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Gate Checking axe onto airplane?
- Thread starter BassTerd
- Start date
Nice idea about the golf case, I might have to try that. Golf clubs seem to always arrive... Can't imagine what TSA thinks when x-raying it. Do you get the inspection notice very often?
I can't even imagine schlepping that ATA case around, a HSC is bad enuff and it advertises a high dollar instrument at the bag claim...
FWIW, I am Gold with Delta with no international flights and have taken my share of crap over the HSC. I have only had to use the TSA Letter once (in Reno of all places) and it worked fine for me there.
I used to carry a gig bag and count on putting it in the overhead bins, the 1st Class closet or behind the last seat. But so many of the flights I'm on have gone to smaller planes or what used to be a direct flight is now to a hub and regional carrier.
Overhead is also getting worse these days with most people carrying the required overstuffed briefcase (that no longer fits under the seat) with an overstuffed overnighter or an armful of those awful shopping bags that bang you in the head as they are getting on!
I have resigned myself to using the HSC and gate checking it.
Last week in MSP Delta cancelled the direct flight (with a 1st bump) I was on and sent me to CVG (Cincy) on a regional for a long layover and another regional. No 1st on either = 2 Gate checks and a tired schlep over to terminal C with the HSC and a carry-on.
If you can't tell, I have a real love/hate relationship with the airlines and my cases. It is always directly propotional to the distance between the gates and/or the length of the layover - a gigbag with shoulder straps would always be much easier but not safer.
So much for my 2 cent rant...
I can't even imagine schlepping that ATA case around, a HSC is bad enuff and it advertises a high dollar instrument at the bag claim...
FWIW, I am Gold with Delta with no international flights and have taken my share of crap over the HSC. I have only had to use the TSA Letter once (in Reno of all places) and it worked fine for me there.
I used to carry a gig bag and count on putting it in the overhead bins, the 1st Class closet or behind the last seat. But so many of the flights I'm on have gone to smaller planes or what used to be a direct flight is now to a hub and regional carrier.
Overhead is also getting worse these days with most people carrying the required overstuffed briefcase (that no longer fits under the seat) with an overstuffed overnighter or an armful of those awful shopping bags that bang you in the head as they are getting on!
I have resigned myself to using the HSC and gate checking it.
Last week in MSP Delta cancelled the direct flight (with a 1st bump) I was on and sent me to CVG (Cincy) on a regional for a long layover and another regional. No 1st on either = 2 Gate checks and a tired schlep over to terminal C with the HSC and a carry-on.
If you can't tell, I have a real love/hate relationship with the airlines and my cases. It is always directly propotional to the distance between the gates and/or the length of the layover - a gigbag with shoulder straps would always be much easier but not safer.
So much for my 2 cent rant...
I work at the check-in of a small airport here in Germany. The reason why golf cases work so well is because most airlines have special allowances for golf equipment. A golfer can take an extra 10 kg with him compared to a normal passanger and size is also no problem.
Here the rules on stringed instruments are not as strict as in the US but I oftentimes have people come to me with non-padded cheap gig bags. I always tell them that they can ask the crew if they can take it with them but a few of them(when the plane is full, usually) had to gate-check their guitars(never had a bass player so far).
Here the rules on stringed instruments are not as strict as in the US but I oftentimes have people come to me with non-padded cheap gig bags. I always tell them that they can ask the crew if they can take it with them but a few of them(when the plane is full, usually) had to gate-check their guitars(never had a bass player so far).
I really like the golf case idea. The bass-safe sucks, but golf case???...I would use that for airlines that offer excess valuation. That way, if they lose it, they have to pay you-they'll hand deliver it to you...
**UPDATE**
So i just got back from traveling to and from new york with my bass. I flew Delta song and was told that Delta no longer gate checks instruments. I made them show me some documentation that stated this and sure enough they whipped it out. Even if they are in a soft case/gig bag they still wont gate check them. I had a window seat and was looking at the baggage handlers tossing the luggage onto the plan and noticed 2 guitars in gig bags that had to get checked in.
Also, I used one of the SKB bass safe to travel with. I'm not to crazy about it. Basically its a thin plastic box that looks like it relies on how good and thick your gig bag is to protect your bass. Getting it together on my first try took a few minutes to figure out and the latches look like they won't hold up for to long. And each time I picked up the case from the oversized baggage claim the handlers weren't able to figure out how to put the damn thing together correctly. I do like being able to leave the case behind and walking out with my gig bag to the gig.
So i just got back from traveling to and from new york with my bass. I flew Delta song and was told that Delta no longer gate checks instruments. I made them show me some documentation that stated this and sure enough they whipped it out. Even if they are in a soft case/gig bag they still wont gate check them. I had a window seat and was looking at the baggage handlers tossing the luggage onto the plan and noticed 2 guitars in gig bags that had to get checked in.
Also, I used one of the SKB bass safe to travel with. I'm not to crazy about it. Basically its a thin plastic box that looks like it relies on how good and thick your gig bag is to protect your bass. Getting it together on my first try took a few minutes to figure out and the latches look like they won't hold up for to long. And each time I picked up the case from the oversized baggage claim the handlers weren't able to figure out how to put the damn thing together correctly. I do like being able to leave the case behind and walking out with my gig bag to the gig.
This is such a great and important thread.
I don't have a ton of experience, but I flew recently (September) and carried on my P-Bass in a nice Levy BackPack style gig bag.
I had virtually no problem carrying it on. The overheads of the big jets accommodated the bass no problem. The regional jets let me put my gig bag in the valet closet standing up. The crew was always very nice and actually moved their carry ons that they had in the valet closet of the smaller jets so that I could stand it in there.
However, I could see that had the flights been fuller, the travel more hectic (i.e. holidays, etc.) that things might not be so easy.
BTW, I flew American, and if I recall they do include a larger exemption for things that can fit in a valet closet.
I think the suggestion that one poster gave was probably the best: Don't take your most prized instruments, and put the one you do take into one of those golf cases. Finally, fly an airline that allows for valuation of the instrument in case they lose it. If you need to take your best axes, I would go the carry-on route with American and be sure to fly non-peak hours and days.
I don't have a ton of experience, but I flew recently (September) and carried on my P-Bass in a nice Levy BackPack style gig bag.
I had virtually no problem carrying it on. The overheads of the big jets accommodated the bass no problem. The regional jets let me put my gig bag in the valet closet standing up. The crew was always very nice and actually moved their carry ons that they had in the valet closet of the smaller jets so that I could stand it in there.
However, I could see that had the flights been fuller, the travel more hectic (i.e. holidays, etc.) that things might not be so easy.
BTW, I flew American, and if I recall they do include a larger exemption for things that can fit in a valet closet.
I think the suggestion that one poster gave was probably the best: Don't take your most prized instruments, and put the one you do take into one of those golf cases. Finally, fly an airline that allows for valuation of the instrument in case they lose it. If you need to take your best axes, I would go the carry-on route with American and be sure to fly non-peak hours and days.
brooklynbassguy said:
The golf case idea is good in a way(safety of course)
however ...you have to be careful and hope to be lucky...
reason why i say that is that some airlines have this policy....
(14 golf clubs per case and nothing else) so you better hope they don't ask you to open it before sending it to security.
also yes is true some airlines let you pay for somekind of insurance for your valuables(of course all airlines have different policies) so is always good to ask before traveling,either by phone or stoping by the airport and talking to an agent.
As a person who flies quite a bit here's what generally happens for me:
Good bass
Good case
Check In
Bass on Plane
Me on Plane
Plane goes up
Comes down
We both come out
One in the gate area and the other in the Baggage Claim.
No Drama...No tears.
Do it and live.
Good bass
Good case
Check In
Bass on Plane
Me on Plane
Plane goes up
Comes down
We both come out
One in the gate area and the other in the Baggage Claim.
No Drama...No tears.
Do it and live.
I wish it had been that simple and/or successful for me. American Airlines destroyed my main bass back in the '80's. I had it in a flight case. When we arrived The case had obviously been opened. (They wouldn't let me lock it, even back then. 
) the bass had apparently been dropped on a hard surface from a considerable height. Chunkks of the body were knocked off. Hunks of binding were missing. And the trussrod was broken, so that now the neck had an 'S' curve. Unfixable.
Their response was essentially 'Screw you.' They said that it was MY fault for packaging it too poorly, In a flight case (that they made me unlock!) it was insufficiently protected. I never even got a sincere-sounding apology. They seemed to take real glee in having screwed-over someone who had little to begin with.
Carry it onboard with you if you can. Drive wherever you are going if you can't. They are going to kill your bass. And then they are going to laugh in your face when you complain. At least they did to me.
) the bass had apparently been dropped on a hard surface from a considerable height. Chunkks of the body were knocked off. Hunks of binding were missing. And the trussrod was broken, so that now the neck had an 'S' curve. Unfixable.Their response was essentially 'Screw you.' They said that it was MY fault for packaging it too poorly, In a flight case (that they made me unlock!) it was insufficiently protected. I never even got a sincere-sounding apology. They seemed to take real glee in having screwed-over someone who had little to begin with.
Carry it onboard with you if you can. Drive wherever you are going if you can't. They are going to kill your bass. And then they are going to laugh in your face when you complain. At least they did to me.
Sorry for your bad experience. I just always know that something could happen but, so far so good for me.
I used to travel every month for about two and a half years, and frequently brought a bass with me. I gig bagged it for carry-on, I flight cased it. I had EVERY option happen, same airline.
One time, flight case is great, check it with baggage. Next month, they want me to pay an extra $50 for it as it is oversized.
Other times, gig bag carried on is no problem. Another time, they make me gate check it. Another time, its OK again (same airline, different month). Another time, they try to require me to check it with baggage, no options. I had to argue, tie up the line, and almost missed my flight before they'd let me gate check it.
So, I bought a cheapie Steinberger Spirit 5 to travel with, and never had a problem. It was adequate for what I was doing. If I absolutely HAVE to have a good bass with me, I put it into its ATA flight case, risk paying an extra $50 or not, and make sure its protected without issue.
One time, flight case is great, check it with baggage. Next month, they want me to pay an extra $50 for it as it is oversized.
Other times, gig bag carried on is no problem. Another time, they make me gate check it. Another time, its OK again (same airline, different month). Another time, they try to require me to check it with baggage, no options. I had to argue, tie up the line, and almost missed my flight before they'd let me gate check it.
So, I bought a cheapie Steinberger Spirit 5 to travel with, and never had a problem. It was adequate for what I was doing. If I absolutely HAVE to have a good bass with me, I put it into its ATA flight case, risk paying an extra $50 or not, and make sure its protected without issue.
The point I was trying to make is that a flight case is not enough if they decide they want to jack with you.
My bass was in a flight case. It was still destroyed because they DECIDED TO JACK WITH IT and dumped it out of the case. Then they said it was MY fault. Isn't that a lot like blaming the rape victim becasue she was wearing a skirt?
My bass was in a flight case. It was still destroyed because they DECIDED TO JACK WITH IT and dumped it out of the case. Then they said it was MY fault. Isn't that a lot like blaming the rape victim becasue she was wearing a skirt?
The guitar player who was on the gig with me told me that his guitar tech said that most of the time when the baggage handlers see someones axe most of the time they want to play it. So he recommended putting some tape on the strings to prevent them from wanting to play with it. So what my buddy and I did was wrap our axes up with some t-shirts and taped the hell out of it. It seemed to have worked. I can't gaurentee that this will prevent your bass from shattering into a million pieces when they toss it off the plane onto the tarmac, but at least it will hold the shattered pieces together for a cleaner mess.
JimmyM said:
a mate of mine once had an acoustic guitar destroyed by an airline...neck snapped off "IN" the case???...I don't think so.
I've been fortunate...I had two basses shipped over from America (no dramas)...and I've travelled trans-Atlantic and trans-Pacific (twice) with an acoustic guitar and no dramas...
A flight case with a single wrap of packing tape (to prevent tampering) is a good idea...
If you lock your case, they'll break the lock...why?...because they CAN...a single wrap of tape discourages tampering without raising suspicion.
That's a good idea - putting tape around the case. I'm planning to order a new flight case and will keep the cardboard carton it arrives in; then I will reuse the carton after putting my bass (bubble-wrapped) into the flight case. Duct tape will hold it together until Arrival - then simply discard the outer paper box.
Last year I wanted to bring both a bass and a guitar with me. Took the guitar apart and stuffed it inside my checked suitcase.
Hand carried the bass in a gigbag.
The only time I ever got forced to hand over my guitar before boarding was about 4 years ago, just after some incident in New York City; fortunately they helped me box it up really well.
Hand carried the bass in a gigbag.
The only time I ever got forced to hand over my guitar before boarding was about 4 years ago, just after some incident in New York City; fortunately they helped me box it up really well.
I think you're giving airlines a bit too much credit. My flightcase is never locked on the plane. I do however put "tamper guards" on each lock mount. The only way to get them off is to break them off. Breaking them is easy but impossible to replace for them and easy to see for me. I've never once had a problem with people opening my case after checking it. For every 1 person who's had a problem there are thousands who never encounter one.PilbaraBass said:
And in all fairness I have only had the one really bad experience with taking my bass on a plane. Just like I am sure most people killed in a crash have only the one bad experience with a flight. One is pretty much enough to give you a bad attitude about the airlines forever. It has been over fifteen years since American Airlines destroyed my bass. I'm still bitter about it.
The bass in question wasn't a high-dollar dream bass. It was actually a cheaper copy of a Ric 4003. But it was an amazing bass. I bought it to be a backup to my Ric and it was better than the REAL one. So it was the one I took with me. I had a flight case for the Ric, so I carried the Univox in it and left the more expensive bass at home. Moneywise, that was probably smarter because if they said "Well it's your fault it was damaged because you didn't pack it securely enough." on the Ric I would have been out more money to replace it. But on the Univox I just couldn't replace it at all. They aren't that common a bass.
Here's one just like it. Link Removed select stereo bass and look at pic 2
The bass in question wasn't a high-dollar dream bass. It was actually a cheaper copy of a Ric 4003. But it was an amazing bass. I bought it to be a backup to my Ric and it was better than the REAL one. So it was the one I took with me. I had a flight case for the Ric, so I carried the Univox in it and left the more expensive bass at home. Moneywise, that was probably smarter because if they said "Well it's your fault it was damaged because you didn't pack it securely enough." on the Ric I would have been out more money to replace it. But on the Univox I just couldn't replace it at all. They aren't that common a bass.
Here's one just like it. Link Removed select stereo bass and look at pic 2
Man, I don't blame you a bit. That experience would have sent me to my attorney's office! Even if it had cost more than the bass was worth, I would have made those people's lives miserable. Nothing worse than people screwing you over and then taking this "Oh well, **** happens" attitude.Bard2dbone said:
