Bringing a guitar as carry-on TLV -> LHR in 2022
Jul 22, 2022, 8:23 am
#16
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there have been quite a few news programmes mentioning it (genuinely can’t remember which) and airports admitting to it. The relevant airlines see it as delegating enforcement I guess, which is not that different from ground operations sun contracting (incentives in excess luggage etc have been on for a long time).
Jul 22, 2022, 8:32 am
#17
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As my handle suggests, I take a mandolin everywhere with me. Including to Israel on KLM, BA and El-Al.
In a soft but sturdy gig bag.
Much smaller than a guitar of course, although still longer than normal have baggage allowance, but complies with the cabin baggage "small instrument" policies (which usually state "... such as a violin" - mandolin is similar scale length) of those airlines that have them.
Guitars are usually explicitly excluded.
However, I keep my eyes out for other travelers carrying instruments and have occasionally even had a few jams with them in the airport. I have occasionally seen guitars onboard , so I guess they've been able to persuade check-in people but it's very unusual.
if you're checking it:
The most vulnerable part of a solid body electric guitar is the neck. I have seen these snapped off even in the sturdiest of hard cases, due to the case being dropped I guess. So even in a bombproof case, you need to have the neck very well supported inside.
Another thought:
If it's a bolt-on neck, in the style of say a fender telecaster, you might be able to disassemble it to make it short enough for cabin baggage?
In a soft but sturdy gig bag.
Much smaller than a guitar of course, although still longer than normal have baggage allowance, but complies with the cabin baggage "small instrument" policies (which usually state "... such as a violin" - mandolin is similar scale length) of those airlines that have them.
Guitars are usually explicitly excluded.
However, I keep my eyes out for other travelers carrying instruments and have occasionally even had a few jams with them in the airport. I have occasionally seen guitars onboard , so I guess they've been able to persuade check-in people but it's very unusual.
if you're checking it:
The most vulnerable part of a solid body electric guitar is the neck. I have seen these snapped off even in the sturdiest of hard cases, due to the case being dropped I guess. So even in a bombproof case, you need to have the neck very well supported inside.
Another thought:
If it's a bolt-on neck, in the style of say a fender telecaster, you might be able to disassemble it to make it short enough for cabin baggage?
i suspect the website in your link is essentially flying us domestic. There Gate checking indeed results on gate delivery. In Europe and the rest of the world it typically isn’t so.
Airlines usually brief security in what not to allow through because precisely gate checking results in time wasting and delays. They may not know all the details but when hey see something « obviously » oversize, they often send it back.* admittedly some airports (notably those with lots of low cost airlines) are particularly good at that I was mentioning F wing in particular because there you first pass BA staff who would immediately spot the issue.
*fun fact: several airlines (though mostly low cost) even provide financial incentives to airport security for barring non compliant hand luggage and sending pax back to the counter. I do not believe Ba is one of them and I believe FR was first to start that trend. In some airports, this can lead to 6 figure checks to the airport each year.
Airlines usually brief security in what not to allow through because precisely gate checking results in time wasting and delays. They may not know all the details but when hey see something « obviously » oversize, they often send it back.* admittedly some airports (notably those with lots of low cost airlines) are particularly good at that I was mentioning F wing in particular because there you first pass BA staff who would immediately spot the issue.
*fun fact: several airlines (though mostly low cost) even provide financial incentives to airport security for barring non compliant hand luggage and sending pax back to the counter. I do not believe Ba is one of them and I believe FR was first to start that trend. In some airports, this can lead to 6 figure checks to the airport each year.
Can’t resist posting this:
https://youtu.be/5YGc4zOqozo
If the unthinkable happens, maybe you can do your own version of the song for BA?
I should add that I remember a flight with El Al in the 1990s or 2000 when I remember an Irish Catholic woman bringing a huge canister (like the size of a gas cylinder) of “holy water from the Jordan” on to the plane and tried to leave it in the space between the emergency exit and the crew jump seat and the exit row. El Al staff helped her put it elsewhere, I think behind the back row of seats. But nowadays nobody’s bringing water on the plane, let alone that kind of quantity!
https://youtu.be/5YGc4zOqozo
If the unthinkable happens, maybe you can do your own version of the song for BA?
I should add that I remember a flight with El Al in the 1990s or 2000 when I remember an Irish Catholic woman bringing a huge canister (like the size of a gas cylinder) of “holy water from the Jordan” on to the plane and tried to leave it in the space between the emergency exit and the crew jump seat and the exit row. El Al staff helped her put it elsewhere, I think behind the back row of seats. But nowadays nobody’s bringing water on the plane, let alone that kind of quantity!
Jul 22, 2022, 8:44 am
#18
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ah sorry, got the direction wrong! Hopefully yes, though conversely, if you are somehow selected for more comprehensive screening, having something that shouldn’t be in hand luggage might attract suspicion, but the advantage of tlv security is that it’s far more centred on human discussion than “computer says no” hard and fast regulations…
Jul 22, 2022, 9:00 am
#19
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I think there may be an exemption for anyone that knows how to play "the river of Jordan"
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RMh9hPGNGKE
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=RMh9hPGNGKE
Jul 22, 2022, 9:46 am
#20
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Inside a gig bag it would be suitable for overhead lockers.
What I do with my mandolin is carry it in a . Total length of this is 73cm.
When I get on early (I always choose aisle seat) and I put it in the overhead locker first, there's always a chance that someone will determinedly ram a hardshell carry-on case into it, so I wait until they are approaching then I offer to take my bag out , let them put their bag in, and then slide my gig-bag back in on top of theirs. There always seems to be a bit of space on top. I only carry a small laptop bag and mandolin bag on, so check-in can see my total volume and dimensions are way less than most kitchen-sink cabin bags. If I need more, I check it in. Although I can usually fit a change of shirt and underwear inside the mandolin bag, which also helps with padding.
I have been doing this for 25 years, Europe, Asia, Middle East, Africa, Australasia, North America. Full-service and budget airlines alike (Ryanair the only one with a problem)
If you ask this question on instrument forums you will get:
a)loads of people from North America, where carry-on rules enforcement seems to be laxer, insisting that there won't be a problem, they do it all the time etc
b) others insist that they would NEVER take their precious instrument on a plane, and how COULD you be so careless?! . (Blow that, I say - I've had so much fun and made so many friends over the years by being able to play my instrument wherever I go. That's worth all the risk IMO)
c)others again will check it in some type of heavily armoured space capsule, or pay the extra for a seat
Last edited by mandolino; Jul 22, 2022 at 9:56 am
Jul 22, 2022, 9:55 am
#21
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BA's instrument policies here:
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...al-instruments
Note:
So possibly unbolted neck and body would be OK
https://www.britishairways.com/en-gb...al-instruments
Note:
Smaller instruments up to 80cmAn instrument in its bag measuring up to 80cm long can be carried in the cabin.
Instruments such as a violin, viola or small wind instrument can be carried as hand baggage as long as it’s in a case no bigger than 80 x 45 x 25cm (31 x 18 x 10in) and is carried in place of your larger cabin bag. In addition, you can also take a small handbag/laptop size bag.
Instruments such as a violin, viola or small wind instrument can be carried as hand baggage as long as it’s in a case no bigger than 80 x 45 x 25cm (31 x 18 x 10in) and is carried in place of your larger cabin bag. In addition, you can also take a small handbag/laptop size bag.
Jul 22, 2022, 10:09 am
#22
Join Date: Aug 2014
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The by the letter policy answer is buy an extra seat or hard case and check in.
The policy changed because people were turning up with guitars in soft cases and expecting to take them as hand baggage and the subsequent issues when this was denied.
The policy changed because people were turning up with guitars in soft cases and expecting to take them as hand baggage and the subsequent issues when this was denied.
Jul 22, 2022, 12:51 pm
#23
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Lots of good food for thought here. The worst way I could unbolt the neck at the gate, then fold the gig bag to comply with the small instrument policy.
As I said in the OP and since, I am aware of the policy and that's why I'm posting. The reasoning doesn't work for me given that most airlines, even budget ones, are a lot cooler about this. If you have a source, I'd be interested to see it.
As I said in the OP and since, I am aware of the policy and that's why I'm posting. The reasoning doesn't work for me given that most airlines, even budget ones, are a lot cooler about this. If you have a source, I'd be interested to see it.
Jul 22, 2022, 1:44 pm
#24
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The variable here is TLV it is very inconsistent over matters that are not related to security, I brought back to the UK in November, 5 litres of olive oil in hand luggage with BA, I was told to do so at check in as they didn't want it in the hold, I also bought a framed picture back in February that they just put up front ( oil-F; picture-CW), Saturday is a good time to leave TLV at the moment (no LY), especially with the problems they are having with luggage. It is likely they will just let you bring it on, but prepare for them not doing so.
Jul 22, 2022, 1:48 pm
#25
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The variable here is TLV it is very inconsistent over matters that are not related to security, I brought back to the UK in November, 5 litres of olive oil in hand luggage with BA, I was told to do so at check in as they didn't want it in the hold, I also bought a framed picture back in February that they just put up front ( oil-F; picture-CW), Saturday is a good time to leave TLV at the moment (no LY), especially with the problems they are having with luggage. It is likely they will just let you bring it on, but prepare for them not doing so.
Jul 22, 2022, 1:56 pm
#26
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It is when its 5 litres in your hand baggage on flight to the UK
Jul 22, 2022, 2:05 pm
#27
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Not really. Hand luggage regulations are determined by the rules of your departing country, not your destination. Israel to the UK. France, or the us, you get the security and rules of Israel. Uk to Israel, the us or France, you get the security and rules of the uk, etc. That’s precisely the reason why the uk imposes security screening to all transit passengers not originating in the uk.
Jul 22, 2022, 2:08 pm
#28
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The variable here is TLV it is very inconsistent over matters that are not related to security, I brought back to the UK in November, 5 litres of olive oil in hand luggage with BA, I was told to do so at check in as they didn't want it in the hold, I also bought a framed picture back in February that they just put up front ( oil-F; picture-CW), Saturday is a good time to leave TLV at the moment (no LY), especially with the problems they are having with luggage. It is likely they will just let you bring it on, but prepare for them not doing so.
So you put the trolley bag with the olive oil and the framed picture through security? I'm not surprised they didn't bat an eyelid. And no drama with the picture when you got on board? How big was it?
You know, if I hadn't read about BA's "new" policy and there wasn't generally a lot of sensitivity around flying at the moment, I wouldn't even have started the thread. It's never been an issue in the past. I'm just being "belt and braces".
By the way, what are the F and CW abbreviations?
Jul 22, 2022, 2:15 pm
#29
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Jul 22, 2022, 2:24 pm
#30
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@davidcamp6, were you flying CW? I wouldn't expect them to bat an eyelid if so. I have OneWorld Sapphire status but I am flying WT this time, so I can't do the old "do you know who I am"... 