Tele on Airplane?

[lammie200]

I am going to go visit my ailing mom in a couple of weeks and am thinking about taking one of my Teles on the plane from SF to CHI and back along with my THR amp. I have a nice padded gig bag for the Tele and the THR will fit in something else even if I have to check the THR as baggage being inside a small suitcase. I can add cardboard to the gig bag to make it safer. Is it a good idea to go overhead bin with the Tele? Would I get grief from United? If the only alternative is a hard case I will pass on taking the Tele with me.

 

[andy__d]

A few years back, many airlines, including United, were OK with you taking a gig bag on as hand luggage - and, if space was short, they’d be happy to put it in the 1st class coat closet for you. Times have changed: airlines are not only saying you can’t take a standard size gigbag in hand luggage, some (British Airways, I’m looking at you…) now will only let you check a guitar in a hard case. For a bolt on neck, you may want to consider separating the neck and body and checking them in your baggage (I’d recommend doing this at home, not in the middle of BA’s check in at Gatwick, with the screwdriver on a pocket knife… which you then have to Mail back home to yourself. Not one of my best days….)

 

[Midgetje94]

Life long Southwest Airlines guy. My dad worked there for as long as I can remember. Most airlines are cool with it. But if not or there is no room. Talk to a flight attendant. They have their own little area. Families with strollers get the same treatment. Be polite and respectful and I’ve had a couple stow it back with their stuff before.

 

[0SubSeanik0]

I was at the airport recently (SFO and PHX, actually) and in each direction I spotted at least one person lugging their guitar on the plane in a gig bag... I flew American there and United back. As mentioned above, I would check with the airline directly first, though to be sure about what the requirements are.

 

[Midgetje94]

Although I believe I post this anytime someone asks this

 

[Deeve]

 

[fretbuzzard]

For a bolt on neck, you may want to consider separating the neck and body and checking them in your baggage (I’d recommend doing this at home, not in the middle of BA’s check in at Gatwick, with the screwdriver on a pocket knife… which you then have to Mail back home to yourself. Not one of my best days….)

Tried and true: https://www.guitarworld.com/news/julian-lage-telecaster-travel-tip

 

[fretknot]

I met a guy on a plane to the Virgin Islands, who was gigging there for the entire season. He did this every year and told me that he always removed the neck and put the whole guitar in his suitcase. He would buy a new amp every year and give it to a kid who needed one when the season was over. An easy way to travel with a Tele or Strat.

 

[trandy9850]

I met a guy on a plane to the Virgin Islands, who was gigging there for the entire season. He did this every year and told me that he always removed the neck and put the whole guitar in his suitcase. He would buy a new amp every year and give it to a kid who needed one when the season was over. An easy way to travel with a Tele or Strat.

Exactly….I traveled with a Tele like this multiple times.

 

[slauson slim]

OP, check on your airline’s website for policies on travel with instruments. There is much misguided information on the ‘net about travel with guitars.

You may be able to carry-on the instrument in a soft and flat gig-bag and place it in an overhead luggage bin.

I have traveled Southwest to and from Hawaii, with connecting flights, with a grand concert size acoustic guitar in a soft gig bag placed in the overhead. Not a peep from cabin staff.

 

[AAT65]

I would say don’t rely on it. Check any wording of any airline statement or policy very carefully. It is almost always finally in the captain’s discretion what is or is not allowed in the cabin.
Unless you have bought a seat for your guitar then you should probably be prepared to check it.

 

[lammie200]

I would say don’t rely on it. Check any wording of any airline statement or policy very carefully. It is almost always finally in the captain’s discretion what is or is not allowed in the cabin.
Unless you have bought a seat for your guitar then you should probably be prepared to check it.

Just got more info today. It likely would be OK to bring carry on if I was a mileage premier member or somesuch. They allow one oversized bag for a member. I have a ton of bubble wrap and am just going to remove the neck and check it.

 

[Bourbon Burst]

Try to figure a way to make it look like a cane. A Telecane....

But seriously, can't you put it in an overhead? I bought a Tele just because I heard it fits there. That is when I started to like Teles.

 

[Gary in Boston]

I remember once long ago I picked up a friend of mine at Logan Airport in Boston. He'd brought his SG in a hard case with him traveling from PA and was forced to check it when he showed up at the gate (having not checked it going down to PA........

Anyway we went to baggage claim and waited. Toward the end of the luggage from his flight to be done we see the guitar case coming down the chute with the headstock end of it crushed to about half its' original depth, not a good sign.

We grabbed the case and basically had to pry it open. The SGs' headstock was snapped off and only hanging on by the truss rod cover.

On our way to make an insurance claim my friend and I could not for the life of either of us figure out what could have crushed the case and snapped that headstock. What kind of bag handlers would allow that to happen then simply send it down the chute in arrivals............

I wonder how a Telecaster would have fared in the same situation.........

 

[lammie200]

That’s why whenever I have flown I basically pack the guitar as if it was being shipped. Hard case and boxed, if not double boxed.

 

[lammie200]

Try to figure a way to make it look like a cane. A Telecane....

But seriously, can't you put it in an overhead? I bought a Tele just because I heard it fits there. That is when I started to like Teles.

It would fit fine. I have a EB Music Man nicely padded smallish gig bag. Smaller than a garment bag but obviously won’t fold.

 

[jvin248]

.

Watch the airport scene in the movie Up In The Air. I lived that kind of life for a while. You want to avoid checking bags.

For a time before lockdown, any more than one carry on bag was an upcharge, $100 each way. You could go on Amazon and buy a Squier to ship to the destination.

A few brands like Eart, Glarry, etc are as low as $85 including shipping. Get something fun and cheap then leave it there for the next visit. Or scour CL when you get there.

Don't rely on an overworked gate person or flight attendants to take pity on the guitar bag. Your AM flight might be their weary end of shift.
.

 

[tfarny]

A few years back, many airlines, including United, were OK with you taking a gig bag on as hand luggage - and, if space was short, they’d be happy to put it in the 1st class coat closet for you. Times have changed: airlines are not only saying you can’t take a standard size gigbag in hand luggage, some (British Airways, I’m looking at you…) now will only let you check a guitar in a hard case. For a bolt on neck, you may want to consider separating the neck and body and checking them in your baggage (I’d recommend doing this at home, not in the middle of BA’s check in at Gatwick, with the screwdriver on a pocket knife… which you then have to Mail back home to yourself. Not one of my best days….)

I've flown with guitars as carryons in gig bags fairly recently (domestic US) and never had this experience. But I have also removed necks and put both pieces in a checked bag.

 

[tfarny]

I remember once long ago I picked up a friend of mine at Logan Airport in Boston. He'd brought his SG in a hard case with him traveling from PA and was forced to check it when he showed up at the gate (having not checked it going down to PA........

Anyway we went to baggage claim and waited. Toward the end of the luggage from his flight to be done we see the guitar case coming down the chute with the headstock end of it crushed to about half its' original depth, not a good sign.

We grabbed the case and basically had to pry it open. The SGs' headstock was snapped off and only hanging on by the truss rod cover.

On our way to make an insurance claim my friend and I could not for the life of either of us figure out what could have crushed the case and snapped that headstock. What kind of bag handlers would allow that to happen then simply send it down the chute in arrivals............

I wonder how a Telecaster would have fared in the same situation.........

I travelled for a while with a guy who had worked as a baggage handler at Heathrow. His stories (he had quite a few; they just don't care, bottom line) made me forever swear off checking valuables of any kind.

 

[thankyouguitar]

I am going to go visit my ailing mom in a couple of weeks and am thinking about taking one of my Teles on the plane from SF to CHI and back along with my THR amp. I have a nice padded gig bag for the Tele and the THR will fit in something else even if I have to check the THR as baggage being inside a small suitcase. I can add cardboard to the gig bag to make it safer. Is it a good idea to go overhead bin with the Tele? Would I get grief from United? If the only alternative is a hard case I will pass on taking the Tele with me.

As a few others have said, remove the neck. You can carry both in a standard backpack. The neck will stick out a bit, but you really just need to get past the gate. Once you're on the plane, you can shift stuff around, put things under your feet etc. Though much more to be worried about flying these days, tbh. Fingers crossed for you!