I started this as a topic specific to the Guernsey event, but then thought if might be useful as general guide for those who at some stage may want to fly with their guitar - what a lovely thought so for you brave travellers coming here (or going there) by air here a few tips as to how to keep your instruments intact with the local airlines - airlines, Ha Ha that sounds a bit grand for Guernsey!
Right, I'll probably get sued for saying some of this but here we go.... there are two main carriers - Flybe.com and Aurigny.com. First, it's important to realise that all flights in and out can be severly affected by the weather not just here but in England as well.
Of the two, Aurigny are the smaller (and more rickety!) but are generally the more user friendly as they just serve the islands whereas Flybe tries to go everywhere and when things start to go wrong well the on-board staff are usually fine but they take their orders from on high, Okeh? Now, having said that most things run pretty much to time so don't panic...yet
Basically for any air travel you need a good strong guitar case, as an example I've got a Carlton case and they still manage to gouge that :shocked: However, for ages I used a pretty standard case with extra straps and I when Ian McWee came over he cunningly taped some steel rods up the neck of his case to reinforce it - just do whatever you think is safe, what have you to loose. Now, It's not as bad as it sounds as lots of funny things get sent over here - Hello !!
Another good example is a mother, young baby and the ubiquitous buggy in those cases they will allow her to take\wheel it to the plane and the then put it in the hold at the steps - got it? So when you check in ask if you can take you guitar to the plane so it gets carefully put in the hold and then at the other end ask for it back sometimes they offer that option to you - who knows if the flight is not that full you might be able to talk them into taking it on board with you, when HomesickMac came over they let him take gigbag in the cabin - depends who is doing it, so just sweet talk 'em into it like any good Weenie should!!!
On a practical note, it seems to be the thing to slacken off the strings somewhat (not totally) before travel, the reason being that the baggage hold of an aircraft is usually VERY cold (particularly on a long transatlantic flight) and the expansion\contraction bit between wood and metal with tensioned strings could result in something nasty happening. Although, personally, with the all metal tricone I don't bother since no flight from here is longer than an hour in the air (Southampton only 25 mins max!!) and they only make it up to 15,000 feet max anyway, whoops that sounds good!!
Ah, one other tip regarding actually packing the guitar in the case (if it does not fit like a glove, as the Carlton cases do) then the stuff the voids all around the guitar with crumpled newspaper. Be particulary carefull around the neck as it is the shock of the guitar being inadvertently dropped on its nose and moving forward in the case to wreck the headstock that is the danger.
A safe trip and I rest my case, sorry I couldn't resist that
Right, I'll probably get sued for saying some of this but here we go.... there are two main carriers - Flybe.com and Aurigny.com. First, it's important to realise that all flights in and out can be severly affected by the weather not just here but in England as well.
Of the two, Aurigny are the smaller (and more rickety!) but are generally the more user friendly as they just serve the islands whereas Flybe tries to go everywhere and when things start to go wrong well the on-board staff are usually fine but they take their orders from on high, Okeh? Now, having said that most things run pretty much to time so don't panic...yet
Basically for any air travel you need a good strong guitar case, as an example I've got a Carlton case and they still manage to gouge that :shocked: However, for ages I used a pretty standard case with extra straps and I when Ian McWee came over he cunningly taped some steel rods up the neck of his case to reinforce it - just do whatever you think is safe, what have you to loose. Now, It's not as bad as it sounds as lots of funny things get sent over here - Hello !!
Another good example is a mother, young baby and the ubiquitous buggy in those cases they will allow her to take\wheel it to the plane and the then put it in the hold at the steps - got it? So when you check in ask if you can take you guitar to the plane so it gets carefully put in the hold and then at the other end ask for it back sometimes they offer that option to you - who knows if the flight is not that full you might be able to talk them into taking it on board with you, when HomesickMac came over they let him take gigbag in the cabin - depends who is doing it, so just sweet talk 'em into it like any good Weenie should!!!
On a practical note, it seems to be the thing to slacken off the strings somewhat (not totally) before travel, the reason being that the baggage hold of an aircraft is usually VERY cold (particularly on a long transatlantic flight) and the expansion\contraction bit between wood and metal with tensioned strings could result in something nasty happening. Although, personally, with the all metal tricone I don't bother since no flight from here is longer than an hour in the air (Southampton only 25 mins max!!) and they only make it up to 15,000 feet max anyway, whoops that sounds good!!
Ah, one other tip regarding actually packing the guitar in the case (if it does not fit like a glove, as the Carlton cases do) then the stuff the voids all around the guitar with crumpled newspaper. Be particulary carefull around the neck as it is the shock of the guitar being inadvertently dropped on its nose and moving forward in the case to wreck the headstock that is the danger.
A safe trip and I rest my case, sorry I couldn't resist that