak with management or any other airline representative to resolve the matter. Stay calm, friendly and positive. Let the gate agent know you don't want to further disrupt the line, you understand they're doing their jobs and you're not upset, but that you require additional services.

- Stay calm!

 

Wow, thank you so much. This definitely deserves a sticky.

 

This is great folks. A huge thank you to all who've posted in the thread. DK

 

Just wondering if you have any feedback about using the Lemur fly away case ie about the case itself?
Thanks!

 

Still want to read the fine print!!!!!!!

The airlines will transport ANY instrument but their disclaimer dealing with luggage/type is VERY CLEAR.
The airlines will take no financial responsibility beyond a certain $ amount and some offer none if it is a musical instrument.
There is a reason people buy a ticket for their instrument.

 

Is this a surprise? Of course it doesn't seem like the friendliest policy, but why should they take responsibility for a very fragile, potentially very expensive instrument? They can't confirm if it's packed correctly. They can't confirm that TSA handled it properly. They can't even confirm if it was damaged prior to being checked. When you're talking about something potentially worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, it would be much easier to simply refuse service altogether.

One very big reason why traveling with instruments has gotten more difficult is because some of you guys choose to fly your basses without insurance. The airlines end up getting publicly humiliated and sued for large sums of money because you didn't have any other way to pay for the damages. Of course there are times when it's obviously the airline's fault (missing baggage, completely smashed cases, etc.), but sometimes you just didn't pack it correctly. There are a hundred things that can go wrong when you fly your bass, and only some of those things can be clearly traced to the airline's negligence.

Fly with insurance, or don't fly at all. The airline might pay for damages, but it's awfully silly to assume so.

 

The update of this thread is quite timely since I'll be flying down to Okinawa tomorrow for a little relaxation time with the family.

Although I'll be stowing my Wing Bass under the seat in front of me, here is ANA's restrictions on musical instruments...

"A musical instrument or one piece of sports equipment will be considered as one piece of checked baggage.
If the baggage excesses the free baggage allowance, it will be subject to the applicable excess baggage charge. Please click here for excess baggage charge table.
Even if your bulky baggage such as musical instrument or sports equipment is within the free baggage allowance, your baggage may not be accepted for airport facility condition or aircraft type.
Please contact ANA International Reservation and Information Center in advance.

• * Details for restrictions of aircraft type and flight route can be found here.
• * Passengers have to purchase extra seat(s) if the carry-on baggage exceeds the carry-on baggage allowance.
  Please contact ANA International Reservation and Information Center for details."