Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Jenkins
Thanks for the suggestion of the ATA case. Every time I fly with my bass I use the hard case because I know I’m going to have to check it because it takes up to much space in the overhead compartments. Those lucky guitar players can get away with just a gig bag since their instrument won’t hog all the space.
Once when flying I got my bass back at the baggage claim and all but one of the latches were undone. Every time I fly with my bass the airline personnel assume that it’s a rifle and insist that I check it in. And since they want it unlocked what I normally do now is show them that it’s a bass guitar and ask if I can check it in at the plane like people with strollers and such do. Most times they allow me to. So after I pass through the screeners I'm able to lock the bass and check it at the plane. The bass still comes back to me at the baggage claim.
Last week I flew out of Ontario California. I checked my bass in because I had other things to carry. When I insisted that my case stay locked I was of course told that it had to be unlocked, then the security agent working the checked baggage screener told me that I could just wait with him until the bag cleared the security check. All cleared and the case stayed locked.
When returning home I flew out of Omaha Nebraska. The checked baggage screening machines where behind the ticket counter wall. Every thing went back there on one of those conveyer belts. I again insisted that my case stay locked. Of course I got the standard, "It must remain unlocked" response. I told the lady my story about the undone latches and that I didn't want my bass to spill out all over the tarmac while the guy drives that baggage rig. I've seen plenty of bags fall off that thing while watching thru the windows at the gate. She proved reasonable and told me that I could give her the key and she'd lock it after it was screened and bring the key back to me. So I waited and when she came back she told me how beautiful my bass is. I felt a little violated because in CA they didn’t have to open the case they just screened it. In Omaha they opened it and this lady was the ticket agent not a security agent. But nonetheless the case got locked and all was well with the bass.
I said all that to say that you can keep the case locked for the flight but you might be subject to a little more BS than the average traveler. But in the end its worth it to make sure your bass stays protected.
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Yep, been there and done all that.
Going forward, I will most likely just rent the equipment on the playing side of a flight and avoid the hassle of dealing with Airline personnel. I simply don't have the patience to deal with it anymore. I hate flying anyway and getting me on anything higher than 8 feet off the ground is not easy!
