Flying United with a guitar?

[Jordon]

My band is being flown out to California to work with a producer out there. We're flying United into Sacramento on the 19th. I'm bringing a guitar in a gig bag, and was thinking of bringing two guitars in a double gig bag, which would still be smaller than a guitar in a hard case. I'm the only one in the band bringing a guitar.

Here is United's policy:

"You can carry on one guitar or similar or smaller sized musical instrument, which will count as your one carry-on item. The musical instrument, which may exceed 45 linear inches, must be able to be stowed under the seat in front of you or in an overhead bin or another approved stowage location. If space is unavailable prior to departure, the item must be checked as baggage."

Any advice on this? It's the last part that worries me. I don't want to get there and be told I have to check my guitar that's in a gig bag! haha. I was told be some people to ask to have it placed in the captain's closet. This is my first time flying with a guitar.

 

[greyskull]

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo&feature=fvw[/ame]

 

[Jordon]

That seems to be the only thing people refer me to. I didn't have a choice in the airline.

 

[Uladyne]

I faced this same issue a few months back with my bass. I posted a thread about it which should be floating around. I was flying Southwest, and I ended up having to check it. It was in a sort of lightweight hardshell case and ended up being fine.

If I were you I would go with the full expectation of having to check it. I asked the lady at the check-in counter if I could place it in the coat closet and she said that to comply with FAA regulations the closets on commercial aircraft have been converted to wheelchair storage or some shit, and with a gesture of her hand indicated that they were only about "this" tall, giving me the impression that I would have to cut my bass in half to stuff it inside.

Since guitars are smaller, you might be able to fit it in an overhead bin if your flight isnt too crowded and you get there early, though some bonehead might try to smash it with an oversized hardshell samsonite.

My bass was considered an oversized item and seemed to be handled somewhat seperately from the normal luggage. I was watching them load all the luggage like a hawk through the window, and my bass was among the last things on the plane, and the handlers seemed to treat it with respect and care, but of course your mileage may vary.

I'd recommend trying to get a hardshell case if you can, even if you just borrow one that fits, and "flight proof" your guitrar as much as possible. Expect to send it through hell. Remove the knobs, as if sufficient pressure is placed on them they could punch right through the body. Not cool. Wrap it in clothes and other extra padding before putting it in the gig bag if you can't find a case. And although it may seem futile, put on a puppy dog face when you hand it over to the luggage handler before they put it through the xray machine. Let them know how important it is to you through the look in your eyes. Try to swallow hard and break out in a cold sweat as you hand it over. Unless they think you're a terrorist handling them a bomb, they'll let you know they handle instruments all the time, and hopefully they don't bury it at the bottom of the luggage cart.

 

[JeffTD]

You'll be fine if you get there early and get it in the overheads. Make sure you're in the first booking group. I'd have another member take your other guitar, if possible, rather than risk them denying both because the policy states you can carry on one guitar.

Also note that in addition to the carry-on, you get a 'briefcase' - they'll count a backpack as a briefcase!

 

[53Crëw]

I flew United quite a bit a couple years ago with a guitar. I was using an SKB style case that measures 41 inches long. Most of the flights were on an Airbus A320 and the guitar fit fine in the overhead. The flight attendants are totally cool with helping out and trying to find space. On some smaller commuter flights I asked the flight attendants if I could put it in the "coat closet", which they did. On flights that aren't full, they'll even let you put your guitar under the seats in another row, so there's lots of options.

On a side note, I always wrapped a couple bungy cords around my case just in case the flight was full with no overhead space and I had to check the guitar at the gate. The way stuff can sometimes get banged around I didn't want the latches to come undone and the guitar fall out.