Oversize Baggage for Tubas on American Airlines or United?

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Triggerfish
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Oversize Baggage for Tubas on American Airlines or United?

Post by Triggerfish »

Does anyone know what the fees are for flying with tubas through these airlines? I heard that they eliminated the oversize fees for musical instruments?
Fritztuba
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Re: Oversize Baggage for Tubas on American Airlines or United?

Post by Fritztuba »

$200. Up to 150 linear inches and 75 lbs. This is online.
RamonGJr
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Re: Oversize Baggage for Tubas on American Airlines or United?

Post by RamonGJr »

NOTE: THIS COMMENT REFERS TO U.S. DOMESTIC FLIGHTS ONLY.

American Airlines:
https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/bag ... sports.jsp

https://www.aa.com/i18n/customer-servic ... er#baggage

"Checked instruments
Your musical instrument can also be checked. The maximum size for checked instruments is 150 in / 381 cm, and the maximum weight is 165 lbs / 75 kg. Anything larger or heavier would need to be shipped via Cargo.

Cost
Standard checked bag fees for your destination apply up to 50 lbs / 23 kgs and 126 in / 320 cm (length + width + height) and standard overweight fees apply over 50 lbs / 23 kgs.

American Airlines Cargo

The minimum size of the aircraft cargo hold doors on aircraft is 25in high x 40in wide/63cm high x 101cm wide, the ERJ 170 is a bit smaller at 25in x 38in. If your musical instrument is larger, please contact reservations for the exact size of cargo hold doors on the aircraft in your journey.

Please note that due to their fragile nature, we will only be liable for damages to musical instruments if:

Your instrument is in a hard-sided case
The outside of the case is visibly damaged"

For American - standard rates are first have $30 and second bag $40. So if you only check your tuba, no luggage, you will pay $30. If you check both, you pay $70.

If you need to fly with 2 instruments for an audition or the likes - 3rd bag is $150. So total for checking baggage and 2 instruments would be $30+$40+$150=$220

Another thing to consider, however, is that on American Airlines flights you purchase specific seats - so if the flight is almost full with no economy seating available, you may have to pay more for a higher class seat.

If you choose to purchase a seat for your instrument, it's like buying a regular ticket.
------------------------------

United Airlines:

Regarding United - They do NOT consider musical instruments special items and are charged regular oversize/overweight fees for instruments. To give you an idea - the first time I ever flew with an instrument (or at all, as a matter of fact), I flew United and paid over $400 EACH WAY. Do not use United....
-------------------------------

Southwest Airlines:

https://www.southwest.com/html/customer ... -fees.html

https://www.southwest.com/help/baggage/ ... ist_tab_16

Lastly, you did not ask about this one, but Southwest Airlines does two free bags and charges a $75 flat rate for oversize AND overweight combined (although sometimes the airline ticketing agents have charged me $75 for oversize and $75 overweight each - $150 total - and despite arguing and talking to managers they still chose to keep it at $150... But that's been few and far between and I've flown with them a lot).

So you would pay only $75 for checking your instrument. If you're ever flying with two instruments for grad school or professional auditions - if you don't check luggage, you will only pay $150, if you check luggage and both horns you'll pay $75 flat rate for 3rd bag, and $75 for each overweight instrument. $225 total.

"A musical instrument may be checked to substitute one piece of the free Checked Baggage allowance for each Passenger at no charge on a one-item-for-one-bag basis. Oversize or overweight charges will apply if:

The instrument is between 62 and 150 inches (outside length plus width plus height, including case or covering)
The instrument weighs between 51 and 165 pounds (including case or covering)
We won’t accept any musical instrument (when including the case or covering) if the sum of the length, height, and width of the outside linear dimensions exceeds 150 inches or the weight exceeds 165 pounds.

Instruments transported in soft-sided cases or other packaging not strong enough to protect it under normal baggage handling conditions will be subject to limited release: Southwest assumes no liability for any damage sustained to the item during transport."

A key thing here is that if the instrument is 50lbs or less, and the case is under 150 inches, your instrument can basically fly free. This is unlikely with tubas but not unheard of! I fly with my YFB621 for free because of this. No additional fee applied unless it's a third bag.

With Southwest Airlines, you can sit anywhere - seats are first come, first served (no first class/economy/etc. designation), with boarding order based on ticket purchase order, and of course handicap, military, children, pre-boarding, airline status, etc. go to the front of the line.

If you choose to buy a seat for the instrument - Southwest Airlines policy dictates that the instrument MUST SIT in a FRONT ROW WINDOW SEAT. As a result of this policy, Southwest will offer COMPLIMENTARY PRE-BOARDING to ensure that you can fulfill this policy, BUT YOU MUST ASK FOR IT.
Ramón Garavito, Jr.
Instructor of Tuba & Euphonium
Blinn College
Miraphone 291 Bruckner CC
Custom Yamaha YFB-621 w/ 821 Bell (Sam Pilafian Design)
[Feel free to ask about it!]
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