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Hey all.

So I am just preparing, I know this has been a hot topic and there are other threads dealing with this. But I would like to ask some specific questions.

1. Airlines to fly with?

This is somewhat of an important part of this, as there are many new airlines, and old ones treating musicians differently to what they have been in the past.

Flysafair is the cheapest probably with airfares, but I'm not sure anybody has any experience with guitars yet?
Kulula has been good and bad. I have traveled with my guitar case as carry on before, other people complain about them being super anal about not taking your guitar as carry on.
SAA - Too damn expensive
Skywise - Brand new airline, never I have no experience with them
Mango - Probably much the same as with Kulula.

So have any of you guys got experience traveling with your guitars on any of these airlines?

2. Flight Case, Hardcase, Soft case, Gig bag???

I was wondering if they would be more lenient towards having a gig bag, which you cannot check in, as they'll obviously break your guitar with it, but then, what happens with your guitar when you carry it on? They probably won;t allow it to be in the overhead stowage?

As for flight cases, if the guitar fits in the case very snug and tight, I'm pretty sure it should be fine, especially if it's a good case?

3. Anything else you can recommend I look into?

I am preparing to fly to George from JHB end of November and I'm just hoping to be prepared enough for the current state of affairs when flying with a guitar.
    Having seen this:

    =

    I'd never have peace with my baby in the cargo hold...youtube is rife with such videos... ?
      Thanx for the reply, but... What is a musician to do? If you need to travel on an airplane with your guitar, what do you do? That's really what I'm after?
        I would take the hardcase. Bubblewrap it myself. Then wrap it at the plastic wrappibg station at the airport, and stick it full of fragile stickers.

        Or

        Take it to Postnet for overnight courier to a branch at the location you will be at and collect it there.
          I was going to point out that no airlines allow axes in the cabin...

          I would totally expect to be able to carry a soft case with a modestly-sized guitar on board. I haven't tried it myself recently. But I've seen others do so. A soft case on your back deemphasises the instrument. A hard-case will draw a lot of attention to it as an unusual item of hand-luggage. Make sure your other onboard luggage is small enough to compensate for any crew with doubts.

          My approach would be get a seat near the back of the plane and to get to queue to board early. If it requires a bus-ride to the plane, hang near the doors and walk quickly towards the back stairs (many people who have seats at the back don't seem to realise that they can board at the back). All this is to get to an empty, uncontested overhead bin.

          If you don't want people trying to stuff huge bags in with it, or flight staff to question the instrument, don't fly at super-busy times.

          I see no reason why I'd be disallowed from taking a normal sized guitar on board a plane today.
            Recently bought a guitar w/ hard case during a holiday in the US.

            One internal flight in the US, long-haul flight from DC to Jhb and Jhb to Durbs. I refused to check the guitar in on all 3 flights. For both short flights the plane was just too small to carry it on so they put it in the hold as you board and you collect it as you come out the plane's door after landing, so the guitar spent about 5 minutes in someone else's hands right on the runway. I could even see them conveyor it on from the window.

            Not sure if I was just lucky, but for the international flight I told the officials it was super fragile and couldn't let it out of my sight. I made sure I was pretty much first on the plane and put it in overhead. No one complained.

            That was the only time I'd actually taken a guitar on board with me before. Bought 2 guitars previously overseas and both times then I just checked them in (hard cases). Other than a few scuff marks on the case both guitars were fine.
              Thanx guys for the responses.

              I think the important thing is to try and avoid checking in the guitar at the check in counter, and then to try keep it with you for the maximum time.

              After that there's not much you can do other than hope it's fine on the other side.

              The postnet option is a good one I have never thought about, but then again, the guitar really is out of your hands and might exchange hands more times than when you just fly with it.

              So I think just taking the chance and flying with it sounds like the thing to do.
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