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Basses Planes and etc

Calaverasgrande

Calaverasgrande

Apr 22, 2006
4,698
223
Not on Talkbass.
#1
Recently while traveling back from NYC with a bass I came across a conundrum. The airline wouldnt let me carry on the bass. All the guitar store guys I talked to previously swore up and down that you can carry on guitars. Some musicians union thing. I finally ended up biting the bullet and checking the bass in a normal case with blocks of foam surounding the instrument on all sides and at the top and bottom. (thanks to my glass artist sister for the foam).
When I boarded the plane, I see a fellow with a bbig old acoustic case, putting it in the overhead! What the deuce!
Anybody have any advice, experience or knowledge on this?
 
#5
Smallmouth_Bass said:
I have never travelled with an instrument but my advice would be to call in advance and know the airline policies. If you can get them to agree to it prior to showing up for your flight, then you can then tell them you called and were told that it was ok.
Click to expand...
i recommend the same thing as he said ..but the last thing,that does not work with airline people unless they're rookies,besides reservations people do not tell airport agents what to do.
the best thing to do is call ahead of time and check the types of aircraft they operate from your city and connecting city if you're making a connection flt. and that will give a better idea on what to do.IMHO

btw this should give you a better idea on what to do.....there's many opinions and situations...check them out good luck
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/search.php?searchid=2348128
 
#6
You might want to check: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]
read the advice about flying with your bass under "How to Apply."

HSC, gigbag gatechecks, gigbag carry-ons, Been there, done that,
that and THAT.

IMHO, you can never count on carrying-on a bass. The gate agent has
the final say, and this can be a really frustrating battle of wills. They
hold ALL the cards. I got sick of sweating bullets over my Lakland
55-01 Deluxe whenever I was forced to "gate check" it. :crying:

Here is my current albeit inconvenient "solution:"

I bought an ATA case with recessed handle and latches
(very important, as they get knocked off otherwise).
I primed it with a fancy multi-material primer and then
sprayed 5 coats of 34087 (WWII pre-1960) Olive Drab. :ninja:

This was psychological warfare. I figured that the baggage handlers
would think it belonged to traveling military personnel, plus it looks
very cool. :cool: It is easy to describe and to spot on a speeding
baggage train or conveyor belt.

So far, no real problems. I have seen one guy in Dallas-FortWorth
actually THROW it onto the tarmack. It then sat there for 45 minutes.
I had to run to my connection, but the bass made it to San Francisco.

The case HAS TO be left unlocked. If it isn't, TSA will break the locks.
The fact is that they are doing their jobs, but I wish they had more
consistent policies. I saw a guy with a bass in a gig bag put it in the
overhead last week flying from Dallas to Charlottesville.

Even though they X-ray, they also hand inspect and wipe for
explosives. Once they partially disassembled my 55-01. TSA was
good enough to leave all the parts in the case! :mad:

I DON'T take my best basses, but instead take a good 2001 Fender
"60s Classic" with lots of upgrades. With a SansAmp ParaDI, I can
get the tones I want.

One side note: On a recent trip to Hawaii, when I checked in at the
Louisville, KY airport, the agent asked me if the case contained a
weapon. I replied in my best fake kentucky accent, "No Ma'am,
whyever would I want to do that?
This here is my electric bass GEEtar." ;)
 
#7
Smallmouth_Bass said:
I have never travelled with an instrument but my advice would be to call in advance and know the airline policies. If you can get them to agree to it prior to showing up for your flight, then you can then tell them you called and were told that it was ok.
Click to expand...


Yeah, in your dreams. No airline is going to tell you it is OK over the phone. You can look up their policies on line, according to "policy" a bass is oversized luggage and even checking it will cost you an $80 oversize charge each way. According to "policy" to take an instrument into the cabin you have to buy a seat for it, and it has to be in a certain section of the plane. That's what your going to hear on the phone. All that really matters is the personnel of your flight. I've walked on to all my flights without so much as a glance from flight attendants, but there are always horror stories. Basically all I'm saying is that calling ahead has little to no bearing on what is going to happen when your at the gate.
 
#8
A couple of years ago, I met Waymon Tisdale :hyper: (you know, the former "giant" NBA star - turned professional bass player) in a Washington, DC, area airport. He had his bass in a gig bag on his back. It looked like a small knapsack due to his very large frame. He was able to take his bass onto the plane while his two guitarists had to check theirs, Go figure!!

By the way, he is a regular guy (as so many musicians are) and spent time conversing with fellow travelers and music/basketball fans who approached him.

chuckee:bassist:
 
#10
"The case HAS TO be left unlocked. If it isn't, TSA will break the locks."

I work for TSA. My advice is buy a TSA-approved lock. If any bags need to be opened we have the master keys to open them. They only cost $5-10 and come in key or combination. here's what they look like:

Link Removed

If the lock is accidently cut by TSA (we're human and make mistakes) you can go to www.tsa.gov and file a damage form to get some $$ for the damaged lock.

One of the perks of my job is seeing nice guitars and basses....

Hope this helps

Regards,

Mike
 
#11
When I played in Nashville, I took my P in a gig bag and carried it on. I was told in a bag is fine because the measurements fit in the overhead, and that's where my bass rode. They said a case would be checked baggage for it's size.

Last week I flew back here with my other P I picked back up from my uncle. It was in it's original tweed fender case. Checked baggage only was the responce I got, there's no way that case fits in the overhead.
 
#12
The default is it has to fit in the overhead bin or under the seat in front of you. The overhead bins are not a standard dimension and they vary between airlines. By that, I mean the overhead bins on a Delta 737 may be different than the bins on a United 737. Airlines choose the interiors. Also, regional jets have much less space in overhead bins.

Many airplanes have closets for hanging coats. A gigbag would fit in there very easily and not take up space, but don't count on your flight having a closet. Again, it varies between airlines.

You may get away with carrying a gig bag if you were flying first or business class on a long haul sector operated by a widebody (747, 767, A340, etc) but I would strongly recommend clearing it with the airline. As big as the overhead bins can be in business and first, often a bass will not fit and it will have to go in a closet.

Best to check with the airline before heading out to the flight.
 
#13
paintandsk8 said:
Yeah, in your dreams. No airline is going to tell you it is OK over the phone. You can look up their policies on line, according to "policy" a bass is oversized luggage and even checking it will cost you an $80 oversize charge each way. According to "policy" to take an instrument into the cabin you have to buy a seat for it, and it has to be in a certain section of the plane. That's what your going to hear on the phone. All that really matters is the personnel of your flight. I've walked on to all my flights without so much as a glance from flight attendants, but there are always horror stories. Basically all I'm saying is that calling ahead has little to no bearing on what is going to happen when your at the gate.
Click to expand...

If you do call ahead and the agent says it's ok, ask her to add remarks to your reservation file. It goes in the SSR field of a reservation. Airport agents will be able to pull that up and see the authorization.
 
#14
Ive checked my bass in a soft case padded with bubble wrap etc. Not an expensive bass otherwise i wouldnt have done it but it came out on the other side with no problems. Return trip was all good too...

Checked an amp too, that came out with a couple of dents and i think they slashed it too, maybe checking it was solid...so i wouldnt recommend that.
 
#15
In the post 9/11 world, assuming your bass can be carried on the plane is very risky. Some players I know have luck, other's do not.

The best thing to do IMO is check the bass through. Get a good hard case and purchase a good travel bass for use when flying. Basses like the Lakland Skylines or MMSR's are great for this.. built like tanks, good quality, but wouldn't ruin your life if something happened IMO.

The SKB Bass Safe is a cool product and allows you to use your gig bag and leave the 'hard case' in the hotel room when you arrive at your destination.
 
#16
IMHO, you can never count on carrying-on a bass. The gate agent has
the final say, and this can be a really frustrating battle of wills. They
hold ALL the cards. I got sick of sweating bullets over my Lakland
55-01 Deluxe whenever I was forced to "gate check" it. :crying:
Click to expand...
My experience is even if you call the airlines the gate agent is the one who has the power. Ticket agents will usually tell you that it's no problem. I've always had to check mine through. Get a good flight case and you shouldn't have any problems.
 
#17
I've flown with instruments several times and it all comes down to how long is the instrument and what type of aircraft are you flying in. I flew to Venezuela and had to check my Larrivee' ABG because the overhead bins were too small. I was able to carry-on an Ibanez electric guitar to South Africa because we flew in a 777 and it fit in the overhead bin. I think the rule of thumb is anything over 37" will probably be checked as luggage.
 
#18
Smallmouth_Bass said:
I have never travelled with an instrument but my advice would be to call in advance and know the airline policies. If you can get them to agree to it prior to showing up for your flight, then you can then tell them you called and were told that it was ok.
Click to expand...
Oh, I called in advance. About 5 times. I called the Airline, I called the ticket counter at JFK. I got generally the same answers. "You have to check it at the ticket counter or buy a seat". I was told by the counter guy at 30th st guitars that there is a musicians union clause in the transportation safety laws that allows us to carry on instruments as long as we make them available for inspection.
All the stuff on the wooten site says generally the same thing plus, maybe gig bag it and sneak it on?
PS Victor Wooten Nature/Bass camp? Picture of Elaine from Seinfeld making the gag face. I imagine lots of triplets and squirrels. Squirrely triplets?
 
#19
Calaverasgrande said:
I was told by the counter guy at 30th st guitars that there is a musicians union clause in the transportation safety laws that allows us to carry on instruments as long as we make them available for inspection.
Click to expand...

Regardless, it has to fit in the overhead bin or under your seat.
 

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