My Experience Flying | RB Continental Voyager

[jlo95]

I want to share my recent experience flying with my bass. This topic comes up often and I thought I'd share my experience. I hope to provide useful information for those curious about flying with their instrument. Feel free to ask any questions or open discussion below.

I recently had a weekend fly date. Two nights in Colorado. Keystone and Eagle to be specific. I flew out of Kansas City Thursday night with a layover in St. Louis before landing in Denver. Drove into the mountains for shows Friday and Saturday night, and flew direct from Denver to KC Sunday morning.

I decided to check the bass and carry on my duffel bag on my flights to Denver. Returning to KC I checked both bass and duffel. Having friends in Denver, I figured if the bass got lost or damaged en route I could borrow one when I landed. I was more concerned with having a change of clothes than an instrument. Returning to KC, I didn't need either my duffel or the instrument that day. So both or either could get lost. I'd get them back eventually.

My gear of choice was a Stingray Classic 5 in Reunion Blues' Continental Voyager.

The bass showed up in great condition and on time. Absolutely 0 damage to the instrument or the bag. I believe I will continue to check the instrument.

I find carrying luggage, especially an instrument, stressful in an airport. And overhead space is often limited, making carry-on a challenge. My instruments are not priceless and are replaceable. Should one get lost or damaged, I can always borrow or purchase a new one for the gig.

The Continental Voyager is a sturdy gig bag. The sides are rigid, not unlike a suitcase. The inside is padded with thick foam. There is a neck brace which keeps the instrument locked in place. I feel totally safe with my instrument being schlepped under an airplane in it.

If you have a fly date and are considering checking the instrument, my experience is the Reunion Blues Continental Voyager will safely transport your bass to its final destination.

John

 

[JakobT]

Thank you for sharing. I’m glad things worked out OK.

The RB Voyager is an excellent case by all accounts, and your report bears that out. I fly as little as possible, and if I were going to bring a bass, I would never bank on being able to take it as a carry-on, as most airlines in my country don’t allow it, so checking it would often be the only option.

I have often wondered how a good gig bag like the RB Voyager or the Mono Vertigo would fare when checked. To that end, I started a thread a few years ago, where I asked specifically if anybody had experience with checking their bass in one of these bags and having it arrive damaged. The logic behind this being that if it arrived safely, it might have been pure luck, but if it arrived with damage, one could be sure that it had a) been subjected to rough handling, and b) that the bag had afforded insufficient protection against same.

As it turned out, the thread wasn’t a great success. I didn’t get a single story of basses in gig bags arriving with damage (though I did get a great many strong, but ultimately unsubstantiated opinions). This, taken together with your report, makes me suspect that checking a bass in a quality gig bag will in most cases work well enough. There will always some risk of damage whenever you take your bass out of the house, and this risk has to be balanced against practicality, cost, and a number of other factors.

 

[jlo95]

@JakobT Thanks for your response. I know the post which you mentioned. I read it looking for insight and was disappointed in how little experience the responders had with flying compared to how strong their opinions were. Because of that, I was inspired to make this post, so that future individuals could see some real world experience.

Listening to Janek Gwizdala's podcast ([Invalid or Expired Link Removed]) I learned that many touring musicians check their basses.

I haven't any experience with the Mono Vertigo, but I do have an M80 that I've used for nearly a decade. The RB is lighter, sleeker, and sturdier than the M80, and the same price.

All the best to you on your adventures!
John

 

[Bob_Ross]

My instruments are not priceless and are replaceable. Should one get lost or damaged, I can always borrow or purchase a new one for the gig.

That's certainly a more healthy attitude than to be fretting (no pun intended) about possible consequences and/or to be spending tons of cash on a genuinely gorilla-proof flight case, and all the logistics that accompany getting one of those monstrosities to/from the airport, and checked with the possible surcharge for oversized/overweight luggage.

But it's worth noting that many bassists do not have the luxury of being able to say "I can always borrow or purchase a new one for the gig". For them, a reliable solution is a necessity for flying.

 

[JakobT]

…But it's worth noting that many bassists do not have the luxury of being able to say "I can always borrow or purchase a new one for the gig". For them, a reliable solution is a necessity for flying.

Absolutely. However, the question still remains as to what exactly that solution is. The received wisdom is that for checking your bass, nothing but a proper flight case will do. But is that necessarily true?

I, for one applaud @jlo95 for having taken the risk so many of us are unwilling to take, and for sharing the results, so we can make more informed choices.

 

[Mo'Phat]

I fly to nearly all my gigs. I never check or gate check my bass. I either carry one (Mono Vertigo or RB Cont Voyager) or two (RB RBX Double), and it always goes in the overhead. I've flown Southwest (mainly), Alaska, United, Emirates, Delta and American. I check my suitcase, carry the bass on the plane, and have a small backpack for under the seat. Doing it for 8 years. So do my guitarists. Check in early or pay extra if necessary to get priority boarding, and take the space you're allowed to take.

FAA says I can, so I will. The verbiage in the FAA rulebook can be summed up as: Small Instruments can be brought onboard as a carryon and if there's space available in the overhead, the instrument can take it.

I'm going to take up whatever space is needed for my $2000-$4000 investment to be with me in the cabin. If the overhead runs out of room for the late-boarders, they can check their rollie-bag with dirty laundry and shaving kit. I see musicians all the time bring guitars/basses/banjos/violins onto the plane. I cringe when instruments in soft-cases come out of the baggage claim carousel.

The final thought is that - if my suitcase gets lost, at least I still have my bass and can play the gig. I carry everything I need to perform onstage with me on the plane.

Invalid Link Removed

Section 403 of the Act and this final rule provide that carriers are required to allow passengers to stow their musical instruments in an approved stowage area in the cabin only if at the time the passenger boards the aircraft such stowage space is available. With the exception of certain disability assistance devices, overhead bins or under seat stowage space is available to all passengers and crew members for their carry-on baggage on a “first come, first served” basis. Accordingly, carriers are not required to remove other passengers’ or crew members’ carry-on baggage that is already stowed in order to make space for a musical instrument. However, this also means carriers are not allowed to require a passenger to remove his or her musical instrument that is already safely stowed (e.g., in the overhead bin) to make room for carry-on baggage of other passengers who boarded the aircraft later than the passenger with the musical instrument. This is true even if the space taken by the musical instrument could accommodate one or more other carry-on items.

 

[JakobT]

I fly to nearly all my gigs. I never check or gate check my bass. I either carry one (Mono Vertigo or RB Cont Voyager) or two (RB RBX Double), and it always goes in the overhead. I've flown Southwest (mainly), Alaska, United, Emirates, Delta and American. I check my suitcase, carry the bass on the plane, and have a small backpack for under the seat. Doing it for 8 years. So do my guitarists. Check in early or pay extra if necessary to get priority boarding, and take the space you're allowed to take.

FAA says I can, so I will. The verbiage in the FAA rulebook can be summed up as: Small Instruments can be brought onboard as a carryon and if there's space available in the overhead, the instrument can take it.

I'm going to take up whatever space is needed for my $2000-$4000 investment to be with me in the cabin. If the overhead runs out of room for the late-boarders, they can check their rollie-bag with dirty laundry and shaving kit. I see musicians all the time bring guitars/basses/banjos/violins onto the plane. I cringe when instruments in soft-cases come out of the baggage claim carousel.

The final thought is that - if my suitcase gets lost, at least I still have my bass and can play the gig. I carry everything I need to perform onstage with me on the plane.

Invalid Link Removed

Section 403 of the Act and this final rule provide that carriers are required to allow passengers to stow their musical instruments in an approved stowage area in the cabin only if at the time the passenger boards the aircraft such stowage space is available. With the exception of certain disability assistance devices, overhead bins or under seat stowage space is available to all passengers and crew members for their carry-on baggage on a “first come, first served” basis. Accordingly, carriers are not required to remove other passengers’ or crew members’ carry-on baggage that is already stowed in order to make space for a musical instrument. However, this also means carriers are not allowed to require a passenger to remove his or her musical instrument that is already safely stowed (e.g., in the overhead bin) to make room for carry-on baggage of other passengers who boarded the aircraft later than the passenger with the musical instrument. This is true even if the space taken by the musical instrument could accommodate one or more other carry-on items.

However, this applies only to US flights. In most cases, I will not be able to take my bass in the cabin at all. Hence my interest in the issue of checking gig bags.

 

[brando28]

I had to fly this weekend, and have two fly dates next weekend. I am in New Zealand so carrying on or gate checking the basses is not an option.
I took two P basses in my M80 double bag, pedalboard and terror bass 500 in a pelican case.
I packed what clothes I needed in both cases as well and took my tick in a backpack as carry on.
Checked both in to the oversize check in, and everything was perfect. No damage to the basses or case at all.
I will continue to use the M80 for all my fly dates from now on.
I was initially hoping to get an Enki 2 bass case or the gruvgear 2 bass capsule, but no supply any where near NZ.
Really happy with how the M80 went.

 

[JakobT]

I had to fly this weekend, and have two fly dates next weekend. I am in New Zealand so checking the basses is not an option.
I took two P basses in my M80 double bag, pedalboard and terror bass 500 in a pelican case.
I packed what clothes I needed in both cases as well and took my tick in a backpack as carry on.
Checked both in to the oversize check in, and everything was perfect. No damage to the basses or case at all.
I will continue to use the M80 for all my fly dates from now on.
I was initially hoping to get an Enki 2 bass case or the gruvgear 2 bass capsule, but no supply any where near NZ.
Really happy with how the M80 went.

Good to hear your basses made it OK. But I’m confused - you say that checking your basses were not an option since you are in NZ, but yet you still checked them in?

 

[brando28]

Good to hear your basses made it OK. But I’m confused - you say that checking your basses were not an option since you are in NZ, but yet you still checked them in?

Sorry, meant to say as carry on or gate checked

 

[JakobT]

Sorry, meant to say as carry on or gate checked

I see. Thanks for the clarification!

 

[jasonbraatz]

But it's worth noting that many bassists do not have the luxury of being able to say "I can always borrow or purchase a new one for the gig". For them, a reliable solution is a necessity for flying.

If you're making money from playing music to the point that you're flying to play gigs, you are a total dummy if you don't have musician's insurance. That insurance will cover rentals and replacements in case of damage.

Personally, I think checking a gig bag is a little more risk than I'd take, but I have the Enki for flying and have been very satisfied with that. (And if you're charming enough to convince the person at the counter it's a set of golf clubs sometimes you can check it for free. )

 

[JakobT]

Personally, I think checking a gig bag is a little more risk than I'd take, but I have the Enki for flying and have been very satisfied with that. (And if you're charming enough to convince the person at the counter it's a set of golf clubs sometimes you can check it for free. )

Everybody is quite clear that they consider it a risk (which is fair enough), but I still haven’t heard of anyone that’s actually checked a bass in a (good) soft case and had it result in damage. This thread now contains a couple of stories that indicate that it may be okay, but that might be just luck.

In order to find out whether it’s reasonably safe to check a bass in a soft case we either need:

a) A significant number of success stories
b) A few horror stories

We need many more success stories than horror stories, since a horror story indicates both that the case has been subjected to significant force and that it’s failed to protect the bass. A success story can mean that the case has been roughly treated and protected the bass from damage, but it can also mean that the case hasn’t been roughly treated at all, so we need a larger sample. So far, the jury’s still out.

But I agree that you should have musician’s insurance.

 

[GwenOnBass]

A Reunion Blues Continental Voyager does trans-Atlantic duty as checked baggage. No bass or bag damage of any sort.

 

[jlo95]

In order to find out whether it’s reasonably safe to check a bass in a soft case we either need:

a) A significant number of success stories
b) A few horror stories

Cory Wong has a good podcast with Julian Lage and they discuss this. Both of them have had good success checking their Mono M80. What Scares Julian Lage?

 

[Geri O]

I had read through a few posts on this topic and decided to get the SKB I series flight case for my bass for and upcoming flight from the US to the Czech Republic.

It came in, looks great, and I was all set.
Then a few days ago, I got an email from the promoter asking what kind of bass can they have waiting on me when I arrive (a 3-day event).

Well, then….

I kinda wish I were taking my bass and new SBK so I would have an experience to write about here. But for logistics and getting-around purposes, it will be easier for all to use the “any Fender or Squier 5-string Jazz bass” that I’ve requested. I’ll take my strings and tools and it will work fine.

There’s more flying opportunities that will probably come from this event.

 

[squish]

I'm flying this Friday for shows in NYC and PHL. The GruvGear Kapsule is being checked. It is getting packed up soon with Jazz bass, Mesa D-350, gig clothes and whatever else can fit. My carry-on will have pedalboard, toothbrush, iPad and hopefully everything else I need.

This trip is going to be swift and on a tight schedule, meaning the 3/4 hard case's wheels and backpack straps are going to be put to the test when we move through the airports, take a commuter train, Uber rides, and navigate the streets near the venues/hotels.

I'll post the results when I return!

 

[GwenOnBass]

I'm flying this Friday for shows in NYC and PHL. The GruvGear Kapsule is being checked. It is getting packed up soon with Jazz bass, Mesa D-350, gig clothes and whatever else can fit. My carry-on will have pedalboard, toothbrush, iPad and hopefully everything else I need.

This trip is going to be swift and on a tight schedule, meaning the 3/4 hard case's wheels and backpack straps are going to be put to the test when we move through the airports, take a commuter train, Uber rides, and navigate the streets near the venues/hotels.

I'll post the results when I return!

Is there an additional baggage fee for oversized?

 

[friskinator]

I'm with @jlo95. I hate carrying luggage in an airport and onto a plane, and I'm the first one to raise my hand if the gate agent wants volunteers for gate checking. If I can get on the plane with nothing but my headphones and phone, I'm happy.