787-10 Overhead Bin Dimensions? Guitar as a carry-on?
 

Hello fellow FTers,

I'm considering flying with an acoustic guitar in a hardshell case and would love to hear about recent experiences. I know that UA policy is that a guitar can be brought on board as a carry-on. I am pretty sure it is not going to fit in an overhead bin, I am concerned they'll gate check it, and I am naturally averse to purchasing a separate ticket for it. After "United Breaks Guitars" a few years back, I saw a lot of forum posts suggesting flight attendants were generous and accommodating, often putting guitars in the closet. However, I can't find posts from the last year relating experiences. Are they still fairly relaxed and accommodating? Any chance that, given Covid conditions resulting in non-full flights, they'll let me store it in an empty seat?

Thanks!

you mean with the current covid conditions, so resulting flights could be very empty or very packed (because UA trimmed their schedules or cancelled/consolidated into one flight)

first, check whether your aircraft has a closet.
even with a closet, likely J passengers have priority

even if it has a closet, aircraft could swap to another aircraft without a closet
then check how full the plane is (which could be misleading T>0-24 due to BE)

UA policy is to accept small musical instruments as carryon in a hard case


if you don't like these risks, pay for an extraseat - https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/unit...d-flights.html

Here is the page which covers musical instruments.

https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly...calinstruments

Thanks for the link - I had seen that. The line about them accommodating it if there's space is not exactly reassuring. I'm hoping to hear from people who've flown with a guitar in the last year. A few years back, FAs were apparently very accommodating, happily putting it in a closet.

I'm hoping to fly on the 787 for both legs of my journey, so hopefully there'll be a closet.

The 787 will have no shortage of space for your guitar. There's one huge closet in First and up to 3 more (depending on which configuration) coat closets up front. There are also two closets in the back of Y that are meant for FA belongings & onboard supplies, but I've used them for band instrument storage before. Just ask the greeting FA as you step onboard.

Most FAs are rather caring with instruments. Most (all?) mainline overhead bins will fit a standard hard case (though not a case + a roller bag) so it'd be best to get onboard early.

All of this, however, is during normal times. I can't/won't guess how your particular crew will decide to handle guitars and moving them to a closet. Things are weird right now, and that certainly extends to crew.

board first and just put it in the overhead bin. it's an ... move because you're taking up 3-4 suitcase spots, i don't like it and probably 1/5 people also won't like it but also it's a musical instrument and we know united breaks guitars so whatever, that's the way she goes. but i guess a stickler could force a gate check and then the care of that guitar is entirely out of your control

if you're on a wide body you will be fine, tons of room in the cabin

787-10 Overhead Bin Dimensions?
 

Hello everyone,

Does anyone know where I can find the dimensions of the overhead bins on UA's 787-10? I'm trying to assess if my hard shell guitar case will fit up there or if I'll have to ask to put it in a closet.

Thanks in advance!

Not sure of the exact dimensions, but the width is less than about 42", so you won't be able to fit a guitar in the overhead.

Thanks. Wish I could find the actual dimensions - my case is 45" long, so at an angle it may indeed fit. Hopefully they won't give me a hard time taking it on board - given load factors, I'm guessing they won't have a problem with putting it in a closet for me. Any tips & advice appreciated, as well as any pointers to where I might find the actual bin dimensions.

They might even let you belt it into an empty seat.

Amen

I assume the guitar case will fit through the TSA X-day machine. My son has no issue with bringing the guitar case on board of the 777 and 737, but his guitar case could not fit into the bins, so the FA find closet space on both planes for the guitar. Sorry no experience on the 787.

Something new for me to worry about - lol ;) Does anyone know the dimensions of the x-ray machines at SFO? :D

With the current lights loads finding space should be easier than usual. I also found FAs to be very helpful locating a spot in a closet, when I asked politely for assistance.

Good luck!