TubeNet

Poll:

what case do you use for protecting your horn during flights, especially flying internationally?

*and*

do you typically pay overages for height and / or weight?

*and*

has your horn sustained damage under normal circumstances?


any and all info much appreciated, THANKS!

I use a Walt Johnson case and i plaster fragile stickers all over it. The case usually gets beat up regardless but the horn stays in perfect condition. I never pay overages for a euphonium....but you might right be at the limit with a tuba.

I have two cases: one for each of my tubas:

F tuba case is a Calzone case (same company that owns Anvil). The case does create the instrument to be overweight (underweight if I decide to take the valves out of it), but I have never had any damage to the case or the tuba in the 7 years I've had it.

CC tuba case is a Unitec light weight case - With my Thor in it, tuba is barely overweight (I'm talking ounces). It's incredible how light this case is compared to the other case I have. I've only flown with this tuba 2 times, but never had any damage from flying with it.

Hope this helps you out.

Calzone/Anvil cases were used when I was flying around with a tuba.

I can't imagine any way that a tuba case would be undersize or underweight. If the airlines choose to enforce their policies is a different matter and has been hit or miss for me. I knew mine was both oversize and overweight and wasn't shocked when the airlines took notice.

I did not sustain any damage when flying with an Anvil trunk, though I did have an F tuba damaged that I shipped with one.

I have also owed several Meinl Weston flight cases over the years.

I never flew with them (just busses and equipment trucks), but I like the smaller profile (less bulk) and lighter weight of the Meinl Weston Aluminum cases the best. I used the factory fitted case for a MW 2000, but had a second one for my F tuba that was an aluminum MW case that had been gutted and refit to take an F tuba in a gig bag. All of the hardware and wheels had also been replaced with actual ATA hardware (i.e. Anvil type). It was lightweight and "rebuildable," so I thought it was just about the ultimate solution. I also thought that particular shape helped keep people from sitting on it or stacking things on top of it. The downside to an aluminum case is that they will scratch and dent and possibly even tear if the damage is bad enough.

The Anvil case that I did use to fly extensively (including multiple international flights) was built specifically for my tuba inside of the gig bag. It was a great case in the sense that it fit right and did exactly what it was supposed to do. BUT is was heavy, would absolutly NOT fit in any vehicle other than a van or one with similar trunk/cargo hatch. That isn't to say the MW case was really any better in that regard...it wasn't and still required a large vehicle to transport.

The key to any case being good, in my opinion, is the interior. It needs to be well fit to your specific instrument to prevent shifting. Even an Anvil case with an improper interior can cause a horn to get destroyed. Also, don't forget that the shell of an Anvil case is just a thin plastic sheet over whatever thickness or plywood you order. They are not at bomb-proof as some think and can break!

I've never owned a Walt Johnson case, but have seen lots of them. I have never been impressed at all by the interior and how the instrument is designed to fit in it. Maybe that's just me...plenty of people rave about them.

So, I think that if I were in need of a flight trunk for my tuba, I'd modify a Meinl Weston aluminum trunk or would have a shell built for me out of aluminum or thin stainless steel and then do a custom interior to fit the horn in the gig bag because they're lightweight and as strong as anything readily available. Unless you're close to an Anvil case shop, getting one built to order can be difficult.

I have used the older design - non-wheeled SKB Sousaphone case on 7 international tours over the last 12 years. It has held up pretty well, the horn has not been damaged (I do turn the 3rd valve slide around to protect the water key) and I have only been charged extra for oversize on the last two trips. With a fiberglass horn and no extra goodies in the case it is just under 50 lbs, so it is not overweight for most airlines at this point.

I have used the big grey fabric covered Unitec flight case. It holds up well but all of the times I have flown I have been charged the $100 over size fee and the extra $100 overweight fee. $200 for every trip is not cool!!! ($400 round trip). And that was with American Airlines. I'd be interested in which airlines have cheaper fees or don't charge at all.

TUbajohn20J wrote:I'd be interested in which airlines have cheaper fees or don't charge at all.

I recently flew British Airways, JFK-CDG via LHR and there were NO overage fees for musical instruments under 100lbs. That being said, the horn did not make it onto the same connecting flight as I - both ways going thru LHR and and showed up on later flights. Horn was in an anvil-like/pro-sound case.

bloke wrote:I believe I would BUILD my own case for any subsequent intercontinental/international (who knows...??) flights with tuba. I believe I would put built-in wheels on all four corners (so baggage handlers would actually USE wheels, rather than dragging/throwing).

In the past I have done that as well. In the homemade case, the horn showed up a WEEK late (!) MXP-ORD-DEN, American Airlines. Fortunately I had double-walled the case, as the outer wall had been pierced by something... like a forklift.


Horror stories aside, FYI - remember to ALWAYS insist on personally walking your horn through the TSA checkpoint to make sure it gets repacked correctly. (in the USA, it is your legal right to be present, although most airline agents are trained to discourage this action)

Thanks for the poll info - KEEP it coming!! This is a poignant issue for many tuba players!

Tom wrote:Calzone/Anvil cases were used when I was flying around with a tuba.

I can't imagine any way that a tuba case would be undersize or underweight. If the airlines choose to enforce their policies is a different matter and has been hit or miss for me. I knew mine was both oversize and overweight and wasn't shocked when the airlines took notice.

Depends on the airline. Current Delta policy is something like 105 inches (L+W+H) and 100 pounds FOR A MUSICAL INSTRUMENT. See the Delta web page. Somewhere, I think I recall reading that the musicians' union did some serious negotiating with airlines, ...about 5 years ago?

You do sometimes have to politely remind the gate agent that it is a musical instrument and that Delta has different rules for musical instruments than for normal luggage. They will tag is as "HEAVY" - but they will not charge you.
(at least, they didn't charge *me*).

My experience is *only* with Delta. Your milage may vary.

tubajoe wrote:
Horror stories aside, FYI - remember to ALWAYS insist on personally walking your horn through the TSA checkpoint to make sure it gets repacked correctly. (in the USA, it is your legal right to be present, although most airline agents are trained to discourage this action)

Thanks for the poll info - KEEP it coming!! This is a poignant issue for many tuba players!

The key is to *politely* request that you be able to LOCK the case after it is inspected. In airports where the screening devices are out in the open, this is pretty easy (and the airline clerks don't get involved - you deal directly with TSA). In airports where the airline takes the bags behind the counter, I have been directed to a separate TSA location (usually marked "oversized baggage").

It always helps to prime the agent (or TSA rep) by being early, proactive, and polite. When you do this, the usual result is that they open the case, marvel at how strange and beautiful the tuba is, perhaps run a swab test, and let me lock it up. I have also seen how they deal with people who *start* by being confrontational, or (much worse) show up late and then ask for special treatment. Then, they start working to the rulebook, and....you are screwed.

a) know the rules, b) ask, don't "insist" on "your rights".

Now is probably the right karmic time to praise Delta for the way they handled an incident (non-tuba related - geeks can stop reading here) last month. I arrived 2 hours early for my flight. When I checked in, the kiosk said "see a human". Turns out my flight had been delayed long enough so that I would miss my connection. Fortunately, I *just* had enough time to make an earlier flight. They got me on the earlier flight. As I rushed through security, I left behind a money clip (a recent present from my wife). I realized this just as I settled into my seat on the plane - when it was clearly too late for me to go back and get it. I mentioned it to the flight attendant - the person sitting next to me said "they announced it at security". This was at home, so I asked the flight attendant if Delta could fetch it and hold it for me to pick up when I returned. Instead, the gate agent went back to pick it up. He handed it down to the baggage guy on the tarmac, who handed it back up through the open door to the flight attendant (they had already retracted the ramp). Then, they closed the door, and we pushed back. I was impressed.

I only mention this because tomorrow's flight leaves at 0530, and I'll need all the help I can get. With luck, I'll wake up at John Wayne Airport sometime around 10am Pacific Time.

As I mentioned in another recent thread, our band had a strange experience with a TSA Lock sousaphone case. The owner chose to send the case through screening unlocked, the TSA person locked it after checking. Unfortunately both of the owner keys were inside the case. By the time he figured out there was a problem, we were already at the hotel - many miles from the airport!

A lot of scrambling the next morning eventually got us a key from a music store - this was Manhattan, after all - but it could have been a lot worse. One performance and one rehearsal missed, but the rest of the section was able to cover...