Air Travel with music gear?

Imon

Does anyone have any up to date info on flying internationally with gear?
It seems like the new "strict" rules are being applied - especially regarding hand luggage.
We could always take a flight cases and "drop them off" at the aircraft door so they could put it in the forward hold.

But now I've heard that they only allow one hand luggage item (max 7kg)
and the dimensions may not exceed 56cm x 36cm x 23cm.

This implies that guitars have to be submitted at check-in (and be part of your 20kg weight limit)

Apparently the rules are more flexible in South Africa - but in Germany, UK, Holland & USA - they are apparently much stricter?

What are other options re forwarding gear overseas? Courier company options?

Any help & input much appreciated...
Thanks

AlanRatcliffe

Check with the airline concerned beforehand - they all have different policies. Always, always pack as if it were going in the hold as regardless of the policy, the steward can always overrule it.

And yes, they are stricter in Europe and the US than here.

Imon

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Check with the airline concerned beforehand - they all have different policies. Always, always pack as if it were going in the hold as regardless of the policy, the steward can always overrule it.

Thanks Alan - but the airline doesn't have control over the airport baggage handling - example: KLM have zip say over some bungling ACSA official at OR Tambo airport departures.

There must be some people in this forum who have flown with gear since Feb 2010?

Thanks

IceCreamMan

the issue of hand luggage has been clamped down on recently. there are certain dimensions and weight which are strictly administered. no guitar cases will be allowed on board as hand luggage anymore.

my wife recently flew to the states ,she intended taking hand luggage only BUT her bag was 8kgs (although within the size dimensions) and it had to go to the hold as it was overweight.

Locally you might get away with it , internationally ,bank on the fact its going in the hold

Imon

Thanks, this is what I have heard too.

"So what" you may ask.... BUT, hand luggage dumped in the forward hold does not have a tag (bar code ID), and 90% of the time it ends up on the conveyor belt. With no tracking there is no accountability, no insurance claim, in fact you might as well write "please steal me" on the guitar case....

So onto the second part of the query... Is there a courier/baggage company out there that does national and international transfers of gear (example: 3 x guitars, snare, cymbals, kick pedals etc etc).
Any experience with organizing with the carrier (say SAA, KLM, BA) in advance to handle sensitive baggage?

eish - why are we so far from Amsterdam and Berlin !!!