We are accompanying our teenage niece home and she will carry her electric bass with her. The bass will be in a hard case, lockable but not TSA lock. The flight involves positioning flight to HNL with HA in F. The rest are on Business with ANA and SQ. On the segment with HA, we do not mind paying the oversize fee but can we gate check it? We are very leery having the hard case travel through the baggage conveyor. Will the gate agent allow us to do that? Any experience?