Mandolin-carry on luggage?

[Mike Arakelian]

I have to be away for nine days and want to take my Mando with me. Southwest's carry on limit is 20". Both my case and my gig bag measure at 24". Has anybody had experience with taking their Mando on the plane? I'm afraid to take a chance and have somebody tell me at the gate that I have to check it. Thanks for any input.

[Graham McDonald]

The gig bag over your shoulder usually works just fine, and I haven't been questioned on the several times I have flown with SouthWest. The trick is to check-in online 23 hours and 59 minutes before your flight leaves to get into the first group onto the plane and get the gig bag into the overhead early. The only worry is those people who travel with the maximum size for the overhead roll-on suitcase and want to ram three of them into each overhead compartment regardless of what else might be in there. A little negotiation with other folks who have soft backpacks means you can find a compartment that will take the mandolin without risking damage. Southwest won't be you problem, other passengers might.

cheers

I have to be away for nine days and want to take my Mando with me. Southwest's carry on limit is 20". Both my case and my gig bag measure at 24". Has anybody had experience with taking their Mando on the plane? I'm afraid to take a chance and have somebody tell me at the gate that I have to check it. Thanks for any input.

[Dick Dery]

Southwest's carry on limit is 20". Both my case and my gig bag measure at 24". Has anybody had experience with taking their Mando on the plane?


My Backpacker in it's soft case is just under 27". I've never tried to hide it, and place it in the overhead on Southwest flights. The cabin staff have always been very helpful. Pick your preferred case, and try to board as early as possible.That may help you get to the overhead before anybody else can put something in it. It would probably be best if your mando was on the "bottom of the pile."

I think the 20" may be for underseat items. I've seen people try to put fairly large suitcases in the overhead.

Please post if your mandolin has any problems.

Good luck

[Steve Sorensen]

You can always carry on mandolins and guitars . . . if the case fits in the overhead bins. But, the instrument is your one carry-on item. Don't even think about also towing a rolling suitcase in addition to the instrument! If the overhead bins are full, often you can stow in the crew's closet.

Steve

[verbs4us]

I never bring my Weber in the softcase; always the HSC because there is always some gorilla who will stuff a rollerboard full of lead on top. You can't predict how stuffed the overheads will be. Never had a problem and never had trouble finding space for the mando. Bring it on every business trip; cheaper than psychotherpy and more effective. Often, as StevenS said, the crew is sympathetic to "isn't that a banjo...?" and will put it up front in the first class closet if overheads are stuffed.

[UncleDave]

I've flown many times (but not S'west) with a FULL daypack under the seat (my "purse") and my first string mando in a hard case as my "carry-on". Never a question or problem. Sometimes it gets jammed pretty severely overhead, but the Weber case does well. One time, overhead was full, so stewardess stashed it in first class, handing to me as I departed; I don't know if it got free drinks, but it was happy when we landed. No way would I risk using a soft shell gig bag.

[craigw]

I've flown Southwest two trips in the last 60 days, the first in and out Burbank to Denver and then Burbank to Raleigh for IBMA. On the Denver trip I carried on both a guitar in a Travelite and mandolin in a Calton. I was hassled only once by the ticket clerk on return from Denver that I could only carry one item. I was expecting to have to gate check as I entered the plane but the attendants said not a word and both instruments went in the overhead. On the Raleigh trip I had two mandos in Travelites which I could carry together with one hand and I was never questioned, period! Even with several transfers there was never a hassle. I have to add that for both trips I paid for an "earlybird" booking fee of $12.50 each way that pretty much assures an "A" boarding.
pass. The only glitch that I encountered was having my initial flight from Burbank to Raleigh canceled, probably due to a mechanical problem. When I rebooked another flight my "earlybird" was gone. Because of having the two instruments I bit the bullet and paid a $40 fee on each of two legs ($80) for business boarding (as long as they aren't sold out) which guarantees being in the first 15 "A" boarders even if you are a late arrival at the terminal. The first leg was A-8 and the second was A-4. If I hadn't done that I most likely would have had a "C" pass way at the back of the line and may have had to gate check one of the instruments.

[Mike Arakelian]

Thanks all...your comments make me breathe easier. I think my HSC and no second piece of carry on will do the trick. Oh, and definitely checking in on-line 23 hours and 59&1/2 minutes before.

Mike

[LA Mando]

I've even had success arriving early and nicely asking the gate agent if I can board early so that I can check to see if the mandolin will fit. Sometimes the overhead bins on small planes won't fit, so I can then walk back toward the front and use the first class closet. Many airlines have been extremely accommodating with this. I also try to book a window seat in case I need to slide it under the seat and not block the aisle.

I detune the strings prior to travel. Do others do this?

[Mike Arakelian]

Thanks Steve. I stopped by your exhibit at IBMA. You have some beautiful instruments!

Mike

[Clockwork John]

I've flown many times with my mandolin in a gig bag and an overstuffed messenger bag... Most airlines allow a carry on and a personal item these days, but you may have to pay a small fee for the carry on. If the overhead bins are full, I've carefully amd discreetly tucked the mando under my seat with the neck between my legs, and I've never had any problems.

[Clef]

Mandolin players have it easy for carry on luggage. Even though the case it technically larger than allowed, I doubt anyone would ever say anything. Take a look at the carry on luggage that parents with young kids have. They get on board with enough stuff to fill several overhead compartments. The key is to board the plan early. Don't be the last one on the plane.

The last time I traveled with an instrument was with a guitar. I had my deep bowl Ovation acoustic in the giant hard shell case. I had no issues at all on Southwest Airlines. No one even questioned it or even commented on my large guitar case. I boarded early and put the guitar in the overhead compartment. As the passengers piled on the plane, another musician had a lute in a hard shell case. He saw my guitar and put his lute next to my guitar.

[RobP]

I have flown SW lots of times - never a problem brining a hard case as a carryon. SW is nice because you can check your main bag for free. I do always pay the extra for early bird boarding though, so I can get on the plane early and get a good spot for the mando in an overhead bin.

Good Luck

[Clef]

I detune the strings prior to travel. Do others do this?

Yes I always tune down a full step before I get on the plane. I'm not sure if it's necessary or not, but I do it anyway.

[Mandolindian]

Always travel with my mandolin in a fitted HSC and one carry on luggage with no problem. Most times they put my Mandolin in a closet for me.

[Pasha Alden]

Thanks to Graham. That was useful!
May travel with my mandolin soon and the tips for storing is helpful. I will fisrst check with SAA though, or British Airways.

Regards

Pasha Alden aka vanillamandolin

[Pasha Alden]

I would certainly also travel with a hard case.

[300win]

I was thinking about taking my mandolin with me during the last of August through the first week of September when my wife and I visited our oldest son in California, but I didn't because of the measurement restriction of carry-on luggage. Now I wish I had for during the entire flights out and returns I saw as carry-ons fiddles, saxs, one banjo, and 3 guitars, one of which was full blown D size. We flew Delta so it looks like the info they have about carry-on is not enforced.

[jso]

The last cheap flight I undertook, with strict money-making restrictions on only taking one piece of hand luggage, and me not wanting to pay to put a suitcase in the hold either, I packed all my worldly goods into the gigbag with the mandolin. Although the mandolin ended up very well cushioned, and the gigbag almost bursting at the seams, I travelled much lighter than usual! It was quite liberating actually.

[randolin]

No matter what ANYONE says there is absolutely NO guarantee that you will be allowed to take your instrument on board a flight unless you buy a seat for it. Our flight from Raleigh to LAX was full and ALL carry-on instruments were gate checked.... the flight attendant announced that there were too many musicians on board and not enough room in the cabin for all the instruments and to avoid holding a lottery that would have delayed the flight they were hand carrying all the instruments to a valet place in the luggage hold. No amount of begging or "discussion" with the gate crew was going to change their mind. Luckily all our instruments survived but it was a tense flight for the owner of the brand new $7500 fiddle sitting next to me. Be forewarned and pack your instruments accordingly.

[Jim]

I carry on a Mandolin in a gig bag with no problem ever. If I put it overhead I often wait until the other passengers have put their heavy roll on bags in the storage so mine goes on top. I've stuck the mandolin under the seat on short trips too. I stic a book over the head and sometimes a magazie over the bridge. I never detune a carry on , however I do detune an instument checked in a hard case.

[mandroid]

Get there so you are on board and seated early, and the OHC is still empty.

[moxie]

I flew Southwest last month from Tucson to Indianapolis roundtrip. Checked in online 24 hrs. early, both ways carried my mando case in a tennis racket bag over my shoulder and had no trouble on three of the four legs of the trip.The trouble occurred when a late boarder with a giant carry-on moved my mando from sideways in the overhead to having the neck sticking out! The Southwest flight attendants were great. When they came along for the final check loudly berating whatever jerk would do such a thing. It was my first flight on SW although my wife uses them a lot for business. Won't be my last MMc

[dhbailey]

What would be the benefit of detuning before flying? to relieve pressure on the neck and bridge in the case of extra bumps and thumps?

[MikeEdgerton]

The problem is that for every person that has never had a problem there could be one that does have a problem and that might be you. I would never fly with an instrument in a gig bag. I've had to gate check instruments in the past that ended up going to Mexico for a few days before coming home. So much for the "they always put it in the first class closet" idea. They don't always do anything. Hope for the best but plan for the worst.