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Loosing strings is good particularly on acoustic instruments and more vulnerable set neck guitars. Bolt on neck instruments with maple necks are pretty had to mess up un-less they have a tilt back neck and luthier joint like many modern shred machines do. be sure to also put some extra support under the neck with clothes If possible I would ask to walk it to the plane, like woman with strollers or people with wheel chairs do, most airlines will let you do this even if the plane does not have adequate overhead space. Just like they do with strollers they will put them in the hold last and the instrument will be there with the strollers just as you exit the plane. What this does is eliminate the conveyer belt travel and reduce the likelihood that someone will toss it around like a mountain gorilla giving pay back to a poacher. another idea I did with my Tele, I put machine screw inserts in the neck so its easy to take the instrument apart and stash it in the suitcase, and the machine screws prevent the kind of stripping that the stock wood screws will do.
Bill