does anyone know if it is allowed to take on board a guitar? in a soft case - A "gig" bag. I would remove the strings and place them in my hold luggage.
2006-12-15 20:15:24 · 7 answers · asked by ~Mustaffa~Laff~ 4 in Travel ➔ Air Travel
Depends what else you are trying to carry on. For instance if you turn up at the gate with a huge rucksack, a laptop case AND a guitar they WILL give you a hard time. The stewardesses don't take any nonsense nowadays.
If you are flying business class or 1st class, sometimes they will be a little more lenient.
Well, there is a gauge at the check in desk showing the maximum size of pernmitted hand baggage and - obviously- your guitar will NOT fit inside this gauge. But if it is your only piece of hand baggage, they might let you through. Whether or not the strings are fitted is immaterial, by the way.
With all the security scares, the stewardesses are a lot more short tempered nowadays when it comes to hand baggage. So don't just conveniently "forget" to mention the guitar at the check in desk, then turn up at the gate with it. Because they are VERY likely to give you a hard time. And there is normally a scary lady called the "purser" who just might send you back to the check in.
Personally- if it was my ONLY piece of hand baggage, I think you would be Okay. Guitars in soft cases do fit in most overhead lockers quite easily.
Professional musicians ARE now allowed to hand carry their instruments, but for ordinary members of the public, the rules remain.
However I quite often take a banjo in a gig bag as hand baggage - both before and AFTER the new regulations- and have never had a bit of bother. But it is my only piece of hand luggage.
In your case, I'd just stick the guitar in the hold, in a hard case. It's not worth worrying about whether they will let you take it on or not. I mean, it's not like it's a stradivarius or anything?
2006-12-15 20:28:13 · answer #1 · answered by Not Ecky Boy 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think it depends on the airline, the flight and how many people are on it. I've been allowed to take a guitar on some flights but refused on others. I think it would be safest to take it in a rigid case, in case they don't allow you to carry it on. Baggage handlers managed to trash one of my rigid cases, so a gig-bag would be easy meat!
2006-12-15 20:21:36 · answer #2 · answered by The Lone Gunman 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It all depends on how big it is and guitars are usually pretty big. Check with the airline and see if it will fit in the overhead bin of the plane you are flying on. It probably is too big to fit in the commuter jets (CRJ's and Embraers) but you might possibly be able to take it on one of the Boeings or Airbus planes.
2006-12-16 04:58:30 · answer #3 · answered by dcgirl 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Be careful about your checked baggage, too. Some of the automated screening equipment can get pretty rough. (I know, because I work at an airport!)
2006-12-15 20:25:53 · answer #4 · answered by Gee Wye 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
These two Web sites will tell you everything you need to know about what you can/can't take on board a plane:
http://www.tsa.gov
http://wehow.ehow.com/how_2003583_pack-holiday-travel.html
2006-12-16 01:25:02 · answer #5 · answered by PriJet 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it depends on the airline you aint aloowed to bring any hand luggage on some airlines now
2006-12-15 20:22:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Probably, you'd half to put it in the over head compartment.
2006-12-15 20:20:56 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋