Hellboy666

Hi all,

I hope someone would have some advice for me on this.

I intend to bring a painting from Europe over to Australia. Its maybe 1,2m long and 60cm tall. Doesn't have any reasonable value, I just like it.
Obviously it is fragile and needs careful handling, so I don't want it to be handled as regular checked luggage.
I never used oversized luggage. Does anyone have broad experience how airlines (particularly the 3 mentioned below - AA, QF, EY) treat this if it is flagged as "fragile"? Do airlines charge additionally for this or would it be included? (I fly premium cabin and won't use full luggage I could bring free of charge).

Other option, would airlines allow to bring this as carry on to be stored in the overhead bins?
1st option: I'll be having a flight FRA - PHL with American, a week later JFK-LAX-MEL with Qantas. I'll be flying Business and am Qantas Platinum One / OneWorld Emerald.
2nd option: I'll be having another flight, FRA-AUH-MEL on Etihad, First Class (first leg only as aircraft on second one doesn't have a First Class) and am Virgin Australia Platinum.

Thanks all in advance and cheers
Hellboy666

KDS777

Deframe it and roll it in a larger cardboard tube, then carry it on.

I wouldn't want to put it in on the top of an overhead bin while in the frame, even if it barely fits. I've had artwork damaged before in overhead bins.

UpgradeMe

Put it on a FedEx flight.

Hellboy666

Thank you both so far. Unfortunately I cannot deframe it, it's just a "cheap" ordinary one that I like (which is rare ). Sure can send it separately, just thought I could just bring it with me as I am anyways doing flights.
Do the aircrafts have some additional space where they could put it (e.g. clothes cabinet) and would airlines typically be cooperative?

Lost

1: Yes. 2: Probably not.

I agree with shipping it. Find a way to securely pack it and use FedEx/UPS/etc.

irishguy28

This is definitely something you should ship separately.

If the cost for doing so turns out to be not worth it, then just gift it to a friend who actually likes the painting

:D!

I've brought a piece of artwork from Canada to Asia as checked luggage with fragile sticker, on Air Canada, flying in economy when I had no status. It arrived safely, unlike a glass item which I shipped by Fedex and had been carefully packed.

Hellboy666

That sort of says it. It's just a normal-furniture-shop kind of thing that I like, nothing more.

I'll try my luck either with oversize/fragile or trying with the overhead bin. Its not that fragile that it would break by moving in the bin
Lets see if that works out.
Thanks anyways everyone

Eugeniusz Bodo

The biggest one I ever moved from Europe to YVR as carry on was 70x80 cm. I measured the clothing cabinet on the outbound flight and convinced the gate agent on return that it fits there. No issue on board in J cabin. The crew was happy to accommodate. The challenge and a major one was to clear it through security. The item was too big to go through the machine. Long story short, they carried it to customs area equipped with machines for screening regular luggage. The process took two hours and involved dozen of various people. Needless to say, I was on my most polite behaviour with everybody. The painting was of very substantial value and I was ready to cancel my flight if needed.
I moved three different paintings of lesser value but bigger size as a fragile cargo. They have been professionally prepped for travel in Europe. All three of them have sustained minor and not visible damage to the frames. Old frames don't travel well, specifically the corners can't withstand vibrations. In my situation, the corners have slightly dislodged (by fraction of the millimeter) despite professional caging. It has been later on all fixed at the gallery in Vancouver.
What is my entire point here? Even if your painting is of no special value, the old frame might very well be! Cage the painting and secure the corners the best you can! If it is only sentimental piece just bubble wrap and put inside a TV box. Check in as fragile and with some luck they will not even charge you extra (technically they can for everything over linear 158 cm.). If you try to clear the security ( 60 cm is too wide for the belt but should fit at 45 degrees angle if fed manually from both sides of the machine ) and board with it, you will be at the mercy of all the uniformed "dragons" Best of luck anyway and let us know!!!

WorldLux

If it's not valuable, then you could always risk it. It should be fine with a bit of careful packing (make sure that nothing can pierce through and damage the painting). I did check a ~4 inch x 3.5 ft wooden stick from Asia to Europe and it survived, to my surprise, just fine.

Bagette

This was on a domestic US flight (probably AA or United) about 5 years ago, but I took a framed movie poster (poster was signed by the cast and crew - and I had a small role in the movie!) on board once. I explained to the GA and flight attendants what it was; they were curious about it, thought it was cool, and actually let me put it behind the very last row of seats.

I may have been lucky. And on an international flight, who knows how they'd react?