flying on united w/mando

[dwilken]

flying to belize friday on united. hoping to take a mandolin with me. i have an alvarez in a hardshell case that looks like a mini telecaster case. i've read the old threads about taking along as a carry on, i wonder if anyone has any up to the moment info. i guess i'm just a little nervous. if seems too long to go under the seat. looking for any advice i guess. i was hoping i could put it in a little uke gig bag but it doesn't fit in that.

[JeffD]

I just flew across the country and back, with my Weber A2, and only got questioned once. No problems.

Flying outside the country I would be more concerned with the CITES regulations. Not a deal breaker, but I would do some homework and assess the risk.

[dwilken]

i guess i'm having a hard time picturing the size of the overhead bins. not knowing if my case will fit in there makes me nervous. it definitely seems too long to go under the seat.

[wellvis@well.com]

Without knowing the type of jet you'll be flying in, it's hard to say for sure, but I've never had any problems fitting a standard sized resonator guitar in a United overhead bin, so I doubt your mandolin will have problems fitting.

[RBMB]

Should easily fit under the seat on the bigger jets. I've fit mandolins in Caltons and Travelites under seats. I even fit a Voyage-air dread on one trip.

[dwilken]

thanks. i'm feeling comfortable now~!!!!!

[Mike Scott]

I just flew from Portland to New Orleans with a lap steel (far bigger than my mandolin) on United. No problems with carrying it on the plane. Good luck!

[LA Mando]

On smaller regional United planes, the mando won't fit in the overhead compartment. In those instances, I very politely asked the person at the gate if I could board early to have access to the closet onboard without holding up the other passengers. They were very accommodating and I stored it in the closet. I also book window seats when taking the mando so that if I have to, I can put it under the seat against the wall where it won't be in the way.

[Astro]

To Belize City will be a medium jet. Anywhere else (Ambergris Key etc) will be a tiny plane. In the tiny planes in Belize, anything goes. You can hold it in your lap and play it while you Fly if you want to.

The humidity there is like 100%. Take a carbon one if you can

[KEB]

The only plane's I'd be worried about are Commuter planes -- Md-80s, Candair Regional Jets, and the occasional Dash-8, embraer, or Saab340. They tend to have less height in the overhead, and my case has had some problems in those planes, but if you're looking at a normal jumbo jet- 737 or higher or most any airbus model you'll be fine.

You do want to get on the plane as early as possible though-- most of the time I try to be polite and not hover by the gate to be the first in my "section" to get on the plane, but when I have my instrument and I want to make sure it's not gate-checked, I join the crowd of over-eager jerks ready to rush onto the plane. If you're flying southwest (don't think they fly to belize, but I could be wrong), make sure to do the online checkin as early as possible.

Where you going in Belize?

[MandoDave1]

I fly routinely and often use United. I usually take a mandolin in a hardshell case or padded gig bag and have never had a problem with the overhead bins.

[Graing]

To Belize City will be a medium jet. Anywhere else (Ambergris Key etc) will be a tiny plane. In the tiny planes in Belize, anything goes. You can hold it in your lap and play it while you Fly if you want to.

The humidity there is like 100%. Take a carbon one if you can

You can also take the ferry over to Ambergris I think. The little 4 or 8 seater planes to the cayes are pulse pounding!
Makes the kamikazees taste that much better though