Air travel with guitar/equipment

[JonWormwood]

So for the next 4 months I'm a sub contract for a US army (A/V stuff) and they fly me all around the country to locations for a few weeks, first stop is Yakima washington on the 20th (3hrs SW of seattle if anyone here is out there) But there's like 3 lay overs.

Anyways, I want to bring one of the the KV2s. How safe is traveling air with a guitar? Do I just put it in luggage or try to put it in the cockpit with the pilots? I've heard of people doing that before.

Bands travel through air port with tons of guitars all the time so I'm sure it's pretty standard.

Anyone?

 

[Adrian Warren]

I once had a stewardess lock my guitar into her locker which was on board of the plane. She actually suggested it when she saw me having my guitar with me as luggage.

 

[Clockwork]

I once had a stewardess lock my guitar into her locker which was on board of the plane. She actually suggested it when she saw me having my guitar with me as luggage.

This. I either try to sweet talk a stewardess or ask them nicely to put it in one of the lockers up front. Most of the time they don't mind and are happy to help. Worst case scenario (I can never fit my bass in the overhead compartments) it gets gate checked and you slip the loading guys a tenner not to throw it on the conveyor belt.

 

[Zack Uidl]

I just flew to Seattle today for the 7 Horns 7 Eyes tour. I just brought my two guitars as carry ons and put them in the overheads. If there is room, you can put them in the coat closet. The only issue I ever had was a month after 911 they cut the strings off my guitar and I had to replace them. I was pissed, but it worked out

 

[beardbros]

My day job is working on the ramp for delta. Get a case that is durable for flights. If you are flying on a larger aircraft, there may be some room somewhere in the cabin for it. If not, which often the case if you are flying on a smaller regional jet, it will be gate checked and put in the cargo bin. Other people, who work long shifts for minimum wage and often are tired and have sore backs, will be handling your gear. Luggage gets dropped on to the concrete, so it helps to have some protection for your instrument.

 

[JonWormwood]

I just flew to Seattle today for the 7 Horns 7 Eyes tour. I just brought my two guitars as carry ons and put them in the overheads. If there is room, you can put them in the coat closet. The only issue I ever had was a month after 911 they cut the strings off my guitar and I had to replace them. I was pissed, but it worked out

Wait, you fit two hardshell cases in the over heads?I don't remember them being that large!

 

[Lasse Lammert]

The kv case is like the second biggest guitar case on the planet, don't you have a smaller guitar?

 

[amarshism]

I've never been allowed to carry on guitars. Mine are in hard cases/flight cases packed tight and form fitted with foam. Just flew 5 guitars around the world like this. Like literally just got home. All 33 strings and 5 guitars intact.

 

[JonWormwood]

The kv case is like the second biggest guitar case on the planet, don't you have a smaller guitar?

Another Kv2 and an RR

 

[Zack Uidl]

Yes, I fit two hardshell cases in the overheads. They were stacked on top of each other.

 

[egan.]

It's a crapshoot what you can get away with. On big domestic flights and some internationals you can pull the play-it-dumb and carry it on technique despite the fact that guitars violate everyone's carry-on size. On commuter flights and lots of stuff overseas you are SOL. Best case they courtesy-check it (they valet tag it and take it at the gate), worst case they force you to go back and pay to check it. Lasse makes a good point, the smaller the case the better the chance they'll let it slide and that it will fit in the overhead at all.
Ultimately though, if you tour at all you end up checking guitars from time to time and you take the risk. I've had two cases messed up pretty badly so far (an skb and a nicer wood hardshell) but the instruments were intact.

 

[Adrian Warren]

By the way my guitar has been in a gig bag and not in a hard shell case.

 

[LeSedna]

What they said, a nice crew member can put it somewhere safe, but if it's a regional aircraft, or a mid haul, forget about it if the aircraft is almost fully loaded (my 737 has 189 pax seats but is designed for something like 175 or 180 normal sized cabin baggage, and is not that big, I could never fit a KV flycase in the cockpit, it's already difficult to fit all our stuff. Depends on how the aircraft is designed in the interior which all depends on the company but normally in regionnal aircraft if will end up in the cargo hold, which is fine if you have a good flycase).

I'd say, find a way to have a superstrat guitar instead of a KV. It will just be much less annoying to carry with you. A lot.

Consider buying a travel guitar, if it's only for 4 months. You CAN live without a high quality guitar, 4 months is like nothing, it fits in a mid sized bag, and some of them can be decent (not great but decent). And you can sell it when yo'ure done with this contract, if the cost is a problem to you ! That is what I would do.

 

[JonWormwood]

2200 miles away!