My experience travelling with my e-guitar

[predz23]

So i came to the airport with my les paul in a softcase + suitcase and backpack. I've read many stories on the web of people saying "just bring it onboard". I actually know a guy who bought a les paul from america and brought it onboard for his flight to indonesia.
So anyway i was checking in the suitcase, and i thought I'd tell the nice lady to inform the crew that I am bringing a guitar on board. She very dumbfounded said: "But guitars arent allowed on board, they need to be checked in or you need to buy AN EXTRA SEAT FOR IT". Its interesting she only said that after i asked her to inform the staff and not before. If i am not allowed to bring a guitar on board shouldnt she have said "Eh... arent you checking in the guitar sir?" before I said anything?? anyway I told her I AM NOT CHECKING IT IN because i am sure it will not end well and that i KNOW that it is possible without hassle. So she said she will put a "comment" on my boarding pass for the crew.
When i check in at the gate all staff ignore me and treat me like any other passenger (even with that big black softcase on my back) until when the boarding pass got scanned in, the computer alerted "BRINGING GUITAR ONBOARD" Then i had the same conversation with the guy there just like with the lady at the check in and again they didnt try to stop me bringing it onboard until the "comment" appeared. Even though its obvious, i have a guitar

The conversation followed "no i am not checking in my guitar" "Its completely possible to bring a guitar onboard, I know its rather big but where do you store baby carriages? Dont you have a closet?" Then the guy goes silent and ponders for a while...he said he will talk to the air staff and let me know.
I never hear from the guy again and i walk on board, greeted by a male steward who nicely takes my guitar and stores it in the closet. after the flight he took it out and gave it to me. he did not give me a lecture about bringing guitars onboard or anything, he didnt tell me it wasnt allowed and that i shouldnt do this again. he just gave it back and smiled

My impression of this experience is: Ground staff are kinda stupid, but air crew are using their brains

 

[blueprintstudios]

i would panic if they put stupid people onboard to operate the plane.

 

[Cheez]

Baby carriages/strollers are allowed until the actual boarding gate. Then the ground crew will take it over and it will be stored together with the rest of the luggage below, not the passenger cabin.

 

[EugeneSmasher]

This is scary, seriously. Bringing a guitar onto a plane can cause such problems and complications.

 

[junkiemanxl]

I had the same experience when i went to korea and flew via SQ back to singapore. I bought a guitar from korea. i had first intended to hand carry it back but i was stopped at the check in counter and they told me that i could not hand carry such a big item on the flight. The reasons they gave me were due to security reasons and i would have to purchase another seat if i insisted to hand carry it back.

I didn't kick much of a fuss due to some terrorist incident during that time. The people in the airline industry were very paranoid hence i did not want to make a scene. Good thing is that they had a counter where they packed items for a fee. i brought it there and they packed the guitar really well. very hard packaging, a huge amount of bubble wrap and slapped a fragile sticker on it. I gave the packing guys a little tip and they double packed it for me. I checked it in together with the rest of the fragile cargo. Appearently they have a special section for fragile stuff.

the guitar was in perfect shape when i got back to sg.

 

[predz23]

This is scary, seriously. Bringing a guitar onto a plane can cause such problems and complications.

the problem seems to come from the ground staff

 

[vernplum]

My impression of this experience is: Ground staff are kinda stupid, but air crew are using their brains

With 23472 members, it's highly probable that you have just offended at least one Softie.

..but still, yeah, unfortunate. I've never had that much trouble, but I've never taken on board a full-size Strat hard case for example - I only ever travelled with smaller guitars in the cabin, the largest being a Baby Taylor.

 

[predz23]

With 23472 members, it's highly probable that you have just offended at least one Softie.

i know lol i took a risk

 

[Apot_red]

Just to share my experience....

I had just returned from the US last week (with a Hollowbody).

While going there (in the flight towards US), I had managed to ask the Stewardess whether can I bring a guitar onboard...well, she told me that if you can properly stow it in the Overhead Cabins, you are good to go...!
I believed her....

So during my stay, I had managed to buy my dream Guitar.

Upon returning, I had checked in to SQ counter smoothly (all other baggages were checked in except my Guitar)....I waited at the Lobby for the plane to arrive. Soon after, I was approached by an Ang Mo lady (representing SQ) before boarding the plane. She said that its an oversized luggage and will have to check in that Guitar!!!.

However, I tried to explain that I will have it kept properly in the plane but she told me for "just In Case" she will like to tag my guitar first...so I was like... OK tag only mah....upon tagging the Guitar, she just took it and left it in a corner...(WTF!!!) but I waited for boarding eagerly....

Upon boarding, I immediately spoke to a Singapore Representative who also refused to allow me to put my Guitar. I replied saying that at the mid section of the plane, there are these rows of exceptionally long compartments that can fit a Guitar and I would like to try...so they Lan Lan. take out the Guitar that has already been loaded into the cargo hold and then pass to me which I carried happily into the cabin.....and placed into the overhead compartment nicely without having to sqeeze or whatsoever....

End of the day, I arrive into Singapore safe and sound with a perfectly protected Guitar!!

Apprently, this is still a very grey area for guitarist to travel with a guitar...
But it will most likely work if you were to carry it with a soft case...
As I had seen other guitarist carrying their Electrics this way...

Hope this info helps...

Cheers!

Philip

 

[lordie]

i carry my bass on board the plane more than once, its in the softcase and i got no issue on a airasia, some more budget. i carry it and put it nicely on the overhead. No issues whatsoever.

i was thinking budget airline is more difficult than full carrier but i was pleasantly supprise.