Boarding an airplane with a guitar -- is it possible?

D

dreamist

New member
I'm going to fly with Tiger air, and I want to take my guitar with me. I don't have a hard-shell flight case, so is it possible to bring it with me on board?

The guitar is Applause AE-32 deep-bowl electric acoustic. I only have a leather bag with it.

BTW, if it's not possible, and I need to load it, could you please suggest a cheap flight case for this model? I don't have the guitar with me now, so I don't know which case will fit it. Do you have any suggestion for getting a right size flight case without having the guitar to try it with?

The details of the guitar are here:
http://www.applauseguitars.com/AE32.cfm
 
Better call the airline's customer service and check. I know most international flights (every flight out of SG is international =p) are more anal nowadays about letting large items into the cabin.
 
put it in a small, compact gig bag and handcarry it. if it is normal size, it would fit in the cabin.i brought my strat-like guitar when i flew by jetstar last april

but dont put it in a backpack gig bag with heavy padding coz it might not fit and it will be too bulky
 
i've got a fren who brought his samick GB strat in from britain put in the baggage in a gigbag.he juz asked for the 'FRAGILE' sticker to be pasted on the bag.no kidding.it's in his house now..still in 1 piece.
 
u hv to be reali careful... a fren of mine fly his guitar (EPI LP) in a hardcase from US to singapore... when he got his guitar back... a whole chunk of wood being knock off.... luckliy his guitar wasn't damage.... he was very pissed off and demand a compensation... in the end he waited for hrs and hrs at the airport to get the cash for his hard case.... i am not very sure which airline is it, got to ask him.....

ultimately juz be careful with it.. i recommend you to wrap it with clothes than put in to the case be it soft or hard... for further protection....
 
i take my LP everytime I fly to sydney a few times a year, always take it carry on and put it in the overhead compartment. no problems.

tiger airways are smaller planes though...
 
If it's something you irreplaceably love, better bring in on board or put it in a really strong flightcase.

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martintop2.jpg
 
Went back and did a search for packing. Okay for solidbody electrics. Don't know if I can recommend for delicates like acoustics and hollowbodies. The last time I transported a guitar in a fragile cage in the cargo hold and it was cold to the touch when I got it home. First time it happened. Could've been the dodgy cheapo gaffer tape I used. I had to leave it in the open case for a day for it to return to room temperature gradually. Make sure you loosen the strings for transport.

Loosen the guitar strings so that it's very slack because we don't want excess tension when the strings and wood shrink due to temperature change in the cargo hold. When you put your guitar in your case, make sure it can't move around when case is closed. If it does, fill up the empty space with cloth or a t-shirt so that the guitar won't be banged around in the hardcase. Close the lid and get gaffer tape or duct tape and seal the lid of the case to minimise air going into the case. Make sure it's sealed tight. The guitar should be able to handle extreme temp changes but make sure you let it warm up to the climate slowly by leaving it in the open case until its temperature returns to normal, maybe overnight.

When you check in at the airport, tell the person at the counter that you want to put your guitar in as a fragile item. The guitar will be given a fragile tag and put into a cargo cage with other fragile baggage so that it's doesn't get crushed by other bags.
Click to expand...

Btw, there are proper flight cases for guitars that you can safely chuck into the cargo hold with other baggage but those things are really expensive and not really worth it unless you're one of those travelling gigging musicians.
 
went to Jakarta via Garuda air, for a studio session in 1997 with my strat - had it with me seated - till a kind stewardess offered to store it near the pantry room - i would recommend getting a flightcase for long hour flight comfort though.
 
Paulo Posted: Tue Jul 11, 2006 1:37 pm

offered to store it near the pantry room
Click to expand...

Flew on SQ with an RG hardcase (yes, with an RG inside it) once from KL. I asked a cabin crew if she could help me store it somewhere, she obligingly store my guitar in the business class 'coat compartment'. Lucky guitar... :roll:

babelfish Posted: Sun Jul 09, 2006 6:43 pm

Better call the airline's customer service and check.
Click to expand...

This is the best thing you should do.
 
u can lah..no doubt about it..
even if u use a softcase its gona be safe in the flight..
u dont have to check in your baby..
 
From what I know; it's best to try to get it on board with you.. bad things happen if you put it as baggage without a really specialized flightbag.

I also heard that you have to downtune for non-whammy bar guitars, due to string tension.
 
that thing about slackening the strings is untrue actually. I had a guitar flown in from the US and it arrived in tune. no damage to neck whatsoever.
 
well, its just taking extra precautions.

i know of ppl travelling in cars, having the necks on their guitars snap off when they hit a bump, due mainly to the full string tension.
imagine what would happen if the cargo guys simply throw your package around and it ends up landing wrongly.
 
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