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Tips on flying with a bass guitar

#41
I fly with my instrument at least one weekend a month. Most weekends involve multiple cities, so usually 3 legs, sometimes more. I have tried several airlines and read all the policies, and, despite what I have read, or FAA regulations, I have never been able to take my bass in the cabin, overhead, or closets. Maybe if I paid for priority boarding or first class, Id have a chance; I cant afford that so.... I have resolved to checking my bass and everything has been fine (knock on wood). I use the Pro Rectangular Electric Bass Case from SKB (1SKB-44PRO, which may only be available from SKB). I loosen my strings and snuggly pack the bass in with socks, underwear, t-shirts, for the trip. I roll up a pair of undies and them under the head stock at the nut for a little extra cushion should it go down hard, and then another folded pair at the top of the headstock. I usually drape a t-shirts over it before closing up the case. My guitarists do the same thing for their guitars and we've all had our instruments arrive safely every time. There is obviously some risk, but just part of the deal.
 
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#42
BassHappy said:
It's been about a year, but last time I flew Newark-Munich on Lufthansa they hung my hanging bag for me in First - even though I was flying coach.
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That's a big plane though, and would have had much more storage space than the average 737 or A320 (or, worse, CRJ) that cover 95% of the domestic routes now. I fly weekly for business and haven't been an anything larger than a 757 for a continental domestic route in a long time.
 
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#43
Buy a sturdy as heck flight case and check it. Bringing a gig bag with hopes of carrying it on is probably not going to end well. I traveled with a short scale bass recently and they forced me to gate check it. I was almost last to board so that didnt help either. It also wasnt a cheap instrument so needless to say I was not happy.

I've more or less come to two conclusions when flying with basses, assume they'll be checked, and assume they'll sustain damage if not properly protected. So, buy a flight case, and if you can, bring a less expensivensive instrument.
 
#45
This. Without hesitation. Pricey, but if you're going to do this much, it's worth it. Carrying on something as large as a bass is a gamble as to how you'll be treated by a given gate agent. American forced me to gate check a pedal board once (that I already knew fit the over head bin) and destroyed one pedal. No begging or pleading for careful handling saved that one. I've used this case for three years and not a single hitch checking it.

Invalid Link Removed
 
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#47
chris merrill said:
Reunion blues or mono bag. Carry it on. If no room in the overhead, try the captains closet or worst case you can “gate check” or “valet check” like a stroller or wheel chair. It won’t ride the belts that way and you grab it as soon as you exit the plane on the jetway.
I do this a few times a month and haven’t had a problem. (Knock on alder)
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+1

I’ve done this a handful of times with my Reunion Blues Continental bag, including to Perth, Australia and back. Got it in some overheads and had to gate check it a couple times, never a problem either way. I learned one “trick” from a French bassist, Gael; When walking around the terminal before and when boarding the plane, strap your bass to your back UPSIDE DOWN. This puts the neck down low and if boarding agents aren’t specifically looking for something, then it just looks like a back pack when you stroll past them and on to the plane. Flight attendants always seem willing to make it work when you go in with a smile, but the gate attendants...those bastards are the ones who will blindly say you need to check or gate check your bass without knowing anything about how it can or can’t actually fit on the plane.

The absolute safest bet, and what many pro cello players do, buy an extra seat for your bass. I somehow talked Princess Cruises in to doing this for me two times before, and it was glorious! One flight attendant actually made me put it in a closet anyways because it “wasn’t safe,” even when buckled in to a window seat with a seat belt. :thumbsdown:

Flying with a bass ain’t for the faint of heart!
 
#48
David Silva said:
Hello everyone,

I will be flying out west for some shows and I am real nervous about the airline damaging or losing my bass. I will be flying Delta airlines and I was hoping I could take it aboard the plane in a semi hard case. Can anyone provide tips or advice on getting my bass there safely? I really appreciate it. I will be looking at insurance as well for the trip. The bass costs around 800 dollars. It’ s Not my most expensive bass but still isn’t super cheap if something happened to it, plus I would have to scramble to find a bass in another state on short notice.... I will be taking a Sire V7 vintage 5.
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Janek Gwizdala has a couple episodes in his YouTube vlog where he talks about it. He flys all over the world with super expensive basses including custom Foderas that probably cost as much as my car. He uses levys gig bag and a SKB bass safe and actually checks the bass every time. I would not fly with just a gig bag. You never know what will happen. My wife flew to Utah two weeks ago. One of her connecting flights was cancelled and we had to pay for another flight last second and wait a few days for a refund for the original one.
 
#49
FAA regulations state that a musical instrument must be allowed onboard if it will fit in any of the onboard storage options such as overhead bins or closets at the time you board. These regulations sat in limbo for awhile, but they have finally been promulgated to all the airlines. What this means from a practical standpoint is that if you are in the early boarding groups you have a good chance, whereas if you are flying a cheap ticket and have no status on the airline you might be out of luck.

Your carrier, gate crew, or flight crew may not know about these regulations, but are likely to be helpful if you are able to explain them calmly and with confidence. I find that discussing the intentions with the gate crew in advance is probably a good way to get ahead of the issue.

Individual airline policies don't mean anything as they are completely superseded by the FAA regulations. This assumes the flight originates in the US. I find that US carriers will also follow this guidance for flights that originate outside the US, but are US bound.

As always, the captain has the final say, but her/his concerns are usually strictly governed by the safe operation of the aircraft.
 
#50
DigitalMan said:
FAA regulations state that a musical instrument must be allowed onboard if it will fit in any of the onboard storage options such as overhead bins or closets at the time you board. These regulations sat in limbo for awhile, but they have finally been promulgated to all the airlines. What this means from a practical standpoint is that if you are in the early boarding groups you have a good chance, whereas if you are flying a cheap ticket and have no status on the airline you might be out of luck.

Your carrier, gate crew, or flight crew may not know about these regulations, but are likely to be helpful if you are able to explain them calmly and with confidence. I find that discussing the intentions with the gate crew in advance is probably a good way to get ahead of the issue.

Individual airline policies don't mean anything as they are completely superseded by the FAA regulations. This assumes the flight originates in the US. I find that US carriers will also follow this guidance for flights that originate outside the US, but are US bound.

As always, the captain has the final say, but her/his concerns are usually strictly governed by the safe operation of the aircraft.
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The key here is “if it will fit”. Regional jet? Nope. Board in the second half? Oh no.
 
#52
David Silva said:
Hello everyone,

I will be flying out west for some shows and I am real nervous about the airline damaging or losing my bass. I will be flying Delta airlines and I was hoping I could take it aboard the plane in a semi hard case. Can anyone provide tips or advice on getting my bass there safely? I really appreciate it. I will be looking at insurance as well for the trip. The bass costs around 800 dollars. It’ s Not my most expensive bass but still isn’t super cheap if something happened to it, plus I would have to scramble to find a bass in another state on short notice.... I will be taking a Sire V7 vintage 5.
Click to expand...

chris merrill said:
Reunion blues or mono bag. Carry it on. If no room in the overhead, try the captains closet or worst case you can “gate check” or “valet check” like a stroller or wheel chair. It won’t ride the belts that way and you grab it as soon as you exit the plane on the jetway.
I do this a few times a month and haven’t had a problem. (Knock on alder)
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AaronVonRock said:
OP, this is the best advice you're going to find. All of the bases have been covered.
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There is absolutely no guarantee there will be room for you to just carry on your bass.

Your best option is to book a seat for your bass (call the airline; tell them it's an oversized musical instrument). Otherwise, you risk the instrument being put into the hands of baggage handlers and then getting stuffed into the cargo hold. And that is not something I would risk with any airline.
 
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#54
hardtop said:
I fly with my instrument at least one weekend a month. Most weekends involve multiple cities, so usually 3 legs, sometimes more. I have tried several airlines and read all the policies, and, despite what I have read, or FAA regulations, I have never been able to take my bass in the cabin, overhead, or closets. Maybe if I paid for priority boarding or first class, Id have a chance; I cant afford that so.... I have resolved to checking my bass and everything has been fine (knock on wood). I use the Pro Rectangular Electric Bass Case from SKB (1SKB-44PRO, which may only be available from SKB). I loosen my strings and snuggly pack the bass in with socks, underwear, t-shirts, for the trip. I roll up a pair of undies and them under the head stock at the nut for a little extra cushion should it go down hard, and then another folded pair at the top of the headstock. I usually drape a t-shirts over it before closing up the case. My guitarists do the same thing for their guitars and we've all had our instruments arrive safely every time. There is obviously some risk, but just part of the deal.
Click to expand...

This is the MOST accurate information on what to expect.

One can certainly try to take their instrument on the plane. But, be aware that the mother with the screaming babies has a diaper bag that is just as valuable as Paul McCartney's Original Beatle Bass, on this flight, shoved into the overheads.

Best suggestion: Get a REAL flight case that ACTUALLY fits your bass and a separate Instrument Insurance Policy. You will likely only find a policy that goes as low as $75k - which will easily cover your $800 bass plus flight case.

And why do you want to fight the crowd with a big bulky case? Check in and board with just your cell, ID, credit card and REAL headphones! NO ONE will be impressed that you are part time musician. In fact, you will be annoying them with your HUGE case.
 
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#55
I just returned from a tour overseas. This was the first time travelling with a bass and I was super nervous so I did just about everything I could to ensure it would not get damaged if I had to put it under the plain.
I bought a reunion blues "Areo" bag and a SBK hard cover that fit over the soft case.
When I got to the airport I was told that guitars in bags were allowed on the plane, and I took the hard case off and put the empty case under the plane. The guitar player had a double mono bag and had to check it. One of his guitars got damaged and my case was opened but fine.
I was advised by the crew to de-tune my bass because the specific plane I was on had a weird air pressure system that can really do a number on wood.
All that said I was able to fit the case into the flight attendants closet both ways and everyone was super helpful and nice.
I got lucky
 
#56
After putting my bass in my gig bag, I pack as many t shirts, underpants, socks, etc, as possible around, above my bass to give it lots of extra padding--not only does it help to keep the bass safe, it means I can carry all the rest of my stuff in a backpack!
Btw I've never had a problem bringing my bass onboard--even on those commuter jets.
 
#57
It isn't as it once was and you really can no longer rely on getting your bass in the cabin. If your bass absolutely must arrive in one piece then it should be in a proper flight case and checked. I fly regularly with a bass. I had Anvil make a case for my Alembic. The case is specifically designed to take the abuse it will receive at the hands of the ground crew monkeys. Fly first-class and the bass flies free; fly coach and it typically costs between $50 and $125 to check it. This is not a cost-effective option for an inexpensive instrument or if you are only going to fly once. For such occasions you might consider simply shipping your bass ahead via FedEx or renting one at your destination.
 
#58
J Posega said:
There is absolutely no guarantee there will be room for you to just carry on your bass.

Your best option is to book a seat for your bass (call the airline; tell them it's an oversized musical instrument). Otherwise, you risk the instrument being put into the hands of baggage handlers and then getting stuffed into the cargo hold. And that is not something I would risk with any airline.
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Coming from someone who's seen it all in this regard, working the ramp at JFK for Del..................
You'd need a nuclear bomb proof case to even remotely ensure it makes it in one piece.
 
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#59
I watched my vintage jazz bass get thrown off the plane. The case held up, (barely) but I'll never do it again with an expensive instrument. It was quite a few years back, but I suspect it might have been a delta flight. If you can't get it as carry on, I hope you have a good case. I agree with Manticores comments about renting a bass.

 
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#60
yeah I use a gator hard case packed with shirts and it seems to be fine most of the time.

Except for the time when after about 11 flights in 11 days, I pulled the bass out and there was a total dead spot on the 2nd fret on the E & A strings?!?!?!?!?!?!

As luck would have it, we were playing a festival that day and they had a competent tech who got it straightened out in time for the gig. he threw a fresh set of ernie balls on there and everything worked out just fine!
 

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