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Flying Dilemma

Jazzkuma

Jazzkuma

Sep 12, 2008
835
494
#1
Hello
So I will be traveling this week with my electric bass and I am not sure what to do. I got two options and I wanted to know what travelers opinions are.
Option 1: Ken smith hard case and check it in as luggage
Option 2: Reunion blues gig bag (they are pretty sturdy) and HOPE I can have it as carry on but there is a possibility that they won't take it.

So I'm trying to figure out in case they don't let me take the reunion blues as carry on then how good are those gig bags to be placed as checked luggage?

I saw videos of people throwing those reunion blues cases off a building and the guitar isn't even scratched... but do they have a chance against those airline gorillas throwing luggage around?

Also, does putting a "fragile" sticker even make any difference?
 
#2
fwiw, i've been carrying my bass in the cabins of planes on probably hundreds of flights in the last decade or so, and never once been asked to check it. i've had a few close calls, with some very unpleasant and disgruntled airport workers, but always managed to get it on the plane.

it's getting harder and harder however, on domestic flights, to find space in the cabins. all the new boeing planes have short overhead compartments, so sometimes you have to sweet talk a stewardess or two into putting it in the first class coat check.

john
 
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#3
Some airlines, like Jet Blue, don't have coat rack sections, and the overhead bins can get beyond jammed. I used to always carry my bass/gig bag on the flight, but for the last few years have been checking it and actually prefer that. Also... do not... repeat... do not... check your bass if it's only in a gig bag.
 
#4
Buy or rent an skb golf club case and put you gig-bagged bass inside it, then check it as baggage. I do this all the time with no problems and no extra fees.

Holiday times get crowded. I HAVE been screwed trying to carry on a bass despite no previous issues. I also have been charged $ 100 extra to check a flite case. Airline policies across the board provide for no extra charge for golf club cases.... And they protect well.
 
#5
Subscribed. I've been interested in the "flying with bass" thing for a while too.

I don't fly with an instrument a lot, but I do know that United SUCKS for taking a musical instrument... the last time I flew with them and wanted to check a bass in a hard case, they were going to charge me $175 per direction because it was "oversize." I left my bass at home that trip, didn't even bother trying to get a gig back on the plane.

I recently went to a bass clinic with Doug Johns and this subject came up in Q&A. He travels with a Reunion Blues gig bag and brings it on the plane. He also says that he keeps a $20 in his pocket just in case he absolutely HAS to check it... tip the gate check person with a smile after explaining that "this is my livelihood."

He's a very friendly approachable guy and he has a forum here on TB (Ask Doug Johns)... I just started a thread to see if he can weigh in with any further tips/suggestions... Travelling with a bass.

5sg.
 
#6
fivestringgecko said:
He also says that he keeps a $20 in his pocket just in case he absolutely HAS to check it... tip the gate check person with a smile after explaining that "this is my livelihood."
Click to expand...

I'm not seeing how giving them money would help the situation. Once the bass is checked on the plane, it's totally out of their hands. You've got suitcases moving around and possibly falling on it...and let's not forget the baggage folks at the destination.

I guess if it makes him feel better, cool. But it's a false security.
 
#7
bassgod0dmw said:
I'm not seeing how giving them money would help the situation. Once the bass is checked on the plane, it's totally out of their hands. You've got suitcases moving around and possibly falling on it...and let's not forget the baggage folks at the destination.

I guess if it makes him feel better, cool. But it's a false security.
Click to expand...

I agree, but hey... if you've gotta fly with a bass, anything you can do can only help, right? *shrug* Although, if you're gate checking, you're bass would be going on what's already there instead of getting put underneath stuff when you check in. Maybe a $20 would help motivate the gate check person to get it on top of stuff in a more secure place?

You're right though, a lot of uncontrollable variables.

5sg.
 
#8
Yeah, im not very concerned about what would happen to my bass once inside the airplane, the reunion blues cases are pretty tough so its not a problem. It becomes a problem when they send the bass down with the reunion blues because not only do you have 4+ luggages possibly resting on the neck but you got the crew which simply don't care about your bass.

I think airlines should have a set rule when it comes to these instruments because its worse when you show up to the airport with a gig bag expecting to get on the airplane with it and then suddenly they want to check it in.

It would be much easier if airlines just said "no you can't bring basses" or "yes you can" so that you can plan accordingly. Having the destiny of my bass lie on the personal judgement of an airline worker simply doesn't work for me.

The way I see it, when i plan to take my bass up in the plane with me, I'm just gambling.
 
#10
Use the hard case and check it in as luggage. It's the safer way.
Bass in case. Fill up empty room with your clothes to carry, t-shirts, socks etc, to use a packing / protection. Close case.
Put some tape duct tape over the latches so they won't open.
TSA will still be able to open the case to inspect it, then tape it up again very easily.

A solid body electric instrument is very sturdy. In a normal hard case it is very well protected. Not much to worry about.

BTW, for carry on's it makes a big difference what size of airplane you're getting on. If it's a Boeing 747, sure there is a lot of room, but if it's a Bombardier CRJ200 forget about bringing large carry ons. On flights on some of the smallest planes, Airlines won't even allow any carry on luggage as the cabins are too small.
 
#11
I totally agree with everything that's been said thus far (though I haven't yet tried the $20 "incentive" described above).

Really depends on the airline. I religiously fly Southwest unless there is no other alternative, and I've never had trouble taking a bass on the plane since my SKB Hardshell w/ TSA latches seems to fit into their overhead bins every time...and leaves room for other passenger's bags. The one time that I've been asked to check this case, I've gate-checked it and watched the luggage handlers almost slam it down onto the conveyor belt. When I got it back and unlocked the case it was barely out of tune. Didn't work with my Gibson SG case (and when I got that guitar back at baggage claim, it was not downtuned 3 steps as I had left it but retuned to concert pitch...hmm :eyebrow: ).

I would also recommend that you do everything in you power to be the first aboard the plane. Pay the early bird fee, stay up to get a boarding pass first, whatever. If your bass is already in the overhead you're not likely to be asked to move it unless it's packed or a holiday flight. In that event, get an overhead in the back of the plane and sit below it, since parents pre-boarding with kids seem to sit in the front to get their kids off of the plane as soon as possible.

Be kind and give a genuine smile to the gate agents and flight crew! I'll bet you that bit of kindness goes a long way to them helping you out...and it's just good karma! Oh, and I know it's a bit off-topic, but clearly mark your case with something that stands out! I use a neon-lime colored duct tape stuck on in long strips on every surface of the case and I could pick that thing out easily in a crowd. Might save you from someone else's "mistake".
 
#12
And be warned that holiday time is the WORST for carry-ons. I've been on flights where there was a total inability to get even a laptop case in the overhead because so many people were carrying on xmas presents to take home. They had to delay the flight and force a lot of people to gate-check items. Totally out of room.

If I was unable to get a simple laptop bag in the overhead, just imagine if I had carried my bass on board.

Oh, and I have seen a guitar tolex-covered hard shell case come down the chute in baggage claim with a baseball sized hole straight through it, and a very upset owner cursing loudly. Looking at it closely, I was amazed how thin the wood on a standard case is.

Best bet, whatever you do, is not take your #1 favorite bass - take your backup instead, and make sure it is insured just in case.
 
#14
I would never allow the baggage gorillas to touch any of my instruments (been there done that with dire consequences). Now days the guys that travel with lots of tools/materials say its cheaper to ship it. Now I have done that with no problems.

Fragile stickers???? Tempts them to break it if they can.
 
#16
dmusic148 said:
I've used one of these a few times to check my bass in. Never had a problem. Put bass in gig bag, place inside SKB. Works well. Even has wheels.
http://www.skbcases.com/music/products/proddetail.php?f=&id=13&o=&offset=1&c=84&s=75
Click to expand...

I've just bought one of these. My Mono M80 BARELY fits in it. In fact I had to remove the bottom foam just to get it in and I need assistance holding it shut while someone else latches it.

Begged the question, any potential concerns I should have of the bag fitting so tightly? Other than wear on the bag of course.
 
#17
one of my friends has a hardshell guitar case that has a TON of buckles. I asked him why there are so many and he said that if the case pops open during air travel, TSA has to pay for it if there is a certain # of buckles.
 
#19
I religiously fly Southwest unless there is no other alternative, and I've never had trouble taking a bass on the plane since my SKB Hardshell w/ TSA latches seems to fit into their overhead bins every time
Click to expand...

If you're on an empty flight that is. The one time I flew with my bass I got lucky. The thing that pissed me off was that the ticket handler told to me request that the bass be put in the closet, but when I asked the stewardess about it she was a rude old hag who said "I don't know what you're talking about". Apparently SW doesn't have closets, which baffled me because I thought they were an integral part of the airplane's design--and I was staring at a structure that looked exactly like a closet when she said "we don't have closets". Where the hell do people hang their suits, then?
 

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