Tuba Travel

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TubaofGilman
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Tuba Travel

Post by TubaofGilman »

Which airline seems to be best when traveling with your tuba?
Mack Brass 410 CC and St. Petersburg 3v Eb
Easy Mac
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Re: Tuba Travel

Post by Easy Mac »

None of them. Those days are over, for the most part. Airlines suck. I know this may not be an option for you, but I would ONLY drive with tubas. If headed over to Europe I pay the fees for Air Freight (which are a lot) and I use an actual, genuine, ATA-approved flight case. Most of the people who use the term "flight case" have no idea what a real case designed for stowage inside of an airliner is. If it is not sold as ATA Approved it is NOT a real fight case. Since these usually cost about two grand most people just use some crappy, plastic Chinese-made MTS knock-off case, call it a flight case, and pray. Usually, this is sufficient if you are in Europe or Japan. If you are in the US it will likely get damaged by the largely disinterested airline luggage flingers.

Whatever you do, don't fly American, United, or Delta. I have had tubas DESTROYED by each of them, and never received ANY money for them. Not a penny.

Not what you wanted to hear, I am sure — but true, nonetheless. If you are traveling domestically you really need to drive if your primary concern is not having your horn/s lost or destroyed.

Reading this recent article might help you out.

Best of luck to you. I am so glad my years of flying with tubas are in the past.
keithr98
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Re: Tuba Travel

Post by keithr98 »

Last tuba trip I took by air in Jan 2022, I bought my 5/4 its own ticket. It turned out to be a PITA.

I had just bought it used the day before I was already scheduled to fly home from a vacation as a last-minute thing, and it came with a hard case, but it was not a flight case and not in great shape, so I was not brave enough to check it as luggage.

I called the airline and spent an hour on the phone buying the ticket and making sure that everything would be lined up for it on their end.

Security turned out to not be much of an issue, I got there extremely early and TSA , of course, pulled me aside and swabbed everything thoroughly.

Getting on the plane, the case did not fit in the "more legroom" seat, and I got very lucky that the plane ended up only 3/4 full, so in the end the flight attendants just set the case in its own row with the armrests up between the seats. The flight attendants were very accommodating , and if they hadn't been so great, they could've easily just not allowed it on the plane at all.

If I had been on an airline that had First class, it *may* actually have fit in a FC seat, or if I had purchased the entire row in coach for it (if they even allow that).

Anyway, It was amusing and I got some cute photos, but I was also very glad it was a direct flight, and I would NOT do it again.
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