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I've avoided air travel with my tuba for several years, and now I'm going to need to do it. For those of you who have done it recently, can anyone give me an idea of the cost of flying with one tuba? What have your experiences been like? I have a Walt Johnson case for my C, but I recently got a new F tuba and don't have a flight case yet, so I'm looking for recommendations on those as well. Thanks!

Before you book your flight look up the fees associated with oversize and overweight. On Delta oversized baggage is $300. On Virgin it's $50. Request to be present for the inspection of your tuba, they will happily accommodate and are required to let you be there. Cover the case in fragile stickers. The gate agent will have plenty for you. Drink heavily during the flight.

tubaphillips wrote:Request to be present for the inspection of your tuba, they will happily accommodate and are required to let you be there.

This wasn't my experience the last time I flew with my tuba (JFK airport, about 2 years ago).

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=67999#p558894" target="_blank

Long story short, I was NOT allowed to be present during screening - if I had insisted any longer, I would not have made my flight.

Don't fly United- they can't even handle guitars. True story:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo" target="_blank

Yeah, in the past it has never been worth it to fly, so I've always driven. Now I'm looking at a scenario where I probably wouldn't have the time to drive, and I'd need my own horn to do recitals. Otherwise I'd just borrow a horn from someone.

YcazaTuba wrote:Yeah, in the past it has never been worth it to fly, so I've always driven. Now I'm looking at a scenario where I probably wouldn't have the time to drive, and I'd need my own horn to do recitals. Otherwise I'd just borrow a horn from someone.

There is also the option of buying a seat for your tuba. When you factor the overweight charges etc. for horn in flight case in belly of plane it probably isn't that much more money.

Good point. It's probably not going to be much different in this case.

roweenie wrote:

tubaphillips wrote:Request to be present for the inspection of your tuba, they will happily accommodate and are required to let you be there.

This wasn't my experience the last time I flew with my tuba (JFK airport, about 2 years ago).

viewtopic.php?f=11&t=67999#p558894" target="_blank" target="_blank

Long story short, I was NOT allowed to be present during screening - if I had insisted any longer, I would not have made my flight.

You must have gotten someone having a bad day. I've done this at JFK a few times now with ZERO trouble.