Dear Musician,
If you travel on airplanes, you know the hassle of
bringing an instrument. Some airlines are fine with you bringing an
instrument, some aren't. Some will accommodate you on alternate Tuesdays
following Ground Hog's day providing you're wearing their secret decoder ring,
and some will accommodate you if the flight attendant is in a good mood. And
some airlines that weren't a problem last month will demand you check your
guitar the next time you fly.
There's also the gig bag/hardshell case
issue. If your guitar's in a gig bag, airlines are more likely to let you put
it in the overhead compartment. But if they refuse to do that and you have to
check it, don't expect your axe to be in one piece when you get off the plane.
You can check the hardshell case, but bringing your guitar in a hardshell case
probably eliminates any chance of storing it in the overhead—if the airlines
indeed allow that.
Well, help may be on the way. The American
Federation of Musicians has taken up the cause of musicians who fly to gigs,
and Congress is debating a bill that would specify consistent guidelines for
carry-on instruments. According to the AFM: "If this bill passes, musicians
will be able to carry most musical instruments onboard and place them in the
overhead compartment or in a seat (if a ticket is purchased)." This is your
chance to make your voice heard. Here's a link for signing the
petition:
http://www.afm.org/departments/legislative-office/carrying-instruments-on-airplanesUntil
this (hopefully) becomes law, call ahead to the airline and ask for their
policy regarding carrying instruments on planes. If possible, get this emailed
or faxed to you so you have written backup should a flight attendant balk. If
the airline can guarantee that using a gig bag will let you place it in the
overhead, fine. Otherwise, you might need to pursue the hardshell case/checked
baggage route. But, note that the case that came with your guitar might not be
the best possible option. Case companies like SKB make guitar cases that look
like they could survive a small thermonuclear explosion, and while they're not
cheap, they're cheaper than replacing a vintage guitar.
Sign the
petition!