Stratisfear wrote
The crew usually have a cupboard right up front that's quite tall and I've almost always been able to convince them to put it in there for me. The overhead compartments seldom fit a hard case, and I wouldn't trust other travellers to be sensitive with a soft case.
I read an in depth article on this recently, which took into account the newer security and regs.
Firstly you have to get to the door of the plane with your guitar - security may demand that you check it in before you even leave the gate - then if you packed it in a soft case, hoping to get it in the overheads, you're stuffed. As always, it pays to check an airlines policy on guitars beforehand, but even if the folk at the airline say it will be OK beforehand, be aware that the security staff can override policy and force you to check it.
Once you reach the cabin, you can ask the cabin staff to store it in the cabin hold, they can refuse to do this, depending on what they have to fit in there already (baby strollers, wheelchairs, etc. get priority - that's what the cabin storage is there for). Even if they do refuse, you are already better off, as it will then go into the forward hold, which is pressurised and it will be taken there by an individual, rather than by the ordinary baggage handling.
One other thing that helps is to book late and book a flight which has lots of empty seats - the chances are better you will be allowed to sit where you like and be allowed to have your guitar in a spare seat next to you. If the flight is too underpopulated though, there is always the chance that it ends up cancelled and you end up on another busier flight - quite possibly on another airline (with different policies).
Above all, things are changeable. A lot of getting a guitar in the cabin with you is subject to the whims of the staff on duty at the time. So prepare for the worst - that you will be forced to check it.
