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  • Has anyone recently flown with a guitar?

EttieneB wrote: I flew SAA JHB to London! And at first they said i couldnt take it on but my retort was ''ure gonna have to pry it from my cold dead fingers'' and then they put it in the long overhead carrage above my head!! Very nice peeps those SAA guys! ?
They did this once on a Jhb-CPT flight for me too, after a MONUMENTAL amount of bitching & moaning from the cockpit crew. Sheez.
    IceCreamMan wrote: my ex wife seems to fly just fine with a broom
    Wha ha ha ha ha.
    I've fallen of my chair!!!
      A friend in the Police, who recently checked with his connections in the customs department, advised me that the new laws make it really difficult to transport instruments, so rather buy a flight case. I just acquired an instrument in another city, and the cost of a flight case would have broken the deal had I known.
        7 days later
        IceCreamMan wrote: my ex wife seems to fly just fine with a broom
        LMAO !!!!!


        Hey ,

        I was thinking of getting a Guitar from the UK or States .
        Think if I ,Buy an El Cheapo ...... Declare it before leaving , then buy a Shiney in the states ....., ill have a problem ? Anyone done this ?

          Reinhard wrote: And were you able to take it on the flight as carry-on baggage? Also, which airline did you use?
          I will likely be flying with an archtop electric guitar this weekend and I'm not risking it with the general luggage.
          I flew from Spain to the Netherlands to Pretoria with a guitar as hand luggage. They actually suggested that I take it on board with me.

          From Netherlands to SA they put it in business class and I stayed in economy class.

          This was KLM.
            it's a little difficult to fly with just one guitar. you need one for each arm, otherwise your balance is off and you just end up going around in circles.
              2 years later
              Ressurecting an ancient topic here, but can this be pulled off with an electric bass in a case as well? :-\ (With the case being somewhat bigger than a normal electric case?)
                SAA's official policy is you cannot fly with a guitar as carry-on. It is specifically stated on their website..somewhere. I'm not going to look for it now.

                Point is, should they refuse, which seems more likely than not, you will have zero recourse. Their rules are stated and clear.

                Risk you want to take? Prepare that guitar for a trip in the cargo hold would be my advice.
                  Ok heres what i have found out while flying,I normally use Signapore and SAA
                  If it has a hard case it normally gets checked in as fragile and goes in the hold with the rest of the fragile items like surfboards etc
                  Signapore gives extra 10kgs to wrap surfboards well,as they accept no claims for damage,you sign a waiver,im sure you could do it with a guitar,I'm not that fussy.
                  I find that airline the best as they never check my 25kg carry on luggage...LOL...it just holds the ques up at security when I unpack suspicious items like adaptors,strings,multi fx's,whammy bars,cables,etc etc..basically whats in my cupboard goes with me..LOL
                  most of my hard cases were the rectangular ones not the guitar shaped ones,i did plastic wrap 2 cases together once,went through as one item
                  If it has a soft case its ok for on board travel,no questions asked
                  New thing here locally is ...only 1 checked bag/item is free for local travel,overseas? check with carrier
                  In all of the above it really depends on the check in staff,overseas is friendlier and acceptable,as they seem to be understanding,
                  here in rsa?call any call centre,then youll know what i mean...
                    The worst is out of the states. They slap fragile sticker's all over your case which can never come off. They break your locks if it is locked. The WILL cut the plastic wrap off. They do not give a damn about your stuff. American Airlines experience.
                      kevjones wrote: They slap fragile sticker's all over your case which can never come off.
                      every country does that,
                      thats how you tell a seasoned tattooed gig'ing muso from a newby...
                      by the fading fragile sticker,the older the sticker the older the muso..LOL
                      If its a youngster carrying a faded one,its probably his son..carrying on the tradition...LOL
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