Flying with a tuba 101

[AHynds]

Hello, one and all.

There is a chance that, within the next few months, I will be flying out of Chicago to attend one or two different doctoral auditions. I've never flown with a tuba before, so I was hoping to pose a few questions to the greater tuba community to see if I can get some answers. First of all, if I am going to be flying with a single tuba and will be purchasing a separate seat just for the instrument, what airlines out there would be more accommodating? I know that the willingness to let people carry large instruments on board varies a bit from airline to airline, so I'm curious to know who I should look at for a ticket. Second of all, what should I be prepared for in terms of securing the instrument into the seat? I'll be bringing my F tuba, so it's not as big of a deal as it potentially could be. And finally, what should I be prepared for with the check-in procedure? Is there anything TSA-related that I should be aware of? Any info on this would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Aaron H.

[ASTuba]

Aaron,

I have flown with a tuba in the seat next to me many times. I've never had any problems with the airlines, provided that I 1) inform them that I bought a seat for the instrument when I board and 2) have a copy of the regulations from the airline's website. I've never encountered a situation where I had to use the copy of regulations, but I brought it always just in case.

When I put it in the seat, I generally used the seat belt with an extension to go around the backpack straps of the case. I also suggest that you board early, as depending on the fight attendant, you will have to put the tuba in a certain area (generally towards the back of the plane). Good luck with your auditions!