First time flying with basses

[xbainz013x]

Hello everyone!

This May, my band and I will be flying down to the Florida Keys for seven straight nights of gigs. This will be our 8th or so time playing down in "paradise" but we drove every time. The drive down and back (~24 hours each way) got to be taxing so we have decided to start flying down to the gig.

Needless to say, this will be my first time flying with my basses. I have a minor panic attack every time I think about the airline handling them or there not being anywhere to store them on the plane (overheads, storage closets).

Does anybody have any experience flying with basses? What is the best route to take? My basses live in a a brand new Gator Ultimate Gig Bag for 2 basses. It's a pretty heavy case with both basses inside and has an exterior length of 50.75". Any advice would be much appreciated!

Note: I have not booked my flight yet.

 

[IamGroot]

Hope it aint United.

 

[J Posega]

Hello everyone!

This May, my band and I will be flying down to the Florida Keys for seven straight nights of gigs. This will be our 8th or so time playing down in "paradise" but we drove every time. The drive down and back (~24 hours each way) got to be taxing so we have decided to start flying down to the gig.

Needless to say, this will be my first time flying with my basses. I have a minor panic attack every time I think about the airline handling them or there not being anywhere to store them on the plane (overheads, storage closets).

Does anybody have any experience flying with basses? What is the best route to take? My basses live in a a brand new Gator Ultimate Gig Bag for 2 basses. It's a pretty heavy case with both basses inside and has an exterior length of 50.75". Any advice would be much appreciated!

Note: I have not booked my flight yet.

You can call the airline and buy an extra seat and bring the basses right onboard with you. It will get strapped in just like a person. You have to call the airline to book your seat(s).

Security people in the airport will be confused, but the gigbag will get a tag that says cabin baggage (CBBG). They go through x-ray just like your carry on and personal item. The bass does not get the allotment for the carryon that would normally be given to a person, which is kind of a bummer, but if your bag has pockets you can use them to stuff extra things if your carry on is too heavy.

Almost every airline has allotments for this, and a dual gigbag is well within their size restrictions. I flew from Minneapolis to Dublin, Ireland with two basses in their gigbags in a golf club caddy bag. That’s a big bag and it was still within the measurement guidelines for two airlines.

EDIT: Under no circumstance should any musician assume that can just casually carry on their instrument and that they’ll get to stash it in the flight attendant/pilots coat closet like so many people claim on the internet. The flight crew is not obliged to allow this. They will actually appreciate you having the ticket and being knowledgeable about how to travel with your instruments.

 

[IamGroot]

KLM Business class let me carry my beatle bass US/Amsterdam.without problems but I had elite mileage.

 

[Lonnybass]

Buy an SKB Bass Safe and don't take a chance. It's worth the $130, trust me.

 

[twinjet]

Worked on the ground for a few years. There might be that one bass player on ramp who is conscious, but his co-workers might be ignorant or apathetic. Just shell out the cash for a better case.

 

[xbainz013x]

You can call the airline and buy an extra seat and bring the basses right onboard with you. It will get strapped in just like a person. You have to call the airline to book your seat(s).

Security people in the airport will be confused, but the gigbag will get a tag that says cabin baggage (CBBG). They go through x-ray just like your carry on and personal item. The bass does not get the allotment for the carryon that would normally be given to a person, which is kind of a bummer, but if your bag has pockets you can use them to stuff extra things if your carry on is too heavy.

Almost every airline has allotments for this, and a dual gigbag is well within their size restrictions. I flew from Minneapolis to Dublin, Ireland with two basses in their gigbags in a golf club caddy bag. That’s a big bag and it was still within the measurement guidelines for two airlines.

EDIT: Under no circumstance should any musician assume that can just casually carry on their instrument and that they’ll get to stash it in the flight attendant/pilots coat closet like so many people claim on the internet. The flight crew is not obliged to allow this. They will actually appreciate you having the ticket and being knowledgeable about how to travel with your instruments.

Thank you for the reply! I have actually thought about taking this route but the money is just not there for me to buy an extra seat just for my basses. Sometimes I wish I were made of money and things like this wouldn’t be an issue.

 

[xbainz013x]

Buy an SKB Bass Safe and don't take a chance. It's worth the $130, trust me.

I’ve actually looked at these online. I’m assuming you have experience flying with it? How’s it hold up? Can it fit a dual bass gig bag?

 

[friskinator]

Do people actually buy a seat for their instrument? I don't know anyone that would spend the same amount to fly their bass as themselves.

Buy an SKB Bass Safe and don't take a chance. It's worth the $130, trust me.

Keep in mind that these may qualify as oversize on some airlines. Delta wanted $50 each way when I tried to use one a few years ago.

 

[J Posega]

Thank you for the reply! I have actually thought about taking this route but the money is just not there for me to buy an extra seat just for my basses. Sometimes I wish I were made of money and things like this wouldn’t be an issue.

I’ve actually looked at these online. I’m assuming you have experience flying with it? How’s it hold up? Can it fit a dual bass gig bag?

Considering the cost of a flight case, you might be able to find flights for around the same cost or less. There’s no guarantee that baggage handlers are going to properly relatch a flightcase, which is how many instruments get damaged.

 

[Milo Spleen]

Buy the SKB and have it shipped UPS, FED-EX or USPS. Insurance too? The least expensive option is what you have done previously.

 

[dreamadream99]

Buying a seat is the only way I’d fly with my collectible bass. I will never trust a baggage handler to treat it well, no matter how impervious we might think the case is.

If buying a seat is not an option, then rent on site.

What about dismantling a bolt-on, and packing in checked baggage?

 

[jerry]

https://media.sweetwater.com/api/i/...f75c8b17/images/items/750/3i5014-44-large.jpg
For trips to the mainland I've had good luck with one of these. SKB are great to deal with too!

 

[Lonnybass]

Get one of these as well. The TSA can open it but baggage handlers cannot.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Bob_Ross]

Under no circumstance should any musician assume that can just casually carry on their instrument and that they’ll get to stash it in the flight attendant/pilots coat closet like so many people claim on the internet. The flight crew is not obliged to allow this.

QFT

 

[Oddly]

Like Twinjet above me, I've worked as a baggage handler (until my back gave out...now I just tow planes around).
IF you get real lucky, there might be a musician on the ground team, and generally they'll protect a fellow musician's gear, if they can at all.

I surely wouldn't take the chance.
Either buy a professional touring flightcase or a seat.
Anything else is asking for trouble.

I guess there's no way you could all pitch in and hire someone to drive your gear down?

 

[Lonnybass]

I brought two of my own handmade custom basses out to California last month from Minnesota. I opted to use the SKB Bass Safe and checked them in at Delta's Special Services desk.

Carrying them onto the plane would have been far preferable for me, but my many experiences on that route over the past few months made me cautious that there might be a shortage of overhead bin space.

Very simply, I felt much safer checking the bass in the hard shell SKB than I did taking a chance bringing the bass in a gig bag, and being told at the gate that it would need to be checked as baggage.

Importantly - I was VERY courteous to the agent at the Special Services desk, showed her a photo of the instrument and expressed how irreplaceable it is. She was extremely understanding, and allowed me to accompany her to TSA's Oversize check-in area, where she explained to the agents to use extra care. I got very good vibes from this whole experience, and both instruments arrived in flawless condition. Being nice goes a VERY long way with stuff like this.

 

[Bushrod Johnson]

I fly with an SKB.

http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/skb-skb-44rw-ata-electric-bass-roller-case

It's like Kevlar. Check as oversize baggage.

 

[twinjet]

Hello everyone!

This May, my band and I will be flying down to the Florida Keys for seven straight nights of gigs. This will be our 8th or so time playing down in "paradise" but we drove every time. The drive down and back (~24 hours each way) got to be taxing so we have decided to start flying down to the gig.

Needless to say, this will be my first time flying with my basses. I have a minor panic attack every time I think about the airline handling them or there not being anywhere to store them on the plane (overheads, storage closets).

Does anybody have any experience flying with basses? What is the best route to take? My basses live in a a brand new Gator Ultimate Gig Bag for 2 basses. It's a pretty heavy case with both basses inside and has an exterior length of 50.75". Any advice would be much appreciated!

Note: I have not booked my flight yet.

Worked on the ground for a few years. There might be that one bass player on ramp who is conscious, but his co-workers might be ignorant or apathetic. Just shell out the cash for a better case.

...and then I get this reassuring text.

(#s indicate baggage storage areas, 6 being nearly empty.)

 

[JakobT]

I’ve actually looked at these online. I’m assuming you have experience flying with it? How’s it hold up? Can it fit a dual bass gig bag?

I'm afraid the Bass Safe is single-bass gig bag only. In fact not even all single-bass gig bags fit, so if you do get one, be sure you have a gig bag that fits, as well. This thread gives you some more information:

The ultimate SKB Bass Safe thread - what gig bags actually fit?