PSA: No instruments allowed as carry-ons on BA planes!

Cabicular

Moe_Zambeek said:

Grangousier said:

Another small change is that until recently if you had a Club class ticket for one leg of a journey, you'd have the second bag for both legs. So it sometimes turned out cheaper to get Club for the return journey (which sometimes was a blessing in itself, depending on how intense the trip had been) than Economy with extra bags for both. But they've cottoned on to that now, so no more free sandwiches. 

The thing about Club is (apart from all the free sandwiches, and I have done scientific experiments into exactly how much free food and drink I can shovel into myself and still make the flight) - all those tiny irritations that make flying so unpleasant just go away. 

I've long worked on the assumption that Ryan Air work as R&D for the airline industry - their job is to find out exactly how much shit people will put up with, and the technically more reputable airlines pick and choose from their findings. I flew between Stansted and Lübeck a lot during 2004 and it was fine, if basic. I think it would be unbearable now. 

I used to hate Ryanair but they are a lot better now. I always get speedy boarding and add bags and pay upfront for anything I think I need, so it's cheap, reliable and predictable. They also (in holiday world) fly to some tiny airports without acres of shitty shops and queues everywhere (Beziers airport is airport perfection - 2 gates, one shop, one snack bar).

I still do
I’d rather not go than fly with those dicks
O’Leary is the worst aspect of commercialism and a lot of what is currently wrong with the airline industry can be traced back to the introduction of budget airlines IMO

barnstorm

Grangousier said:

Another small change is that until recently if you had a Club class ticket for one leg of a journey, you'd have the second bag for both legs. So it sometimes turned out cheaper to get Club for the return journey (which sometimes was a blessing in itself, depending on how intense the trip had been) than Economy with extra bags for both. But they've cottoned on to that now, so no more free sandwiches. 

The thing about Club is (apart from all the free sandwiches, and I have done scientific experiments into exactly how much free food and drink I can shovel into myself and still make the flight) - all those tiny irritations that make flying so unpleasant just go away. 

I've long worked on the assumption that Ryan Air work as R&D for the airline industry - their job is to find out exactly how much shit people will put up with, and the technically more reputable airlines pick and choose from their findings. I flew between Stansted and Lübeck a lot during 2004 and it was fine, if basic. I think it would be unbearable now. 

I used to fly that route regularly, too, but they scrapped it. I avoid Ryanair wherever possible these days, in part because they treat their staff so miserably.

Grangousier

Though the last time I tried the low-cost airline thing (a few years ago - it's not that I've gone upmarket, but I've flown a lot less so can afford to be a bit choosier), it was GermanWings. Like Lufthansa were deliberately trying to emulate Ryan Air in every hideous detail. 

Sometimes I even look at the Seat61 website and try to work out whether I can afford the time to go by train. With the instrument charges it can be competitive on price, as long as you don't want to go anywhere in the UK. Then it's always cheaper to fly. 

(half-joke)

Jez6345789

Sadly I have been lumbered with BA for most of my international travel last year although managed to get Virgin to Shanghai but New Orleans meant a long layover in one of the worst hubs so BA was the only direct option. Again last year we used BA twice and its a loathsome experience. Starting to think the layovers say taking Virgin to East or West coast and internal after that is better than direct. 

It was a long time ago but I used to take my Acoustic guitar with me back in the 70's just through it in a soft case and it went everywhere and I mean everywhere Japan, Capetown, South America, USA  never worried they would smash it and it always came up the conveyor in one piece not sure I would be that trusting now. 

That said those were the days when even in cattle class BA served you a steak on china plates with real cutlery. 

That said I work either from the UK or the place in Spain if I can work remote for 6 weeks for the last couple of years and have to say EasyJet as long as you pay the bit for Speedy boarding they seem to care not if you bring a guitar and throw it in the overhead.  So I always keep a few here and swap them each time I come out. 

The biggest problem flying into Murcia is all the retired expats who being on their lovely index-linked pensions have made saving money an art form so before they unwrap their sandwiches and thermos flask they moan at the cabin crew and kick off that there is a guitar in the overhead. Of course, they feel they own the plane and they have their roll on cases packed to overflowing with whatever they can get cheaper in the UK as they obviously do not want to pay to take luggage.  Start moaning about not wanting their rollon placed in the hold blah blah. 

If I ever get like that take me out and shoot me

Dominic

Majorscale said:

Made it to Spain, (soft) case looks OK but dare not open it yet as it’s pretty chilly...

Not half as chilly as it would have been in the cargo hold !

57Deluxe

surely if you can afford a Collings you can afford to charter your own jet??

Majorscale

Good news folks, the guitar made it unscathed. Here it is at soundcheck, the gig is tonight.

Bridgehouse

BA? Planes?

I ain't going on no plane.

gibsongretschfan

Clothes in the hand luggage and guitar in the hold. The lightest guitar you own that doesn’t have an angled headstock with string tension down a tone in a proper flightcase and cross your fingers

crunchman

Fly with someone else

Jalapeno

Clearly want to lose their US market share .... I have taken a hold-donor bag which has saved face for jobsworth at the check-in/gate, allowing guitar & gig-bag for the overhead. Also regarding the cupboard - being told by jobsworth "that's only for Business Class", and having to remind them "I am in Business Class" ... didn't work so donor bag wins again !

webrthomson

crunchman said:

Fly with someone else

^ This - have  a wis!

mistercharlie

Dominic said:

Majorscale said:

Made it to Spain, (soft) case looks OK but dare not open it yet as it’s pretty chilly...

Not half as chilly as it would have been in the cargo hold !

On the small-ish airliners we use in Europe I believe the hold is also heated. That it, it’s not particularly isolated from the passenger part, so it’s both pressurized, and not cold. 

mistercharlie

ToneControl said:

which airlines do allow guitar carry-on?

EasyJet. Never had a problem. You can even take a small bag as carry-on too. 

Musical instruments are permitted for carriage as Hand Baggage provided that the instrument, including its case, does not exceed 30cm x 120cm x 38cm. Violins, violas, piccolos, flutes, clarinets, bugles and trumpets all fall within these dimensions. Carriage as Hand Baggage is subject to available space in the overhead lockers and strictly at the Captain's discretion. Please note the instrument will be classed as Your one allowed piece of Hand Baggage.

http://www.easyjet.com/en/terms-and-conditions/music-instruments

cbellanga

Great stage by the way!

Majorscale

cbellanga said:

Great stage by the way!

Yes, it was a nice one...the sound was epic!

Clarky

I've been sticking my guitars in the overhead locker for decades..
I'd take one and the singer would take the other..
meant they travelled for free and I knew where they were when I arrived...

in 2017 all that changed and I had to buy a double flight case to take both of my V's
which is huge and weight in at 30kg loaded
so it's an extra piece of luggage and also has a weight penalty

pisses off me [lugging it around], the baggage handlers [cos it's not easy to throw], and the promoter [cos the extra costs]..
I think this is just another money making thing from the airlines

we fly with a lot of kit, so we've always tried to fly with the perceived 'better' airlines when going out on tour because they tended to have better weight limits and lower extra baggage charges..
2017 saw all that reversed...
BA was the worst, and Easy Jet came out on top [provided you prebook everything and know the exact weight of everything at the time of booking].. which surprised all of us..

Jalapeno

If they allowed guitars the same treatment at pushchairs I'd be happy !

Drop off on boarding, collect at the bottom of the steps. Perfect !

DLM

More on the viola da gamba:

https://www.thestrad.com/news/destroyed-viola-da-gamba-update-further-info-from-owner-plus-alitalia-responds/7426.article

@Jalapeno They often don't get it right with the pushchairs either: raging mums having to carry their kids to baggage reclaim.

Jalapeno

DLM said:

More on the viola da gamba:

https://www.thestrad.com/news/destroyed-viola-da-gamba-update-further-info-from-owner-plus-alitalia-responds/7426.article

@Jalapeno They often don't get it right with the pushchairs either: raging mums having to carry their kids to baggage reclaim.

Indeed - exactly the issue with the Viol-de-Gamba ....