Best way to bring a guitar when flying?

[suislidE03]

Sup guys, Im heading to Montreal this summer for study abroad, and i havent flown commercially in about 6 years. Alot has changed since then. I dont even have a hard case, and im suspecting I will need to get one. But which? Arent there cases with locks or something? Do I need to go through baggage check in? Im not sure about how to get it on the plane, but also how to get it across the border if anyone has done so. I hear they make you pay a deposit, and they MAIL it back to you once you go back home.. of course as long as you still have the guitar. I seriously need some help on this... i cant risk my babies! Oh yea, and im not sure whether to risk my Jackson, or bring the 7 for fun. Jackson is way more valuable, both price wise and sentimental value. The 7 i got cheap, but doesnt have as good of a clean tone. Help!

Forgot to add, its a round trip flight, non stop from dallas to montreal through American Airlines, if that helps.

[Kosh Naranek]

Man, it's not easy anymore! I used to stow my guitar in a gig bag in the overhead compartment. Chances of them allowing that now are very slim. And I'd hate to get to the checkout counter and be told you have to check the guitar and it's just in a gig bag.

Your best bet is a flight case. Then check it. There are sellers on E Bay that sell flight cases pretty cheap. It's worth getting one if you wanna travel.

There are more and more travel guitars available now. You might ask about bringing a small guitar with you and putting it in the overhead compartment, or putting it in the storage they have up in the front part of the plane.

[GuitarStv]

Call the airline company and ask about their policies . . . I've been allowed to carry on my guitar in a case with no problems.

[Davey]

i couldnt carry my case on the plane, due to size restrictions, bla bla.

i have an SKB Route 66, hardshell, foam padding, strat shaped (due to the dinky size (7/8) of my charvel, i had to aditionally pad it with foam, so it didnt move at all) which was adequate for the cargo hold of the plane.

did a test with it too.. i put the guitar into the case, closed it, locked it, then stood on the front and bounced a bit (thought, better me breaking something than the airport personell). it withstood all abuse without a problem.
the latches fly open rather quickly though, so it's best to add some strips of gaffa tape around the perimeter of the case.

[DesertRat]

BTW if you do check it, do NOT lock it. The security people will rip the locks open if they want a closer look, they did that to a friends case just a few weeks ago. I recommend putting a nylon strap or two around the case to keep it securely closed, then if TSA wants in, they can remove the straps without f@#*ing up your locks.

[fingerace]

I just put the guitar in a gig bag, and take it with me in the plane. When they say something and start making a problem, I just tell them that the guitar is worth $4000 and they lay off. That doesn't always work but it sure did work for me 6 times.

better call the airline as guitarstv suggested though.

[Jimbo Jr.]

Call the airline company and ask about their policies . . . I've been allowed to carry on my guitar in a case with no problems.

+1
I got my guitar to Germany ok; just don't try to bring an amp too.

[Robert Delahunt]

My opinion: either make it one of your carry-on's, or you can check it through, so long as you make sure you loosen strings before transporting, and that you tell them it's fragile, and ask them about if it's insured and/or buy insurance on it, and for much more than it is worth.

[Kosh Naranek]

I didn't know the security people would damage the lock to get in the case. That sux. Leaves the instrument vulnerable to theft. And you know the airlines are gonna say they're not responsible for stolen articles.

I agree, tape the case shut.

I would expect if you told the airline the guitar is worth $4,000, they'd be all the more determined to make you check it just to be jerks. Depends on if you talk to someone in a good mood or a bad mood I guess. I suppose it doesn't hurt to be really sweet to them too.

I have a guitar in an SKB 66 case. It fell over once, off my dolly as I was carting equipment to my car. It fell on the corner of something. While the guitar was protected just fine, it did poke a hole right through the plastic shell of the case.

[devastone]

Yep, can't lock any luggage now, they will open it.

You should be able to carry on in a gig bag. Last time I flew they even asked me if I wanted to carry on the guitar I had in a case, it was a small flight case, but I thought that was cool, I checked it anyway. Of course that was at Nashville airport, it probably not an unusual request there.

I'm going to LA next month, I plan on carrying my Strat on in a gig bag. I may check another on in a flight case.

As always, call ahead, when you call have the measurements of the guitar in the gig bag handy beforehand.

[Robert Delahunt]

Yep, can't lock any luggage now, they will open it.

True. However, they did offer to tie my keys to the case to one of my pieces of luggage, so they could unlock it rather than break the lock. I guess you could just pick it up at the luggage delivery thingy and pull the keys back off it once you're done with the flight....

[Markk]

Call the airline company and ask about their policies . . . I've been allowed to carry on my guitar in a case with no problems.

Yeah. Same here, but all my flights were overseas.