Airlines & Tuba Cases

[Dylan King]

I have always checked my horns with the guys at the curb and offered them a generous tip to take care of them for me. Usually $50. They say they can take them straight to the plane themselves, but I'm not so sure if this works anymore post 911. Make sure that whatever happens the cases do not open in transit! I saw a french horn player's horn get dropped while loading it into the hull and the horn fell right out of the case. The dudes who were loading it looked around to see if anyone was looking while the put it back into the case and into the hull of the airplane. When we arrived at our destination, the horn was mangled.

Buying extra seats is my favorite option if you have the money. Otherwise, just check them in the hard case and pray.

[kontrabass]

I've flown a few times with a Swiss case for my PT-6. It's not as good as a Johnson case but it's done the trick so far. When I've saved up the money I may buy a proper flight case and try and sell the current case.

I have a YFB-621 as well - the case made two flights and then sustained a crack around the bell from a piece of luggage. Although the horn was undamaged, I've ordered a Walt Johnson case for this tuba because I'm afraid another flight will destroy the case, now that the structural integrity has been breached.

These standard Yamaha cases (the purple, flexible ones) will usually make it through a flight unscathed. I know people that fly their entire careers with these cases without incident.
BUT
I have also seen Yamaha cases that have been cracked or punctured in the bell area. These Yamaha cases are probably half an inch thick at most. They will protect your horn from wear and tear as you schlep it along, but they are NOT designed to fly - if your tuba is lying on its side in a cargo hold, and a heavy, sharp-cornered piece of luggage is thrown on top, it could crush your bell or your valves. Your gig bag, which is just fabric, will not give you any help.

The bottom line is: would you rather spend your entire career praying that your tuba in its flimsy Yamaha case will survive the flight, or would you rather make the one-time investment, that will last YOUR ENTIRE CAREER, in a proper flight case that will guarantee your peace of mind?

[Uncle Buck]

I know of individuals who, pre 911, bought an extra seat for their tuba, but were then required to put the tuba in the overhead bin during take-off and landing.

Post 911, I can't even imagine getting a tuba through security.

In my opinion, the best bet is to invest in a good flight case, and contact the airline in advance with the size and weight of the case.

[james]

I always fly DELTA. They have bigger restrictions for musical instruments and have handled my case very well so far in more than 20 flights(knock on wood). Make sure you print off their wieght restrictions so you have them in hand at the airport. They allow UP TO 70 POUNDS AND 100 INCHES FOR MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS!!!! Both my tubas fly well under this radar. I have flown to both the Philly and Pittsburgh auditions as well as three round trips to Atlanta and down to Miami to play with New World for NO EXTRA CHARGE!! The requirements are under baggage/special baggage on their site. I pad my tubas extra secure with plenty of foam and have insurance through Clarion to cover my butt in case something does happen. I have also seen Delta take care of another player's tuba repair from damage on their flight even though the case was a little suspect. Most damage occurs during either security screening or by loading/unloading at the airport(these are usually not workers of the airlines). This is why it is usually so tough to get money from the airlines for these damages. My advice would be to pad your horn so that it would be ok after being dropped 5 to 10 feet onto cement. This is usually the highest your tuba will be from a cement floor either on a truck or going up the ramp into the cargo door of the plane. Second piece of advice is STAY WITH YOUR HORN DURING SECURITY SCREENING. Absolutely NEVER leave your horn to be opened up and examined by someone who knows nothing of the value of the horn. This is suicide. Once screening is done, ask TSA to place their TSA labeled tape over your latches. This protects the latches a little extra from conveyer belts and may also prevent anyone else from opening the case(you may be able to prove if an airline employee opened it). If you feel the need, take a picture of the horn after TSA has finished and it's been tagged with their sticker. Hope this helps and last of all, as MellowSmokeMan said "pray". Good luck!
-James

[Tom]

I wouldn't even think of flying with the Swiss case or the original Yamaha case. Neither case is designed to withstand such treatment, and you're taking a huge risk by flying with one.

I wouldn't fly without a Walt Johnson, Anvil, or Meinl Weston flight trunk.

[Rick Denney]

Buying extra seats is my favorite option if you have the money.

I honestly have no idea how you guys pull this off. I just cannot imagine waiting for 45 minutes in the serpentine security line at Dulles Airport (through which I fly frequently), and then walking up to the BUF with that monster gig bag. It won't go through the X-ray (and even if it fit, it would cause panic), and it can't be carried through the metal detector. Inspecting it by hand would be impossible, because you can't see inside major portions of it. I have trouble carrying a backpack full of camera equipment through security without the BUF wanting to look through every one of ten lenses and the camera itself, and I'm a corporate type.

My 621 went through baggage claim once when Southwest Airlines, who gate-checked it, didn't give it back to me at the arrival gate as they promised. I wouldn't touch the case until their baggage supervisor was there to watch me open it and inspect it--that's how worried I was about it (there was no damage, but I consider it a matter of luck). That was over ten years ago when things were much less tense than they are now.

I've seen how the airlines load baggage. If it's big, heavy, and strong-looking, they will happily drop it four feet off the end of the conveyor belt and laugh about it. And the airlines laugh with them, having done everything in their power to absolve themselves of any responsibility to care for their customers' belongings.

A friend was unable to check his Rudy Meinl in an Anvil flight case when leaving through Dulles Airport about five years ago (well before 9/11). He finally got it on the plane, but for an extra several hundred bucks. He had brought it with no problem. The part about the airlines I hate is that they will not establish clear rules that people can work with and then stick to them. I'm not going to carry a treasured tuba in a case up to the sidewalk skyhop and slip him some money to "take care of it for me", and I don't know how I could tolerate the real possibility of being told a flat no while I'm standing their with case in tow and nowhere to go.

I'm just glad I don't have to.

Rick "who would seriously consider taking the train or making a road-trip/vacation out of it" Denney

[Tom Holtz]

I have a YFB-621 as well - the case made two flights and then sustained a crack around the bell from a piece of luggage. Although the horn was undamaged, I've ordered a Walt Johnson case for this tuba because I'm afraid another flight will destroy the case, now that the structural integrity has been breached.

My YFB-621 case just got a crack around the bell section as well. I need to make one more flight with this case, and then it's done. I'm going to pray mightily that it gets where it's going without getting completely trashed. Buying another seat is not an option, the budget simply won't permit it. Sucks, but that's the way it is.

Absolutely NEVER leave your horn to be opened up and examined by someone who knows nothing of the value of the horn.

This is not always possible. The TSA can and will open and inspect your baggage at any point before or after it has been checked. Anyone who has checked a bag, found a TSA notice inside the bag at their destination, and never witnessed the inspection can attest to this. Asking for the inspection up front before check-in and getting the latches taped is your best bet to avoid this, but there are no guarantees.

And the airlines laugh with them, having done everything in their power to absolve themselves of any responsibility to care for their customers' belongings...The part about the airlines I hate is that they will not establish clear rules that people can work with and then stick to them...I don't know how I could tolerate the real possibility of being told a flat no while I'm standing their with case in tow and nowhere to go.

It's infuriating when an airline won't accept a case that's built to be safe, and won't accept responsibility for the actions of their own employees. Clear rules would establish clear situations where the airlines would be responsible for the handling of the baggage. That will never happen.

The airlines don't want us for customers. They need all they can get these days, but the customers they want are business travelers who get on board with two small carry-ons, their own food, and a schedule too busy to allow them time to complain. Musicians with big, fragile, expensive instruments are a liability that no airline in the industry wants to deal with anymore. Don't expect better service in the airports anytime soon.

Get insurance. Get to know your repairman. Get to know him/her well.

[tubajoe]

Absolutely NEVER leave your horn to be opened up and examined by someone who knows nothing of the value of the horn.

This is not always possible. The TSA can and will open and inspect your baggage at any point before or after it has been checked. Anyone who has checked a bag, found a TSA notice inside the bag at their destination, and never witnessed the inspection can attest to this. Asking for the inspection up front before check-in and getting the latches taped is your best bet to avoid this, but there are no guarantees.

I was told by a TSA employee that you have the legal right to be present when any of your articles are searched -- and that they only search once -- as they wipe the locks for fingerprints/residue after the search and the TSA or airlines cannot legally open the case after that. (so to say that if it is opened, they can possibly trace who opened it, which makes sense)

Not sure if I trust that 100% tho -- but it has worked the last few times I have flown. I now walk mine to the TSA office every time now, and so far it's been cool. I also put a sign in the case telling them where to grab and repack the horn, just in case.

If the TSA does damage your horn, you are kind of out of luck. They are supposed to reimburse you for damage, but it takes 6 mos to a year for them to even process the info... so dont count on it.

I've also bought a seat (this was pre 9/11 tho) which worked out well (and I have heard recently that some airlines are recommending this) you have to sit at the bulkhead and it does have to fit into a seat. I did get hassled a little preboarding, but not as bad as I got hassled by the drunk near the back of the plane who kept yelling "hey, I know that's a tuba... play us a tune!!"

[Rick Denney]

...but the customers they want are business travelers who get on board with two small carry-ons, their own food, and a schedule too busy to allow them time to complain.

As a business traveler who carries two small carry-ons, brings my own food, sits on the aisle, never complains, and generally knows how to make a very small presence in the collective airplane consciousness, I can say with some assurance that the airlines don't seem to want business travelers for customers, either.

I hate flying. My range for driving instead of flying has increased to 400 miles.

Rick "United Airlines Premier Executive, and former American Airlines Advantage Gold" Denney

[ThomasDodd]

The part about the airlines I hate is that they will not establish clear rules that people can work with and then stick to them.

This is my biggest complaint. And not just with instruments.

Prior to 9/11/2001 I flew from a small regional, through Atlanta, to Logan. No problems, any I went through security several time, as I came in and out for a smoke.

Return trip, hassled every time at Logan, carrying the exact same items.
The same personal effects had been with me on several flights to other destinations two.

Funny how for years I flew with a Zippo lighter and was never told it wasn't "allowed".

Memphis gave me a hard time over a laptop comuter with a bad battery, though I had no trouble with it in California, or anywhere else.

Flew to India, with a disposable lighter, no problem. Comming back, in India they took the lighter, but allowed matches. In Gemany, the matches were taken, and I bought another lighter, which made it home.

[Uncle Buck]

I hate flying. My range for driving instead of flying has increased to 400 miles.

Amen to that sentiment. I hate taking off my shoes and belt. I hate getting a pat-down (which has happened to me a lot lately). And I hate the realization that none of those things are really making me or anyone else any safer.

I hate the tiny seats. I hate the recycled air, and how the airlines lie and say the air really is clean. I hate wondering whose head was resting on the back of the seat before me. I hate the arrogance of airport and airline employees.

I fly only when I have to (which is much more than I would like).

[pjv]

I've had no problems with buying an extra seat (uh, thats if my employer pays for it), as long as you can get it in and seatbuckle the d*mn thing. If it has to go in the belly, good luck. I never bring my #1 blow. I hate myself at the gig, but I get over it real quick once my babies in my arms (uh, my #1 tuba, ya know what I mean?).

[Tom Holtz]

I hate flying. My range for driving instead of flying has increased to 400 miles.

Rick "United Airlines Premier Executive, and former American Airlines Advantage Gold" Denney

Premier Executive... you got game! I have to start redeeming my f.f. miles for some better seats. Too bad you can't redeem them for kid-glove baggage handling.

The great thing about joining a dixieland band that plays lots of jazz festivals is that you get to go to lots of festivals. The downside is that you have to go to the festivals. Most of them are on the West Coast, which means lots of time on United for the D.C. tuba player. I agree with you guys--flying gets old really quickly. Drove the family to our last festival in Chattanooga. Took almost 15 hours (the two-year-old threw up on the way) but flying would have still been more stressful. *sigh*

[Tubainsauga]

My teacher uses a swiss case to fly with and he says he's had not complaints. I think the main difference is that the swiss case will wear out after fewer flights when compared to a Walt Johnson. It might also not protect it enough for more extreme incidents in baggage handling (like being dropped form the cargo door of the aircraft).

A funny story about instruments and baggage handling. A trombonist from Toronto was flying with his horn in a brand new case and he had to check it. He believed this case would survive and protect his instrument so he wasn't very worried. As he was sitting at the gate, he was watching them load the bags. This is when he spotted his trombone case. One of the baggage handlers decided to throw it to the person at the cargo door. He missed. It hit the side of the door and fell to the ground and bounced a few times. He thought to himself "what is my horn going to look like when I get to (I think it was Vancouver, but I can't quite remember)?" As it turns out his horn is fine, but after 5 more minutes of waiting at the gate, he hears an announcement. "We are sorry for the inconvenience, but this flight will be delayed as the aircraft has sustained damage." I guess this time the instrument won.

[adam0408]

Personally, in my limited flight experience, I have found that foreign airport employees are much nicer and easier to deal with than their US counterparts. I just recently flew out of geneva switzerland with a bass trombone and the people at the airport there were very helpful and concerned that the instrument suffered no damage. They even inspected it while I was watching and taped up the case very securely with bright orange tape.

I have also seen baggage inspectors wrap cases with what looks like plastic wrap. This works quite well with keeping the instrument case closed. The bottom line is ask and be nice. If you dont ask for something, you definately wont get it because these people dont get paid to care.

[Tom]

I would like to think that $1,400.00 for a Swiss case bought me some protection.

Money does not necessarily buy protection.

If this is what a Swiss Case is, it is not a flight case:



Those cases don't seem to have any special features that justify the $1400 price tag, but hey...that's Custom Music for you. The picture is the "Hirsbrunner case" off of their website, by the way.

Flying your Hirsbrunner around in such a case is taking a even bigger risk than flying with it in the first place. The case simply is not designed airline handling. It is pure luck if your Hirsbrunner comes out without damage on the other end. The fact that it's a Hirsbrunner is besides the point really...I wouldn't use a Swiss case for flying with any tuba.

A Walt Johnson, Anvil, or Meinl Weston flight trunk is much more protective and is designed to be used in such a manner. No case is 100% safe, but you have a much better chance of getting your tuba back without damage if you're using the right kind of case.