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Carry Your Guitar on a Plane

AIRLINES MUST LET YOU BRING YOUR GUITAR AS A CARRY ON

Guitar Baggage.jpg

If you own a guitar, how many times have you planned a trip and then thought...

  1. How will I manage to fly with my guitar?

  2. I wonder IF I can bring my guitar on the plane?

  3. How much more will the airline charge me to bring my guitar?

I won’t make this a long article because the Law says it ALL… The only thing I will add is that the last three times I’ve flown I HAVE NOT paid extra to bring my guitar, it was brought on the plane as a free carry on. Where was the guitar put you might be thinking???

  • 2x my guitar was placed in a closet in the front of the plane

  • 1x my guitar was placed in the overhead storage (where your carry on bag goes)

Anyway read below and check out the EXTREMELY cool FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012!

FAA Modernization and Reform Act of 2012

SEC. 403. MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. 

(a) IN GENERAL—Subchapter I of chapter 417 is amended by adding at the end the following:

‘‘§ 41724. Musical instruments 

‘‘(a) IN GENERAL—

(1) SMALL INSTRUMENTS AS CARRY-ON BAGGAGE

An air carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to any standard fee that carrier may require for comparable carry-on baggage, if—

  • ‘‘(A) the instrument can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or under a passenger seat, in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Administrator; and

  • ‘‘(B) there is space for such stowage at the time the passenger boards the aircraft.

For instruments too large to fit in an overhead or under your seat, you can bring them aboard but you do have to buy another ticket:

(2) LARGER INSTRUMENTS AS CARRY-ON BAGGAGE.

An air carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a musical instrument that is too large to meet the requirements of paragraph (1) in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to the cost of the additional ticket described in subparagraph (E), if—

  • ‘‘(A) the instrument is contained in a case or covered so as to avoid injury to other passengers;

  • ‘‘(B) the weight of the instrument, including the case or covering, does not exceed 165 pounds or the applicable  weight restrictions for the aircraft.

  • ‘‘(C) the instrument can be stowed in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or  cargo established by the Administrator;

  • ‘‘(D) neither the instrument nor the case contains any object not otherwise permitted to be carried in an aircraft  cabin because of a law or regulation of the United States; and

  • ‘‘(E) the passenger wishing to carry the instrument in the aircraft cabin has purchased an additional seat to accommodate the instrument.

Tips For Travel

  1. Consider A Soft Gig-Bag. 

    • Hardshell cases are sometimes too big to fit in overhead compartments

  2. Stuff Stuff...

    • Guitars are light and you're usually allowed up to 35 lbs in a carry on. Stuff clothes inside your case with your guitar and anything else that can possibly fit that won't break anything.

  3. . Remember???

    • Tuner/Strings/Picks/Capo/Cables/Practice Amp (if you can)

  4. Ask

    1. Try to get your guitar put inside a closet as opposed to having it put in the overhead compartment (people throw their bags up there and if you aren't paying attention they will SQUISH your guitar!

I hope that this helped to shed some light on the fact that YOU CAN BRING YOUR GUITAR ON THE AIRPLANE :)