Airlines can be fickle. I travel with the ALTO to work in a soft case twice a month roughly. A few days back as I presented my boarding pass the girls at the gate decided it was too big for, wait for it, "such a small aircraft". I reminded them that it was in the tiny Boeing 737-800 only 10 days previous, which seemed to puzzle them since the "nothing bigger than a violin rule" had been in for months apparrently. Anyway off to the cargo hold it went under her personal supervision. Down at Perth I collect it and wait for the next leg to Melbourne on the Airbus. No problem, they didnt even comment. It enjoyed its 4 hours in the overhead locked and came safely home. Seems to me it fits a lot better than some of the near suitcase size stuff business travellers are trying to jam into cabin lockers these days.

This is a direct consequence of another great airline policy; low baggage allowance, which makes air travel prohibitive for touring musicians. APRA (Australian Performing Rights association) is currently trying to negotiate with Qantas on this very issue. We can always hope. Meanwhile I've started shipping my stuff by courier when I travel... Cheers, Andy.

I want to know...is gate check for a stick in a soft case a good option? Or would you just check it as baggage in a hard case? Thanks...

Brian Baggett

As I recall, we had a long thread going on this subject last year. The short answer is that personal experiences and opinions do vary quite a bit. My personal preference is the luggage/hard case option. Everyone should consider having instrument insurance too - particularly if they're working musicians. Cheers, Andy.

I'm trusting my fate to the cabin crew and carrying on in a gig bag. Wish me and my bamboo Grand luck, laddies.

Looking forward to hang out with you again Brian. It's been too long.

Safe travels!

Thanks Greg. I too look forward to seeing you and meeting many others.

Hope we can find a few moments over a beverage to catch up.

B

piratebruce I feel your pain. In an organization like an airline, sometimes information trickles very slowly from top management to employee. What was ok last week just isn't the case this week or vice versa. I fly the 737 for an airline up here in Canada and have the luxury of the forward closet when I bring mine along.

In some countries the size of that case may make the gate agents cringe. Regulations differ from place to place. In my experience, they will make you gate check it and that is a gamble with a soft case.

cheers,
kev

Andy is right , we all have varying experiences. Like Greg I'll continue to go with the gig bag in the cabin ( hopefully!). One reason I have the ALTO is its smaller than my standard given the travelling I do.
And Kev, you fly a 737, thats very cool.
Cheers
B

One idea for how to take chances and still play it safe would be to bring the STick for the cabin in a soft case and use a hard Stick case for your cloths and toothbrush etc. If the man says you have to check in the stick you take five minutes to shift the contents of those two bags. Ok, it's a bit weird to enter a flight cabin with a soft Stick case stuffed with socks and underwear but only you and the x-ray staff know about that

If the point is that the soft Stick case is exceeding the allowed cabin luggage dimension you can fold and gaffer tape the soft case to meet the correct measure.