I'm wondering what to do about taking an accordion on a ryanair flight. It's smaller than their maximum hand luggage dimensions, but a good bit heavier than the 10kg max (it's 18kg).
I fly with RyanAir quite a bit and my personal opinion is that they try to screw as much money out of you as possible...
So on that basis there is a reasonable chance that they'll try to charge you for it.
BUT
When traveling with them I usually try to take all my luggage as hand luggage (to avoid the extra charges), and I have never had my hand luggage weighed, so if the case looks small enough, you might be lucky enough to get through with it...
They'll be weighing the passengers and charging by the stone next.
Oops, probably shouldn't have said that on a public forum - may have just given them the idea!
I've flown RyanAir with a mandolin many times. It is not heavier than permitted cabin luggage, but I didn't know that until I weighed it just now, and it's never been weighed at check-in. (It is larger than the permitted cabin luggage, but I always just say nothing, put it behind the desk where the check-in person can't see it, and carry it on.)
I booked an extra seat for it the first time that I flew with it only, and the check-in people just didn't understand what I was doing, so I don't really recommend that approach - it was just a waste of money.
P.S. - I enjoyed Paul Kilduff's entertaining book on the RyanAir phenomenon, 'Ruinair'. One of the lines I liked was the suggestion that O'Leary is going to charge divorced people for there emotional baggage.
THeir policy is here http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=bag&quest=musicalinstruments. We just booked flights from London to Derry and found that if applied to the letter, then a half size fiddle could be charged £28 each way on our 1p flights, so we are bringing an extra suitcase, £9.50 each way. The same may not have been the case if we were talking about an expensive instrument.. but it could be cheaper to send it by courier.. I know that EasyJet who we normally travel with allow musical instrunebts to be carried on..
I flew to Glasgow a few weeks back for the Celtic Connections. I had no hassle taking my fiddle on board. You should be fine, just make sure you don't have any more carry on bags.
If your box is within the size limit you take it on as your sole item of hand baggage. I've never had a problem. The fiddle is potentially a problem because it exceeds the size limit and is recognizable as a musical instrument. The secret is to keep it behind you approaching the desk and put it against the desk where the counterhand can't see it, then take it on as your hand luggage. I've only ever been stopped once and it was my own fault for letting an unusually officious counterhand see the fiddle. Luckily the person at the adjacent check-in told him to let me through!
You should see the size and weight of some of the rucksacks people carry on. My wife always carries on a small siutcase much larger than the limit.
Good Luck.
18 kilos for a box? Is it made of gold?
I have carried my fiddle on as hand luggage and the box went in the hold in a suitcase. The box and enough clothes for a long weekend only came to 12 kilos.
Did you hear the (true) story about the orchestral cello player who needed to take his cello on a British Airways flight. He was made to book two seats - one seat for himself, and the other seat for the cello.
Some months later, he received some promotional material in the mail. There were two letters:
The first letter was addressed to the musician. The second letter was addressed to "Mr Cello"!
18 Kilo- Oh my poor back. That is certainly a box of substance.
Is it a PA?
I have flown domestic in the US and to Ireland with my box...never on Ryanair though. As long as it fits in the overhead, no one has ever said a word (except Security. It has been bomb check at LaGuardia and MacAurthur Long Island. At MacArthur, the lady on the Xray, ran it back and forth a few times before shouting 'Whose is this? And What in the Hell is it?!!!"
Oddly, flying into Shannon, The only comment was Customs, where the fellow check our passports saif he never cared much for accordion music.... Flying out of Dublin, they seemed much more concerned about our daughter bringing a cup of coffee on board.
The DfT guidelines for bona fide musicians (can you prove it?) are on the link below.
Providing it isn't a "large" instrument and providing it won't fit in your hand luggage, you are allowed to take it in the cabin.
The only exception is musical instruments. These are allowed as a second item of cabin baggage if they do not fit into the cabin bag. They will however need to be screened and passengers should check with their airlines as to whether there are special arrangements (e.g. purchasing an extra seat) for these large instruments.
accordion on ryanair flight
accordion on ryanair flight
I'm wondering what to do about taking an accordion on a ryanair flight. It's smaller than their maximum hand luggage dimensions, but a good bit heavier than the 10kg max (it's 18kg).
Will I need to book a separate seat for it?
# Posted on February 16th 2009 by triplet
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
I fly with RyanAir quite a bit and my personal opinion is that they try to screw as much money out of you as possible...
So on that basis there is a reasonable chance that they'll try to charge you for it.
BUT
When traveling with them I usually try to take all my luggage as hand luggage (to avoid the extra charges), and I have never had my hand luggage weighed, so if the case looks small enough, you might be lucky enough to get through with it...
Hope that helps.
# Posted on February 16th 2009 by Ciarán.
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
They'll be weighing the passengers and charging by the stone next.
Oops, probably shouldn't have said that on a public forum - may have just given them the idea!
# Posted on February 16th 2009 by SineadE
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
I've flown RyanAir with a mandolin many times. It is not heavier than permitted cabin luggage, but I didn't know that until I weighed it just now, and it's never been weighed at check-in. (It is larger than the permitted cabin luggage, but I always just say nothing, put it behind the desk where the check-in person can't see it, and carry it on.)
I booked an extra seat for it the first time that I flew with it only, and the check-in people just didn't understand what I was doing, so I don't really recommend that approach - it was just a waste of money.
# Posted on February 16th 2009 by DaveL35
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
P.S. - I enjoyed Paul Kilduff's entertaining book on the RyanAir phenomenon, 'Ruinair'. One of the lines I liked was the suggestion that O'Leary is going to charge divorced people for there emotional baggage.
# Posted on February 16th 2009 by DaveL35
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
Sorry, "their". <hangs head in shame>
# Posted on February 16th 2009 by DaveL35
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
THeir policy is here http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/faqs.php?sect=bag&quest=musicalinstruments. We just booked flights from London to Derry and found that if applied to the letter, then a half size fiddle could be charged £28 each way on our 1p flights, so we are bringing an extra suitcase, £9.50 each way. The same may not have been the case if we were talking about an expensive instrument.. but it could be cheaper to send it by courier.. I know that EasyJet who we normally travel with allow musical instrunebts to be carried on..
# Posted on February 16th 2009 by Rob_McGranny
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
I flew to Glasgow a few weeks back for the Celtic Connections. I had no hassle taking my fiddle on board. You should be fine, just make sure you don't have any more carry on bags.
# Posted on February 16th 2009 by sherryc
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
If your box is within the size limit you take it on as your sole item of hand baggage. I've never had a problem. The fiddle is potentially a problem because it exceeds the size limit and is recognizable as a musical instrument. The secret is to keep it behind you approaching the desk and put it against the desk where the counterhand can't see it, then take it on as your hand luggage. I've only ever been stopped once and it was my own fault for letting an unusually officious counterhand see the fiddle. Luckily the person at the adjacent check-in told him to let me through!
You should see the size and weight of some of the rucksacks people carry on. My wife always carries on a small siutcase much larger than the limit.
Good Luck.
# Posted on February 16th 2009 by Taglione
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
Thanks very much! Very reassuring. Will just have to find a coat now with enormous pockets for the rest of my stuff...
# Posted on February 16th 2009 by triplet
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
I flew back to England with my new bouzouki on Saturday with Ryanair. I booked a seat for the instrument and had no problem at all.
# Posted on February 16th 2009 by Sugarfoot Jack
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
I have a couple of friends who got payed (or maybe just fed and watered!) to play on the first Virgin flights to America!
Have you tried that approach?
# Posted on February 16th 2009 by Rob
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
18 kilos for a box? Is it made of gold?
I have carried my fiddle on as hand luggage and the box went in the hold in a suitcase. The box and enough clothes for a long weekend only came to 12 kilos.
# Posted on February 16th 2009 by tlittlewazzock
"Mr Accordian", maybe ....
Did you hear the (true) story about the orchestral cello player who needed to take his cello on a British Airways flight. He was made to book two seats - one seat for himself, and the other seat for the cello.
Some months later, he received some promotional material in the mail. There were two letters:
The first letter was addressed to the musician. The second letter was addressed to "Mr Cello"!
# Posted on February 17th 2009 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
You're right tlittlewazzock - it's actually just over 8kg. Phew.
# Posted on February 17th 2009 by triplet
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
18 Kilo- Oh my poor back. That is certainly a box of substance.
Is it a PA?
I have flown domestic in the US and to Ireland with my box...never on Ryanair though. As long as it fits in the overhead, no one has ever said a word (except Security. It has been bomb check at LaGuardia and MacAurthur Long Island. At MacArthur, the lady on the Xray, ran it back and forth a few times before shouting 'Whose is this? And What in the Hell is it?!!!"
Oddly, flying into Shannon, The only comment was Customs, where the fellow check our passports saif he never cared much for accordion music.... Flying out of Dublin, they seemed much more concerned about our daughter bringing a cup of coffee on board.
# Posted on February 17th 2009 by zippydw
Re: accordion on ryanair flight
The DfT guidelines for bona fide musicians (can you prove it?) are on the link below.
Providing it isn't a "large" instrument and providing it won't fit in your hand luggage, you are allowed to take it in the cabin.
http://www.dft.gov.uk/transportforyou/airtravel/airportsecurity/requirements
The only exception is musical instruments. These are allowed as a second item of cabin baggage if they do not fit into the cabin bag. They will however need to be screened and passengers should check with their airlines as to whether there are special arrangements (e.g. purchasing an extra seat) for these large instruments.
# Posted on February 18th 2009 by geoffwright