So, Delta wrecked my guitar. Smashed the headstock... despite four "Fragile, handle with care" stickers, they managed to drop it on the tarmac, snap the peghead off, crush the pegs, ruin the case. The diagnosis is that they ran over it.
Sorry to hear your story. I was lucky with my Martin HD-28. I flew to the US in 2003 with Quantas and there was a minor problem when flying out of LA so we had to change planes and in their haste they managed to crack the side,a small carck of about 2 inches. I had it repaired by Buckmaster and finished superbly by John Nicholls but I've never flown Quantas since. I've got a tour in a few months but I'll be driving up and down the east coast of Australia rather than take my chances with the airlines. It costs me about 5 days. I guess the only way aound the problem is to get one of those aliminium flight cases. When flying now I also pack my instruments in foam rubber.
One of our local button accordeon players once told me he watched from his seat on the plane as some luggage handler threw his case to the top of the load.
I'm no legal expert but even though these airline companies have a disclaimer in fine print at the very bottom of the back of the tickets they still have a reasonable duty of care. I still wonder whether I should have taken legal action with my own situation.
On a lighter side when I bought one of my instruments years ago I asked the maker about the case and he said it was pretty solid with regards to airlines. I said would it withstand the treatment dished out to it by roadies? His reply:" Look mate, I can't do the impossible"!
Last time I was going out to NZ my accordion was rent asunder, I can only assume they were looking for drugs. Charlie Jemmet in Christchurch did a miraculous job putting the pieces back together. I was standing next to Fergus Feely at Heathrow one time watching his Armstrong mandocello get thrown out of the back of the plane onto the baggage cart. He got sick watching it, slow motion all the way. Animals.
I think its the reliance on a case that can be a problem. I have flown with no case at all . They didnt even suggest checking it in!
With my guitar I generally carry it in a super cheap, black rubbery case, they rarely even see it as its carried discretely. Because there is no padding its much smaller and thinner.
One time I took a risk and checked a electric bass in, in a soft case with a piece of wood plank all the way down both sides the neck of the case, and padding !.
That same bass took a fall a few weeks later. standing in its stand on an out -side stage, a huge gust of wind took it and a few other bits right over. snapped it clean off at the joint of the neck and body . Luckily with a gig in an hour or two and no replacement I was able to fix it . What a set up that was. Sheez that was just the first thing that went wrong.! Sill, we pulled it off for a great gig... phew
I had a friend whose taylor was smashed. it was not insured. She took it up with the airline anyway. She got a letter from me, though I have only built five *we didn't tell them THAT!), and I put her onto to three other builders/repair people who gave her a letter and estimate to repair or replace... replacing was cheaper. Continental I believe it was. They sent her a replacement check to buy a new Taylor at the going rate, $2700. The whole ordeal took about six weeks. We didn't think a thing would come of it, but figured why not, so it was a surprise. She did annoy it out of them and had to be very persistent with phone calls daily pretty much. Nice polite calls, which aroused sympathy along the way. Never screamed at anyone, but made them more inclined to want to help her out.
Some alirlines may let a stewardess put it in a clost on the plane, but this has to be arranged and a letter presented at the airport. I did this twice, though it was way before 9/11.
I always take my instruments with me (banjo/fiddle) and if there is an extra seat, they usually let me strap it in. I use a small case for the banjo so it fits in the overhead bin.
I think you can take it with you until you enter the plane and then ask them to walk it up personally. If you make attention to it politely and concerned, they will generally be willing to help you.
Having recently returned from Ireland, my box and my husband's fiddle were allowed to go in the overhead compartment. No problems with AirTransat. Going through the security checkout at Shannon Airport coming home, the officer wanted to have a peak inside my box case to see if it was an okay accordion. "Nice box", he said and we all laughed.
Heather
Airlines are basically evil in so many ways one can barely start.
You would have to be over 70 now to remember yourself that old WWII slogan "Is your journey really necessary ?". That is the question you really have to ask yourself before you take a musical instrument on an aeroplane. Then there's the pollution aspect of jet flight, greenhouse gases, global warming, depletion of world resources, reliance on supplies from dodgy and disreputable regimes, etc., etc., .
Much as we shall miss the opportunity to play any music while we are in the States this summer, I think I may decline to take an instrument with me; I would hate to see my even half-decent 'zouk damaged, let alone a quality instrument.
Most of the time when we travel, we try to drive so I can do all of the instrument handling myself. On the rare occasions when we travel by airplane, I leave my instruments at home and just take a vacation from playing music until we return home.
Qantas don't employ the baggage handlers at LAX Tony so it makes no sense to direct your boycott against them.
I think hard shell cases have been the cause of many a snapped guitar neck. They do not absorb vibration and impact but transmit it. They may be tough enough to withstand being run over but your instrument is more likely to be thrown or dropped in its case - or, as can be observed on many baggage carousels, have another case ram into it
Just a thought - slackening off the guitar strings possibly might save the guitar neck from breakage due to impact by reducing the loading already on it.
Some people, if possible, in US, ship the instrument ahead via UPS or FedEx., Insured to the max of course. My friend with the smashed Taylor does that now. It's cheaper than you'd think. FedEx I find easier to deal with on claims than UPS. I have shipped a few sold instruments with no trouble, but none I went on to meet and play. The average weight guitar , it was a 000-21 Martin, cost about $29 with insurance. That's with a case too. Rates may have gone up, it was well over a year back the last time. I just de-tuned it, and bubble wrapped it well in a big box, taped everywhere. Took about an hour to pack. You could go to a pack and ship place too if you don't feel like doing the box, costs more, but figure what your time is worth.
I'd hate to borrow a guitar, I am so darned particular about the playability, to the point of extreme obsession. Like the Princess And The Pea, I feel the most minute little things and they irk me to pieces. It's honestly why I started building my own. For a few tunes, no problem, but not for a gig or a long trip. I'd buy a seat or get a carry on letter.
Some small harps would fit in overhead, depending on size, so that's OK. I'd still get a letter from the airline stating so, just so there is not a last minute "you can't take that on". The Limerick 26 string I built is about 35" with the case, 33" without. It may even be a tad too big.
Mark, do you know of any 26 string harps that regularly fly in the overhead compartment with no hassles?
From the Harplist I found this (dated 2005, so the sizes allowed may be smaller now):
"I fly on many different size planes 8 or 9 times a year within the USA---the Ardival Kilkoy fits easily in the overhead bins of the bigger planes"
- I don't personally know of a 26-string that would fit unless it was perhaps one of those slim wire-strung jobbies. There's obviously a gap in the market here - but then again, I'm sure there would be the possibility of using it as a weapon (even if just theatening to slice someone into 26 pieces).
Thanks Mark... can use it as an oversized egg slicer too.
I may have to try and build something at some point. I really want to make a collasiple harp. Quite do-able really, just use bolt on parts, I know someone makes a carbon fiber full size that folds but it's about $6000. I made one of those little backyad harp kits for my granddaughter, with the corrugated cardboard body, and to my surprise it sounds gorgeous. They are about $130 and go together very easily. I get annoyed with just 22 strings, but for just something to travel with and have for practice it's OK. You do glue the neck and pillar and bolt also, but I think it would be fine just bolted and collapsed into a rectangular shape you could stow in overhead. The issue would be getting it up to pitch again and then having it go out of tune all the time for a week. It can easily be mailed somewhere too and put together in an afternoon...but the tuning issues again. It is such a sweet sounding thing, you'd never believe it. The kid has a 27 string Folkcraft, is playing sessions a bit already and has requested a PINK harp for her fifth birthday this Friday! Her mom, my daughter, won't keep the better harp at the house, doesn't want the baby to get at it and pull it over etc. So we got this cardboard thing, and it floored me on the sound.
I don't travel much at all, but have many friends in Ireland I keep saying I will visit. If it were a regular trip I'd just leave one over there.
I hear Harpsicles may or may not fit. I haven't tried one yet. We're starting a beginner harp group at our irish center this summer and the ladies are insisting on harpsicles, they don't want to invest much until they know they can play. I am going to the Somerset Festival for a few days this week to check them out for beginning on, and hope to bring four home to start our class on. They figure they can always use it for travel if they graduate to a better harp, but I'm not so sure they will fit overhead either, especially with a case added.
The Limerick I made, the neck and pillar are glued together but the pillar is held on just by a bolt at the bottom/base. The neck is on with a knuckle joint and not glued. I imagine it can fly disassembled, but it may be too deep, perhaps another needs to be made where the neck and pillar are bolted together or just doweled. But again the tuning issues on arrival...ugh.
You know about the sailors with a woman in every port... I'd like a harp and guitar in every port, thank you!
When I flew into Shannon with Herself the year before last, I told them I had my box in the case. They looked at it , No biggie.
Herself goes through the customs fellow- he quietly says to her "I've never cared much for the accordion". I wonder if there was a conversion, or there is a difference in musical tastes in the customs agents!
Thank you for the suggestion about renting a piano when I travel lazyhound but I can temporarily manage for a week or two without having to play music. I can't completely quit playing music anytime I want to but I am able to take a temporary break from music if it is necessary.
Delta Airlines and Evil
Delta Airlines and Evil
So, Delta wrecked my guitar. Smashed the headstock... despite four "Fragile, handle with care" stickers, they managed to drop it on the tarmac, snap the peghead off, crush the pegs, ruin the case. The diagnosis is that they ran over it.
So that's my horror story. Let's hear yours.
# Posted on July 4th 2009 by Zazzaliss
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Buy an extra ticket. Always.
# Posted on July 5th 2009 by mcdevincabe
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Sorry to hear your story. I was lucky with my Martin HD-28. I flew to the US in 2003 with Quantas and there was a minor problem when flying out of LA so we had to change planes and in their haste they managed to crack the side,a small carck of about 2 inches. I had it repaired by Buckmaster and finished superbly by John Nicholls but I've never flown Quantas since. I've got a tour in a few months but I'll be driving up and down the east coast of Australia rather than take my chances with the airlines. It costs me about 5 days. I guess the only way aound the problem is to get one of those aliminium flight cases. When flying now I also pack my instruments in foam rubber.
One of our local button accordeon players once told me he watched from his seat on the plane as some luggage handler threw his case to the top of the load.
I'm no legal expert but even though these airline companies have a disclaimer in fine print at the very bottom of the back of the tickets they still have a reasonable duty of care. I still wonder whether I should have taken legal action with my own situation.
On a lighter side when I bought one of my instruments years ago I asked the maker about the case and he said it was pretty solid with regards to airlines. I said would it withstand the treatment dished out to it by roadies? His reply:" Look mate, I can't do the impossible"!
# Posted on July 5th 2009 by Tony O'Rourke
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
"a small crack of about 2 inches"...........
# Posted on July 5th 2009 by Tony O'Rourke
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Buy an extra ticket?
Geez, How many times would you have to buy a ticket before you spent the replacement cost of a guitar on tickets?
Invest once in a better case. Invest a bit in insurance if you like. Put the rest in savings and buy a replacement instrument if you need to.
These aren't 500,000 concert cellos.
# Posted on July 5th 2009 by jwvansteenwyk
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Last time I was going out to NZ my accordion was rent asunder, I can only assume they were looking for drugs. Charlie Jemmet in Christchurch did a miraculous job putting the pieces back together. I was standing next to Fergus Feely at Heathrow one time watching his Armstrong mandocello get thrown out of the back of the plane onto the baggage cart. He got sick watching it, slow motion all the way. Animals.
# Posted on July 5th 2009 by Patkiwi
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
I think its the reliance on a case that can be a problem. I have flown with no case at all . They didnt even suggest checking it in!
With my guitar I generally carry it in a super cheap, black rubbery case, they rarely even see it as its carried discretely. Because there is no padding its much smaller and thinner.
One time I took a risk and checked a electric bass in, in a soft case with a piece of wood plank all the way down both sides the neck of the case, and padding !.
That same bass took a fall a few weeks later. standing in its stand on an out -side stage, a huge gust of wind took it and a few other bits right over. snapped it clean off at the joint of the neck and body . Luckily with a gig in an hour or two and no replacement I was able to fix it . What a set up that was. Sheez that was just the first thing that went wrong.! Sill, we pulled it off for a great gig... phew
# Posted on July 5th 2009 by piobagusfidil
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
I had a friend whose taylor was smashed. it was not insured. She took it up with the airline anyway. She got a letter from me, though I have only built five *we didn't tell them THAT!), and I put her onto to three other builders/repair people who gave her a letter and estimate to repair or replace... replacing was cheaper. Continental I believe it was. They sent her a replacement check to buy a new Taylor at the going rate, $2700. The whole ordeal took about six weeks. We didn't think a thing would come of it, but figured why not, so it was a surprise. She did annoy it out of them and had to be very persistent with phone calls daily pretty much. Nice polite calls, which aroused sympathy along the way. Never screamed at anyone, but made them more inclined to want to help her out.
Some alirlines may let a stewardess put it in a clost on the plane, but this has to be arranged and a letter presented at the airport. I did this twice, though it was way before 9/11.
# Posted on July 5th 2009 by irisnevins
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
I always take my instruments with me (banjo/fiddle) and if there is an extra seat, they usually let me strap it in. I use a small case for the banjo so it fits in the overhead bin.
I think you can take it with you until you enter the plane and then ask them to walk it up personally. If you make attention to it politely and concerned, they will generally be willing to help you.
# Posted on July 5th 2009 by banjobabe
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Having recently returned from Ireland, my box and my husband's fiddle were allowed to go in the overhead compartment. No problems with AirTransat. Going through the security checkout at Shannon Airport coming home, the officer wanted to have a peak inside my box case to see if it was an okay accordion. "Nice box", he said and we all laughed.
Heather
# Posted on July 5th 2009 by boxielady
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Ryanair was perfect with my harp in its case in the hold. However, it's such a big package that they couldn't really throw it very far.
# Posted on July 5th 2009 by Mark Harmer
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Airlines are basically evil in so many ways one can barely start.
You would have to be over 70 now to remember yourself that old WWII slogan "Is your journey really necessary ?". That is the question you really have to ask yourself before you take a musical instrument on an aeroplane. Then there's the pollution aspect of jet flight, greenhouse gases, global warming, depletion of world resources, reliance on supplies from dodgy and disreputable regimes, etc., etc., .
Much as we shall miss the opportunity to play any music while we are in the States this summer, I think I may decline to take an instrument with me; I would hate to see my even half-decent 'zouk damaged, let alone a quality instrument.
# Posted on July 5th 2009 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Most of the time when we travel, we try to drive so I can do all of the instrument handling myself. On the rare occasions when we travel by airplane, I leave my instruments at home and just take a vacation from playing music until we return home.
# Posted on July 5th 2009 by fauxcelt
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Depending on where you travel abroad you may be able to hire or borrow an instrument while you're there. Concert pianists do it all the time
# Posted on July 6th 2009 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Qantas don't employ the baggage handlers at LAX Tony so it makes no sense to direct your boycott against them.
I think hard shell cases have been the cause of many a snapped guitar neck. They do not absorb vibration and impact but transmit it. They may be tough enough to withstand being run over but your instrument is more likely to be thrown or dropped in its case - or, as can be observed on many baggage carousels, have another case ram into it
# Posted on July 6th 2009 by Bren
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Just a thought - slackening off the guitar strings possibly might save the guitar neck from breakage due to impact by reducing the loading already on it.
# Posted on July 6th 2009 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Some people, if possible, in US, ship the instrument ahead via UPS or FedEx., Insured to the max of course. My friend with the smashed Taylor does that now. It's cheaper than you'd think. FedEx I find easier to deal with on claims than UPS. I have shipped a few sold instruments with no trouble, but none I went on to meet and play. The average weight guitar , it was a 000-21 Martin, cost about $29 with insurance. That's with a case too. Rates may have gone up, it was well over a year back the last time. I just de-tuned it, and bubble wrapped it well in a big box, taped everywhere. Took about an hour to pack. You could go to a pack and ship place too if you don't feel like doing the box, costs more, but figure what your time is worth.
I'd hate to borrow a guitar, I am so darned particular about the playability, to the point of extreme obsession. Like the Princess And The Pea, I feel the most minute little things and they irk me to pieces. It's honestly why I started building my own. For a few tunes, no problem, but not for a gig or a long trip. I'd buy a seat or get a carry on letter.
Some small harps would fit in overhead, depending on size, so that's OK. I'd still get a letter from the airline stating so, just so there is not a last minute "you can't take that on". The Limerick 26 string I built is about 35" with the case, 33" without. It may even be a tad too big.
Mark, do you know of any 26 string harps that regularly fly in the overhead compartment with no hassles?
# Posted on July 6th 2009 by irisnevins
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Hi Irisnevins,
From the Harplist I found this (dated 2005, so the sizes allowed may be smaller now):
"I fly on many different size planes 8 or 9 times a year within the USA---the Ardival Kilkoy fits easily in the overhead bins of the bigger planes"
- I don't personally know of a 26-string that would fit unless it was perhaps one of those slim wire-strung jobbies. There's obviously a gap in the market here - but then again, I'm sure there would be the possibility of using it as a weapon (even if just theatening to slice someone into 26 pieces).
# Posted on July 6th 2009 by Mark Harmer
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Thanks Mark... can use it as an oversized egg slicer too.
I may have to try and build something at some point. I really want to make a collasiple harp. Quite do-able really, just use bolt on parts, I know someone makes a carbon fiber full size that folds but it's about $6000. I made one of those little backyad harp kits for my granddaughter, with the corrugated cardboard body, and to my surprise it sounds gorgeous. They are about $130 and go together very easily. I get annoyed with just 22 strings, but for just something to travel with and have for practice it's OK. You do glue the neck and pillar and bolt also, but I think it would be fine just bolted and collapsed into a rectangular shape you could stow in overhead. The issue would be getting it up to pitch again and then having it go out of tune all the time for a week. It can easily be mailed somewhere too and put together in an afternoon...but the tuning issues again. It is such a sweet sounding thing, you'd never believe it. The kid has a 27 string Folkcraft, is playing sessions a bit already and has requested a PINK harp for her fifth birthday this Friday! Her mom, my daughter, won't keep the better harp at the house, doesn't want the baby to get at it and pull it over etc. So we got this cardboard thing, and it floored me on the sound.
I don't travel much at all, but have many friends in Ireland I keep saying I will visit. If it were a regular trip I'd just leave one over there.
I hear Harpsicles may or may not fit. I haven't tried one yet. We're starting a beginner harp group at our irish center this summer and the ladies are insisting on harpsicles, they don't want to invest much until they know they can play. I am going to the Somerset Festival for a few days this week to check them out for beginning on, and hope to bring four home to start our class on. They figure they can always use it for travel if they graduate to a better harp, but I'm not so sure they will fit overhead either, especially with a case added.
The Limerick I made, the neck and pillar are glued together but the pillar is held on just by a bolt at the bottom/base. The neck is on with a knuckle joint and not glued. I imagine it can fly disassembled, but it may be too deep, perhaps another needs to be made where the neck and pillar are bolted together or just doweled. But again the tuning issues on arrival...ugh.
You know about the sailors with a woman in every port... I'd like a harp and guitar in every port, thank you!
# Posted on July 6th 2009 by irisnevins
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Hey boxielady
When I flew into Shannon with Herself the year before last, I told them I had my box in the case. They looked at it , No biggie.
Herself goes through the customs fellow- he quietly says to her "I've never cared much for the accordion". I wonder if there was a conversion, or there is a difference in musical tastes in the customs agents!
# Posted on July 6th 2009 by zippydw
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Well, I have to feel for everyone in Ireland and the UK. Today's mail has Ryanair designing new planes of standing room only!
To show this is not an april fools joke like the change in fiddle tune titles announced earlier here is the link
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1197799/Ryanair-make-passengers-stand-bid-cram-board.html?ITO=1490
# Posted on July 6th 2009 by zippydw
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
I have given up flying the stress of waiting to see if the Gorillas had damaged my machine was too much . Eurostar for me from now on .
# Posted on July 6th 2009 by bazouki dave
Re: Delta Airlines and Evil
Thank you for the suggestion about renting a piano when I travel lazyhound but I can temporarily manage for a week or two without having to play music. I can't completely quit playing music anytime I want to but I am able to take a temporary break from music if it is necessary.
# Posted on July 6th 2009 by fauxcelt