Flying with a Mandolin on Jet Blue

[Kayakboy]

I am flying Jet Blue this Friday cross country. I read the other post, and it didnt seem like anybody has ever had trouble, but with a portion of my life savings in question, I can't help but be paranoid. I e mailed Jet Blue and they said that the max carry on dimensions are 24x16X10. I have a case that came with the Rigel, and I know it is bigger than that. Should I use my leather gig bag? What happens if they say it cant come aboard? Thanks for the responses, Ty

[otterly2k]

I'd use the gig bag and keep it very close to me... stashed under the seat between my feet (not in overhead bin). If you're going to be gone for a long time or for some reason need the better protection of the other case while you're there... check the empty case as luggage.

If the measurements of the Rigel case is CLOSE to the max. measurement, in my experience they don't generally bump carryons that are reasonable carry on size unless the flight is REALLY full (more and more people are trying to take everythign on the plane with them... it can fill up).
But if you want to be extra sure...use the gig bag and keep it with you at all times.

[8ch(pl)]

Last time I flew I had the seat furthest back on the aircraft. I set my mandolin on the floor between the seat and the rear bulkhead. Lots of room. Maybe if you got the rear aisle seat you could do the same. My flight was an Airbus.

[derekbyron]

I've carried my Gibson J45 (in a gig bag) on the plane with very little hassle. The one time they did try to get me to check it at the gate, I let them know that I've always traveled with it and never had a problem on any other airline. I also mentioned that it was worth several thousand dollars and they would be responsible if it got damaged. Not really sure if that is true or not, and it's not worth much more than a grand - but they didn't know that.

[rhfeiner]

Check out: www.cottagemusic.net and follow the link to:Travelling with musiclal instruments. There is a printable letter from the Transportation Dept stating the policy allowing musicla instruments to be carried on flights and not to be counted as carry on luggae\ge.

[mandolidaho]

I have flown several times with my mandolin, in a hard case, carrying it on the plane with me. I usually put it in an overhead bin. The only thing anyone ever said was, while I was getting off the plane, "what, no entertainment?" I would carry your instrument in the hard case. Good Luck

Chris

[mandible]

Kayakboy,

I've flown my Rigel on Jet Blue, in its standard case, and had no problems with it in the overhead. I was flying Orlando to Burlington, VT, so you will probably be on a larger aircraft, which is even less likely to be a problem. I think Otterly's counsel is right on, and I've carried mandolins in a gig bag exactly as he describes, but you should be fine: that case is just about 5 inches longer on the 24" dimension, and people flout that rule all the time.

The only problem you may face is competition for space in the overhead, and the best way to deal with that is get on as early as possible, and sit as far back as possible (overhead space up front fills up first).

Enjoy the trip.

[mnashelsky]

I've travelled with my Rigel in the rectangular case and my old Gibson A in the original shaped case. Many times. Walked on with the confidence of a professional musician (which I'm not!) and just stuck it in the overhead bin. I've never been questioned by an airline employee or TSA person. But another passenger once asked me what kind of tennis racquet I was carrying!

[J. Mark Lane]

Not Jet Blue but I just flew from NYC to San Francisco today on American (out of JFK), with my Glenn mandolin in a gigbag. Actually, I put it in a Superior gigbag, and then put that inside a Colorado Case padded case that I've had for years. Pretty tight fit and pretty well padded.

Anyway, no one even asked me any questions (and security at JFK is tight these days). Fit nicely in the overhead. If there had been anything large in my overhead, the laptop would have gone there and the mando under my seat. All arrived safely.

Oh, and...the weather in San Francisco was *beautiful* today!

[TeleMark]

Another JetBlue flyer with mando... My Breedlove was in a Travelite and I found plenty of overhead space for the instrument even though I was one of the last people on a full flight.

I travel a LOT for business (mostly United) and overhead space is always a premium. With JetBlue you seem to have a lot of vacation travelers who check their luggage so many of the bins were vacant. YMMV.

[t7389sg]

I flew to Long Beach from Dulles last month with my mandolin in a pegasas case and had no problems at all. I carried it on and stuck it in the overhead. Plenty of people smashed their carry-on's on top of it and the pegasas did not seem to mind. I love Jet Blue. #Steve G

[mandofiddle]

Don't know about mandolins, but I tried to fly from Dallas to Denver on a trip back from Mexico, and TSA wouldn't let me through the checkpoint with it (after I had made it through customs). They said that the rules had just changed about allowing guitars on planes. Though I didn't have any trouble going from Denver to Dallas 5 days earlier...? I mentioned to TSA letter to multiple TSA people as well as an airline ticket agent, and they all said the same thing. Has anybody heard anything about this? I sent an email to TSA. Let's see if I hear anything back.

[Chris "Bucket" Thomas]

Another JetBlue flyer with mando[QUOTE]

And, at last count-three JetBlue Pilots play mando(BG). Two Mike Kelly's and a Randy Wood in the mix.

I take mine to work w/ me http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif