Ha, you mightn't be flying as much as think!! I don't think ferries have much restrictions on baggage and they don't use gazillions of litres of aviation fuel.
I have a sister in London, Gatwick side and she says it's weird. The relative silence is deafening and locals remark 'well dearie, it used to be like this after the war' etc. etc.
Yes - no-one's flying on Ryanair at the moment.
Has this news reached the US of A ?
Volcano shuts down european air travel. Amazing. I hope all the environmentalists are busy getting all the date they can on air pollution, noise pollution, etc. It's quite remarkable.
Only fly in the ointment - schools whose teachers, not to mention pupils, took an Easter break. And we may apparently run out of fresh fruit in the UK.
Not to mention a friend of mine, taking a trip from Australia, currently stuck in Finland. Two choices; wait till the weather changes and/or the volcano stops, or get down to southern Scandinavia and get a ferry, along with everyone else.
Apparently each day's worth of non-flying in UK airspace is equivalent to saving the CO2 emissions of 100,000 households. A good dry-run for when the fossil fuels run out!
>> Since there's no case that fits Ryanair's maximum dimensions (55x40x20cm, while a fiddle-only case would have to be at least 65cm long) I have to look for the smallest possible. <<
You don't need the smallest possible if they're all bigger than Ryanair's max.
If it's too big, it doesn't matter whether it's a bit too big or a lot too big, it will not be allowed as cabin baggage.
..... because a fiddle, even without a case exceeds the 55cm dimension. It's either buy a seat for it, or encase it suitably and check it in.
Flew with Ryanair with a checked in bag for the first time recently. No hassle, the bag drop desk was quick and the bag arrived on the conveyor quickly after the flights, maybe because they carry so little checked in baggage.
Could you put your fiddle in some sort of industrial flight-case and check it in? Suitably padded etc I'm sure it would be fine. For example, have you investigated Peli-cases? I've not heard of musicians using them but I'm sure they would be a pretty good bet - they are used by professionals in all sorts of fields to protect fragile equipment.I have a Canon HD video camera and have a Peli-case for that - it's pretty amazingly protective and is (apparently) even waterproof - the site has a demo of it being thrown into water from a great height and the contents being unscathed (and dry). For me it just means I can throw the thing into the back of the car without worrying. Have a Google of them.
If you are a bona-fide musician (card-carrying), the Dept. of Transport regulations state you are allowed to carry your instrument only, in its case, AND one piece of hand luggage, providing it is not classed as a "large" instrument, for which you probably would want an extra seat.
I think you'll find, Geoff, that the Department of Transport relaxed its own strict requirements for maximum cabin luggage on planes in 2006, but that, since then, the airlines have quietly imposed their own, much more restrictive, rules. There is no legal requirement for the airlines to allow *up to* the maximum allowed under Derpartment of Transport rules. They are simply not allowed to allow *in excess of* those requirements. And the Musicians Union agreement was with the Department of Transport, not the airlines.
Also, watch out for those "extra ticket" prices. Bear in mind that a ticket costing £1.98 (99p each way) is likely to end up costing you £140 or so, with taxes, booking fees etc. PLUS the extra ticket for an instrument does NOT come with its own baggage allowance, so you're still restricted to your own measly hold allowance even though you pay a full extra fare for the instrument.
>Also, watch out for those "extra ticket" prices. Bear in mind that a ticket costing £1.98 (99p each way) is likely to end up costing you £140 or so, with taxes, booking fees etc.
Unfortunately it's on the pricey side, but I've flown with RyanAir between Ireland, the UK, Belgium and Italy and never had any problems.
It means you have to have a separate bow case, but I use a carbon fibre bow while travelling, so I don't mind if has to be checked in. However, it hasn't yet been necessary - RyanAir seem to be much keener on enforcing their "only one bag" rule. One of their Brussels staff recommend putting the fiddle and bow cases into a large tourist/shopping bag such as you'll find on sale in the tattier airport shops. And so far RyanAir have been o.k. with that.
You can have the smallest tightest fiddle case you like but the fiddle itself exceeds the maximum cabin baggage dimension so it's just an opportunity for them to take their E30 whenever they feel like it. If you're not checking baggage in, what about the bow case, put it down your trousers?!!!
Hi - I really think if you want to take your fiddle you should just check it into the hold baggage and make sure it's insured. The Peli-case I suggested above would be pretty immune to anything Ryanair can throw at it - and the fee for a return journey for a musical instrument is EUR50 or so. Last time I flew with the band we had 18 extra instruments. It wasn't cheap but they all got there and back in one piece. I personally wouldn't bother with the carry-on thing - if it's well-packed and insured, just enjoy your flight and save the hassle!
PS I know "enjoy" and "Ryanair" never appear much in the same paragraph, but on the return journey from Sardinia with our band I was so relieved that the instruments got safely there and then on board for the return jouney, I got utterly off my face on miniature bottles of wine. I utterly forgot to collect my hand baggage and had it personally brought to me in the baggage reclaim area.
My experience traveling with my fiddle on RyanAir was that although they were a pain about it, they did allow me to take it as hand baggage. Granted, I followed the "don't ask, don't tell" theory, and kept it on my back during check in (was also in a group of about 6, all with various instruments). And really we weren't given any hassle until we got OFF the flight.
Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
Hello Everyone,
I'm traveling often with Ryanair this Summer but given the awful luggage restrictions for musicians (http://www.ryanair.com/en/questions/can-i-check-in-a-musical-instrument-or-purchase-an-extra-seat-to-carry-it-in-the-cabin), I'm thinking to buy a new case for my fiddle. Since there's no case that fits Ryanair's maximum dimensions (55x40x20cm, while a fiddle-only case would have to be at least 65cm long) I have to look for the smallest possible.
The two more realistic options seem to be these two, does anyone has experience with them?
- BAM trekking
- Gewa "Sport" 307V.
Greetings from an unsatisfied customer in advance!
# Posted on April 18th 2010 by Joao Valente
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
You want the traveller nano. Unless you don't mind the price tag on the bam - but it's about 10x the cost.
# Posted on April 18th 2010 by reenactor
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
Ha, you mightn't be flying as much as think!! I don't think ferries have much restrictions on baggage and they don't use gazillions of litres of aviation fuel.
I have a sister in London, Gatwick side and she says it's weird. The relative silence is deafening and locals remark 'well dearie, it used to be like this after the war' etc. etc.
# Posted on April 18th 2010 by the wounded hussar
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
Yes - no-one's flying on Ryanair at the moment.
Has this news reached the US of A ?
Volcano shuts down european air travel. Amazing. I hope all the environmentalists are busy getting all the date they can on air pollution, noise pollution, etc. It's quite remarkable.
Only fly in the ointment - schools whose teachers, not to mention pupils, took an Easter break. And we may apparently run out of fresh fruit in the UK.
Not to mention a friend of mine, taking a trip from Australia, currently stuck in Finland. Two choices; wait till the weather changes and/or the volcano stops, or get down to southern Scandinavia and get a ferry, along with everyone else.
# Posted on April 18th 2010 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
Apparently each day's worth of non-flying in UK airspace is equivalent to saving the CO2 emissions of 100,000 households. A good dry-run for when the fossil fuels run out!
# Posted on April 18th 2010 by Mark Harmer
My neighbor's kid....
... a teenager on a school trip, is stranded in Venice. Poor kid....
# Posted on April 18th 2010 by David Levine
Poor kid....
Not.
# Posted on April 18th 2010 by David Levine
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
Yes it's lovely to see blue sky again here in the south of England. Now if we can just get rid of the cars...
# Posted on April 18th 2010 by gam
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
This is probably great for the environment. Not so great for the poor people stranded all over the world.
# Posted on April 18th 2010 by DrSilverSpear
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
>> Since there's no case that fits Ryanair's maximum dimensions (55x40x20cm, while a fiddle-only case would have to be at least 65cm long) I have to look for the smallest possible. <<
You don't need the smallest possible if they're all bigger than Ryanair's max.
If it's too big, it doesn't matter whether it's a bit too big or a lot too big, it will not be allowed as cabin baggage.
# Posted on April 18th 2010 by DaveL35
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
..... because a fiddle, even without a case exceeds the 55cm dimension. It's either buy a seat for it, or encase it suitably and check it in.
Flew with Ryanair with a checked in bag for the first time recently. No hassle, the bag drop desk was quick and the bag arrived on the conveyor quickly after the flights, maybe because they carry so little checked in baggage.
# Posted on April 18th 2010 by TomB-R
Not so great for the poor people stranded all over the world.
Not to minimize the inconvenience of being stranded, but poor people seldom take airplanes on holidays.
# Posted on April 19th 2010 by David Levine
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
I took mine, but it didn't enjoy it at all!
# Posted on April 19th 2010 by TomB-R
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
Could you put your fiddle in some sort of industrial flight-case and check it in? Suitably padded etc I'm sure it would be fine. For example, have you investigated Peli-cases? I've not heard of musicians using them but I'm sure they would be a pretty good bet - they are used by professionals in all sorts of fields to protect fragile equipment.I have a Canon HD video camera and have a Peli-case for that - it's pretty amazingly protective and is (apparently) even waterproof - the site has a demo of it being thrown into water from a great height and the contents being unscathed (and dry). For me it just means I can throw the thing into the back of the car without worrying. Have a Google of them.
# Posted on April 19th 2010 by Mark Harmer
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
...or even *for* them! A Google of Peli-cases would probably cost rather a lot!
# Posted on April 19th 2010 by Mark Harmer
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
With Ryanair, it's often cheaper to buy an extra seat than to pay for a checked-in bag anyway.
# Posted on April 19th 2010 by DaveL35
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
If you are a bona-fide musician (card-carrying), the Dept. of Transport regulations state you are allowed to carry your instrument only, in its case, AND one piece of hand luggage, providing it is not classed as a "large" instrument, for which you probably would want an extra seat.
# Posted on April 19th 2010 by geoffwright
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
I think you'll find, Geoff, that the Department of Transport relaxed its own strict requirements for maximum cabin luggage on planes in 2006, but that, since then, the airlines have quietly imposed their own, much more restrictive, rules. There is no legal requirement for the airlines to allow *up to* the maximum allowed under Derpartment of Transport rules. They are simply not allowed to allow *in excess of* those requirements. And the Musicians Union agreement was with the Department of Transport, not the airlines.
Also, watch out for those "extra ticket" prices. Bear in mind that a ticket costing £1.98 (99p each way) is likely to end up costing you £140 or so, with taxes, booking fees etc. PLUS the extra ticket for an instrument does NOT come with its own baggage allowance, so you're still restricted to your own measly hold allowance even though you pay a full extra fare for the instrument.
My advice is to take up flute.
# Posted on April 19th 2010 by ethical blend
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
Whatever happened to RyanAir's proposal to put in hang straps?
# Posted on April 19th 2010 by zippydw
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
So we can hang the boss ?
# Posted on April 19th 2010 by Guernsey Pete
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
>Also, watch out for those "extra ticket" prices. Bear in mind that a ticket costing £1.98 (99p each way) is likely to end up costing you £140 or so, with taxes, booking fees etc.
Surely taxes are just for people?
# Posted on April 19th 2010 by melodica
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
BAM make an overhead case:
http://www.bamcases.com/new/english/string/violinH.php?recordID=34
Unfortunately it's on the pricey side, but I've flown with RyanAir between Ireland, the UK, Belgium and Italy and never had any problems.
It means you have to have a separate bow case, but I use a carbon fibre bow while travelling, so I don't mind if has to be checked in. However, it hasn't yet been necessary - RyanAir seem to be much keener on enforcing their "only one bag" rule. One of their Brussels staff recommend putting the fiddle and bow cases into a large tourist/shopping bag such as you'll find on sale in the tattier airport shops. And so far RyanAir have been o.k. with that.
# Posted on April 19th 2010 by Just a person
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
You can have the smallest tightest fiddle case you like but the fiddle itself exceeds the maximum cabin baggage dimension so it's just an opportunity for them to take their E30 whenever they feel like it. If you're not checking baggage in, what about the bow case, put it down your trousers?!!!
# Posted on April 19th 2010 by TomB-R
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
Hi - I really think if you want to take your fiddle you should just check it into the hold baggage and make sure it's insured. The Peli-case I suggested above would be pretty immune to anything Ryanair can throw at it - and the fee for a return journey for a musical instrument is EUR50 or so. Last time I flew with the band we had 18 extra instruments. It wasn't cheap but they all got there and back in one piece. I personally wouldn't bother with the carry-on thing - if it's well-packed and insured, just enjoy your flight and save the hassle!
# Posted on April 20th 2010 by Mark Harmer
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
PS I know "enjoy" and "Ryanair" never appear much in the same paragraph, but on the return journey from Sardinia with our band I was so relieved that the instruments got safely there and then on board for the return jouney, I got utterly off my face on miniature bottles of wine. I utterly forgot to collect my hand baggage and had it personally brought to me in the baggage reclaim area.
# Posted on April 20th 2010 by Mark Harmer
Re: Ryanair & fiddles: which bag would be best?
My experience traveling with my fiddle on RyanAir was that although they were a pain about it, they did allow me to take it as hand baggage. Granted, I followed the "don't ask, don't tell" theory, and kept it on my back during check in (was also in a group of about 6, all with various instruments). And really we weren't given any hassle until we got OFF the flight.
# Posted on April 25th 2010 by Amy J