Flying with the box

[Deekdon]

Hi All

Been a while since I have been on the forum (been playing that much!)

Anyway, looking for some advise. I have recently taken a booking to play in Germany. I have never played outside Scotland so no experience on taking my box on a flight, well thats not strictly true, when I was a kid I took a 120 Bass Zero Zette to Canada and it got wrecked in the hold.

So, do any members have experience on taking there box on flights, how have airlines been about taking the box on as hand baggage. I spoke to BA and they say it "should" be ok to take it on, but I dont trust CS speaking from a script so would rather have some real life experiences. I have a 120 Vignoni. I do have access to a flight case, but really l am not happy about it going anywhere I cant see.

Cheers for the help.

Derek

 

[EMan]

I haven't attempted to take my accordion on a flight, nor have I had the need, but after just having purchased a new ( to me ) Borsini this past July, I had conversations with the seller ( Liberty Bellows in Phil, PA, USA) about transporting the box. At that time, they told me that typically a full sized 120 bass will not fit in the over head compartment in a hard case. It might (depending on the aircraft) in a soft gig bag, but I have never really trusted gig bags for instrument safety. They told me that there is a carry on bag ( a two piece one) where you split the accordion and put the treble in one bag and the bass in another. I know in the case of my Borsini, that would be a pain to disconnect the wires from the right to the left ( it has a MIDI). If you love your accordion enough, you could always buy it a seat ! LOL! Expensive, but certainly safe and doable. Given that baggage handlers think they are part of an olympic event, I certainly would not check it as luggage.

I think, if it fit in the overhead bin, I might opt for the soft gig bag and watch it like a hawk !

 

[TomBR]

Unless you have a carry-on item that's within the published dimensions it's a lottery, you might be lucky, but what if it's a "full flight" and they refuse at the gate. You either go back home, or take a big chance, obviously it's worse coming back!
I'd have thought the extra seat is the only safe route.

Unexpected aspects (from experience) the instrument has to have the window seat, and in the bad old days of unallocated seating, there were a lot of grumpy questions and dirty looks from other passengers who thought they should sit there! Passenger name was booked as "Mr Extra Seat" if I remember rightly.

Just for interest British Airways do look relatively friendly - how far off are these dimensions?
If your musical instrument is larger than 56 x 45 x 25cm (22 x 18 x 10in):

Please check it into the hold as part of your checked baggage allowance.
Where possible, we'll try and accommodate instruments of up to 190 x 75 x 65cm (75 x 29.5 x 25.5in), provided you notify us at least 24 hours before your flight.

 

[Edward Jennings]

Derek, you're right not to trust BA! I once scoured their website and discovered (at that time) that they took "small" instruments in addition to your carry-on allowance. I wanted to take my Lachenal English concertina with me, and I even photographed the web page and kept it on my phone, in case of arguments. It was just as well, as the vixen on duty at check-in was adamant that I had to leave it behind! She eventually relented with an "OK, "this" time". I could have spit!!!!!!

 

[debra]

Look for a route on Ryanair. With Ryanair you can book an extra seat (seats are cheap anyway) for "mr Accompanying Instrument". That way you are guaranteed that you can take your instrument on board and have it right next to you.

 

[Zevy]

Given that baggage handlers think they are part of an olympic event, I certainly would not check it as luggage.

<FONT font=Garamond><SIZE size=125><COLOR color=#0040FF>Eman, you are being very kind. Baggage MIS-handlers are horrible. Period.

 

[wout]

Hello! Took it multiple times handluggage. You have To leave You case home though. i traveled with 3 voice 80 bass and 3 voice 96 Bass. They where just under the limit of 10 kg. Once i took it as well in the case and there is a tutorial on youtube how To pack it safe. Search for how To prepare accordion for shipment. And yes with ryanair You can book it a seat to my fruend die it with his guitar

 

[donn]

I think, if it fit in the overhead bin, I might opt for the soft gig bag and watch it like a hawk !

That sounds right to me too, but ... no experience.

I had a saxophone damaged in a gate check, so I cant say my experience with that is very encouraging, but it might be an unusual case. Gate check is normally about collapsible strollers and wheelchairs. I had packed a baritone saxophone in an oversized case with little wheels, so it was very bulky, and there were a couple strollers too. So he apparently sent the bari down a little chute you can see on the side of the ladder, and from the looks of it, it didnt reach the bottom but tipped over the side and fell, crashing against stuff on the way down. No one saw anything, but the case was wrecked.

An accordion in a gig bag would be reduced to fragments by that impact, but my guess is that it wouldnt be treated that way. That flight case might, though. Theres a trade-off, Im guessing, where as you make the package bigger and sturdier-looking, it gets treated rougher. Anyway ... what if theres no room in the overheads and they make you check it, at the gate? Talk to them and see if you can make sure it comes back as a gate check, too, and it will get handled on both ends rather than going through the conveyor belts and the luggage stacks. Scary but maybe survivable.

 

[Deekdon]

Thanks all

I did speak to BA just don't trust them, like said it would just be luck to get it out with me in the cabin and then on the return journey they say no.

I am going to call them again and also speak to the airport check in. The flight case I can get is sturdy and properly padded and it may just be the only real option I have to make sure there is a chance to surive!

Wish me luck!

 

[fjsys]

I have never had to travel with it but have always been under the split it and have two carry on bags.
As I have heard it said the bass will fit under most seats and the treble can go in the overhead.

Have you seen this article:
https://shelialee.wordpress.com/2016/08/29/airline-vs-accordion/

it is from the American side so things may be different, but it still has some good suggestions (most have been mentioned, but paying extra for early boarding has not...)

HTH
Ben

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

I hope that this will not sound too silly, but have you considered taking a ferry and driving to the venue? It would depend whereabouts in Germany you are visiting as to whether that is a viable proposition, but I think it would be better than risking damage to your box and frustration at the airport.

Just a thought.

 

[debra]

I hope that this will not sound too silly, but have you considered taking a ferry and driving to the venue? It would depend whereabouts in Germany you are visiting as to whether that is a viable proposition, but I think it would be better than risking damage to your box and frustration at the airport.

Just a thought.

I have done a trip from the Netherlands (Eindhoven) to Scotland (Edinburgh) and indeed did that by car. But that was when there was a fast ferry from Hoek van Holland to Harwich (and I know, from Harwich it is still a long drive). For some odd reason there are no more fast ferries so the trip would now take very long. Depending on where you need to be in Germany taking the train through the tunnel is another option. My preferred suggestion would still be Ryanair with an extra seat.

 

[Stephen Hawkins]

Hi Paul,

You are perfectly right; it would be a long trip by ferry.

However, if you had plenty of time, it could be a more relaxing way to travel. Admittedly it was a long time ago, but I have done the trip directly from a German port. You could hire a day cabin back then, affording you the opportunity to sleep or relax for at least part of your journey.

In this case, you could be content in the knowledge that your prized instrument would be safely locked away in your car, and that no airport baggage handler would be chucking it about or kicking it down a chute.

My solution may not be the most practical, though I do think it is the most elegant.

 

[donn]

For what it's worth, when I bought my accordion, I took the train for the return trip for the same reason.

That Shelia Lee article is great! She obviously has been there. If you're still bent on checking that flight case anyway, it might be worthwhile to look up details on packing an accordion for shipping. It seems to me I've read something about going into the bass machine and bracing it up with strips of cardboard or something. I believe that's the most vulnerable part of the accordion and there's hardly any way to protect it from a severe impact, from the outside.

 

[Mr turtle]

I have flown with acoustic accordions several times from UK to Spain. The first time I entrusted one to the hold, never again! Had to re attach several reeds before playing.

After that I always made sure to have them sent in the fragile hold, although this is no guarantee they will arrive intact.

I have also flown with my Roland to the States, using a soft padded gig bag, and storing in the overhead locker above my seat, some airlines will accommodate for this if you tell them when booking flight that you are transporting a musical instrument.

 

[rbs]

I recently had to fly with my accordion from London to Prague. It's 34-key 3-voice Fantini. I put it in my soft backpack, measured it, and found that it was within the allowable dimensions that BA publish on their website for baggage to go into the overhead lockers. I was able to take on the BA flights to Prague and back without any problems

 

[losthobos]

My 72 bass travels as hand luggage...only way i'd go and reason I bought the lightweight box in first place...
Every time i've had a courier or baggage handler transport an accordion i've had trouble...thankfully the sort of trouble I could fix myself but still trash trouble non the less..
Interestingly enough my friend just took his 72 bass for a gig in Monaco...arrived late for boarding and was told had to go in hold as overhead lockers full...Whilst he was freaking out to the hostess luckily for him the pilot was passing, overheard and said as he was a musician to he'd put accordion behind his seat in cockpit...how lucky was that....