Enhancements to Policy on Musical Instruments
Sep 25, 2015, 3:13 pm
#16
Join Date: Dec 2013
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Family members and I sometimes travel with guitars, so I'm very happy to see this. But I'm betting maybe one GA in a hundred will know about the rule allowing guitars as carry-on even if they exceed the carry-on dimensions.
As to the concern about people using instrument cases as giant carry-on luggage... maybe they'll make you open the case and play a tune? "Oh my God! Somebody has replaced my guitar with socks!"
As to the concern about people using instrument cases as giant carry-on luggage... maybe they'll make you open the case and play a tune? "Oh my God! Somebody has replaced my guitar with socks!"
Sep 25, 2015, 3:55 pm
#18
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As a violinist, the pre-board part here is hugely important. I've always (eventually) found overhead bin space, but I've always been worried about it; knowing that a $20k violin will get into the overhead bin before all the $50 suitcases even board takes a lot of the stress away.
I can see the benefit for boarding later
Sep 25, 2015, 6:02 pm
#19
Join Date: Jan 2013
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The nightmare scenario is "sorry, there's no overhead bin space left, your violin will have to go into the cargo hold", since luggage down there gets exposed to far more than just a bit of shuffling...
Sep 25, 2015, 6:08 pm
#21
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Doesn't really matter. I bash my violin case into things all the time... that's why it's in a case.
The nightmare scenario is "sorry, there's no overhead bin space left, your violin will have to go into the cargo hold", since luggage down there gets exposed to far more than just a bit of shuffling...
The nightmare scenario is "sorry, there's no overhead bin space left, your violin will have to go into the cargo hold", since luggage down there gets exposed to far more than just a bit of shuffling...
I have no problem with professional musicians needing to bring their instruments on board; what annoys me are no-talent hipster D-bags insisting they have to bring their guitars on board so they can torture their friends and relatives at their destination and then getting upset when told they can't use up the overhead space for three regular rollaboards.
Sep 26, 2015, 8:32 am
#22
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Sep 26, 2015, 9:22 am
#23
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Insist on buying excess valuation insurance from the GA. That is enough of a PITA that they may forget about the "cargo hold" stuff.
I have no problem with professional musicians needing to bring their instruments on board; what annoys me are no-talent hipster D-bags insisting they have to bring their guitars on board so they can torture their friends and relatives at their destination and then getting upset when told they can't use up the overhead space for three regular rollaboards.
I have no problem with professional musicians needing to bring their instruments on board; what annoys me are no-talent hipster D-bags insisting they have to bring their guitars on board so they can torture their friends and relatives at their destination and then getting upset when told they can't use up the overhead space for three regular rollaboards.
Sep 26, 2015, 5:26 pm
#24
Join Date: May 2012
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As a violinist, the pre-board part here is hugely important. I've always (eventually) found overhead bin space, but I've always been worried about it; knowing that a $20k violin will get into the overhead bin before all the $50 suitcases even board takes a lot of the stress away.
Sep 26, 2015, 6:48 pm
#25
Join Date: Jan 2009
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Enhancements to Policy on Musical Instruments
So what's the rationale for this change? Presumably to legitimize telling people if they want to bring a guitar on board that they must purchase the second seat? How do they secure the instrument for take-off/landing?
Sep 27, 2015, 4:54 pm
#27
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As a violinist, the pre-board part here is hugely important. I've always (eventually) found overhead bin space, but I've always been worried about it; knowing that a $20k violin will get into the overhead bin before all the $50 suitcases even board takes a lot of the stress away.
Sep 27, 2015, 9:43 pm
#28
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Never home.
Posts: 2,971
As a violinist, the pre-board part here is hugely important. I've always (eventually) found overhead bin space, but I've always been worried about it; knowing that a $20k violin will get into the overhead bin before all the $50 suitcases even board takes a lot of the stress away.
Sep 28, 2015, 12:11 am
#29
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: ZRH
Programs: AC SE 100K
Posts: 927
I did find the change in the AC policy interesting. I am a musician - not professional - but I do play and travel a bit. One of my instruments is an Alto Saxophone - 60 years old - irreplaceable. It weights around 5 kg in its case and is quite small. I've always put it in the overhead and I would never check it - even if I had a proper case.
The new rules are not great as officially they say that I can not take it on because it is over-sized. It is a bit long, but it is narrow and light weight. This policy makes no sense and I don't know why they just don't go back to the old one.
There is a reasonable size limit. Some of the instruments are extremely valuable and can not be replaced and the last thing you need is some baggage handler scribbling a message in permanent pen on your instrument.
I will continue to chance it but the policy makes no sense and is really quite an inconvenience for me. I actually would change my carrier to one that is more liberal.
Come on AC - just go back to what it was. You don't even normally have one instrument on a flight so this is truly a rare occurrence.
The new rules are not great as officially they say that I can not take it on because it is over-sized. It is a bit long, but it is narrow and light weight. This policy makes no sense and I don't know why they just don't go back to the old one.
There is a reasonable size limit. Some of the instruments are extremely valuable and can not be replaced and the last thing you need is some baggage handler scribbling a message in permanent pen on your instrument.
I will continue to chance it but the policy makes no sense and is really quite an inconvenience for me. I actually would change my carrier to one that is more liberal.
Come on AC - just go back to what it was. You don't even normally have one instrument on a flight so this is truly a rare occurrence.
Sep 28, 2015, 10:26 am
#30
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: YXE
Posts: 3,050
Not sure what they would do though if a passenger booked J for him/herself, and booked Y for the instrument.