anybody flown Southwestern w/ a guitar lately?

[tollermom]

I'm going to visit friends in Kansas City in early May, and since I'll be hanging out w/ musicians, I'd really like to take the guitar.

Unlike most other airlines, SWA's stated policy seems pretty clear that if it doesn't meet carryon size requirements, instruments must be treated as checked baggage. I don't like this idea if that means I have to hand it off at the baggage check and send it into the not-so-tender clutches of the belts and the handlers.

So my question is this... does anybody have recent experience w/ a guitar and Southwest? Can I take it through security and then gate check it (which would make me substantially more comfortable with carrying it along)? Do the gate agents or FAs have any flexibility in possibly allowing me to bring it onboard? (It would certainly fit in the overhead on an SWA flight, and the 7 a.m. nonstop to Kansas City is unlikely to be full-to-bursting, in my experience.)

I have a hard case in the sense that I have one that's sturdier than the padded gig bag, but it was bought w/ the expectation that it would be getting stowed _by me_ along w/ my PA gear in the Trooper... not that it would be flying. I didn't buy the uber-expensive (and damnably heavy) airline-safe case.

Ideas? Suggestions? Anybody?

Comments

[billroper]

Gator makes a airline-safe case that isn't (in my opinion and bedlamhouse's; ladyat's opinion may vary) that heavy or expensive.

[bedlamhouse]

Sconded - the case is about the same weight as the plastic-shell case I used previously.

[gundo.livejournal.com]

I know that regarding luggage my experiences with Southwest have been least favorable, and for a while their policy regarding skydiving rigs was such that I wouldn't fly them at all.

I've checked my Les Paul with an SKB case and it's survived just fine. If you go that route remember to detune it.

Daniel

[tollermom]

Yeah... Southwest usually isn't my airline of choice, but it's hard to beat $49 each way non-stop from here to KC, so I put up w/ them every few years when I go out to visit.

I never thought about flying w/ a skydiving rig. I can imagine that it's not something you really want to trust to the baggage handlers, and what happens at the security checkpoint? Do the TSA folks make you unpack it so they can inspect it?

[gundo.livejournal.com]

Before 9/11 there were issues at times...I've had security ask if was even legal to take rigs on planes.

After 9/11...well, the reserve is sealed by an FAA-certified rigger...so if they decide to open the reserve it's one part of the government fighting with another. I've never heard of that happening before 9/11, but after...

Most of the problems that I encountered going through security was when the X-ray machine encountered the wiring in the Cypres. That always started an interesting discussion...

[gorgeousgary]

Oddly enough, for all the flying I've done on SWA lately, it hasn't been with a guitar. FWIW, lately I've pretty much surrendered to checking my guitar (in standard wood hard-shell case, with TSA lock). Not because airlines have been that unfriendly about check-ins mind you, mostly because I've gotten tired of schelpping a songbook bag AND a guitar around airports.

That being said, it's pretty much a crapshoot--if the flight isn't overstuffed and the attendants are feeling nice they'll let you bring a guitar on board. I have plenty of times. (Heck, both Sheryl and I have toted our guitars on the same flight.) But they pretty much don't have to. They will gate check it for you (I never had one refuse), although that doesn't necessarily mean they'll give it **back** to you at the destination gate; they may still send it through the baggage gorillas, especially on a connection.

The advice I got was not to detune; especially if you fly as often as I do there would be a risk of warping the neck by consistently taking the tension on and off. I stuff a sweatshirt or light jacket in around the neck as a cushion.

So far, I've managed to do more damage to my guitars through my own natural klutziness than an airline has yet to do in over a decade of flying. And that includes the case (with axe in it) that got hit by a snowplow!

If you do want to try and carry on, of course make sure you're near the front of the "A" group so you'll have your pick of overheads.

[tollermom]

I think I'm going to put it in its hard case w/ a suitcase strap around it in case the latches pop open *eep*, and take my chances with at least getting to gate-check it (either that or I'll chicken out at the last minute and not take it... but that would be sad).

The price of an actual airline-rated case for it would cost more than buying it a ticket (which is an option), and I'd have to do serious padding since it's a smallish guitar, or buy the Martin thermoplastic locking case that's built for it (didn't realize there was such a thing, 'til I just looked it up). I've got non-stop flights, each way, so hopefully I'd be able to get it back at the gate (or get lucky, since it _is_ so small, and be able to carry it on).

Gaah. I suppose I should call my insurance agent and see if it's covered under my homeowner's insurance if the luggage gorillas decide to play catch with it.

Of course, since I've never used the current hard case (which just has the flip-latches, and no lock), maybe I should see if Sam Ash will let me trade it in on the plastic lockable version.

It's a dilemma... Urgh!

[robin-june.livejournal.com]

I haven't flown with any of my Martin guitars, but I can tell you about the thermoplastic lockakble Martin-branded SKB-type case:
One time I stayed too late at the local bluegrass festival for my muscles, and was climbing up to the thrid floor apartment with both my 00-1R in its custom-fitted case, and my Martin mandolin in its original HSC. Halfway up the first flight, we all fell all the way back down.

The guitar & mando were both unscathed. As for me, I was younger then; I healed.

I've been planning on buying a similar thermoplastic case for my 30-year-old classical.

RE insurance: if it's not too late, get your guitar on a rider on your homeowner's policy (even if it is too late for this trip, this is something you'll wanna do). Because I can tell my agent that I do not earn money with my instruments, I can insure dozens of them on riders for $5 to $10 total extra per half-year. The main benefit of the rider is that the deductable does not apply.

[tollermom]

Oh, and... snowplow??

Howintheheck did that happen?

[bynkii.livejournal.com]

I fly my LP with a really good gig bag, and unless the overhead compartments are just too small, it's not a problem. Hard cases tend to take up a lot more room than soft ones, so that can be an issue if you do a hard case. I'd recommend doing whatever it takes to be on the "A" line with southwest if you are traveling with a guitar.

So when are you going to be in KC??? Dates damn you!

[tollermom]

May 4-7... arriving silly early on Friday then leaving at 7ish in the evening on Monday. Not sure what my schedule looks like in between, yet, other than that I may be on my own on Monday since my hosts both have to work.

I was already planning on arriving much earlier than recommended in hopes of getting into the A group for seating, but I'm still waffling between gig bag (smaller) and hard case (in case it has to be gate checked). I suppose if I was obscenely early enough, I could go in w/ the gig bag, talk to the gate agents, then if it looked like it really was going to have to be gate checked, I could go swap cases in the car and come back through security again. (Needless to say, everything _else_ is getting checked, so I'm not schlepping a bunch of other stuff around the airport. I may even *gulp* leave the laptop at home.