quote:  Amen.  The pressure that is on people working at airports now is tremendous.  I would never check a banjo at the front desk or baggage load area.   When I guy a ticket, especially for an international flight,  I ask to "gate check."  This means I carry the instrument to the gate,  when I carry it on the plane someone meets me at the door and takes it by hand to a special compartment.   On some airlines and some airports they will have it for you when you get right off the plane, at others especially in Germany, they have a special area where you pick stuff up.

The people working loading the planes are really overworked and sped up and busy.  The general rule is the closer you get to the airplane especially to the people who work on the plane, the more leewaythere is to do things right.  The ramp and front desk on airlines there are getting overworked and driven beyond belief.

I was able to get an upgraded seat at the front and first boarding. A bit more expensive but worth it I think. And only a 2.5 hour flight.

To me extreme is arriving at your destination only to find the banjo didn't arrive with you, or it arrived damaged. Take the risk. It's up to the individual. If it was a low-end banjo, I'd say go for it. If it's your favorite, go-to banjo you paid a fortune for, then no. Find another way. Pros have their own planes. Semi-pro players use charters, much safer and more reliable.

One way to travel with a banjo is to take it apart and carry it on board, Making absolutly sure no one places any bagage on top of it or too close for comfort in the overhead bins right above my head as i like an isle seat and am ready to bite anyone using that bin . You could also keep it close to your seat by the window. This all takes time and knowledge on how to put it back together . the Pot stays complete and I found it fits nicely in a large lap top bag with shoulder strap. The neck even with a dowel stick is raped in padded cloth with a shoulder sling and carried on my back in the airport. Both hands are free to do what they must. Of course i am being very carefull and touchy and don't mind putting it back together with new strings all cleaned up.

John Hickman told about taking his banjo on flights. He had a dilapidated old case that was covered in duct tape, and used some kind of bungee cord to help keep it closed.. He would reach around the attendant and place the banjo in the closet behind them, as he boarded. He said they rarely stopped him. He believed the case looked so pathetic that it would never make through being checked in and stowed below. John was such a soft spoken and well mannered gentleman he was able to pull it off. He said he flew that way for years.

I've gotten on early and never had to check my banjo. But if I did, I'd loosen the strings significantly and pray before checking my banjo or take a different flight.

:I have been flying with instruments starting with acoustic guitar since 1965.  A  Crossrock Air Carbon case is going to be fine for your banjor.  On most planes, including the biggest there is not room in most over head compartments to put a banjo in a cross rock case, That is the flight case I use when I fly for my Tubahones   

 One of the factors of crowded airplanes is the overhead area is crammed with lots of baggage.  Except perhaps in first class,  there is not space to put a banjo.   I would not plan to do this.  It does not matter when you get to the gate, or check in.  Stuff goes in the overhead bins on when people get on the plane.   I do not happen to worry about that issue because I will be 79 on Friday.  When you are a senior as my wife and I are, you are qualified for preboard,

I have flown a lot including recently both inside the US and frequently to Europe, and at times to Mexico Guatemala, once to India and Nepal.

Gate check your instrument.  This means YOU carry the instrument to the gate.  You go to the person who is working at the gate and tell them you want to "Gate check"  your instrument.  Some time before the plane is boarded, you go to the plane and someone who works on the plane or loading the plane will meet you in the boarding area.  He or she will take the instrument by hand to a special area for items like this on the plane.  You see people doing this all the time with wheel chairs and baby carrying devices.

It seems to depend on what airport or airline what happens when the plane lands.   On most USA flights,  someone meets you in the jet way coming off the plane with the instrument.  One some airlines or airports they bring the instrument out and hand it to you in the gate areas where you get off the plane,  In some airports especially in Germany you have to go to a special area where such items are picked up,

I have done this with both guitars and banjos flying around the USA, flying to Mexico, Guatemala, Germany, England, Portugal, Sweden, and even to Russia and from Russia back to Germany .   The only trouble I had was about 20 years ago with Ryan Air a budget airline that flies out of abandoned cold war air bases in Germany. At the time(2010) I first took them, they had a list of instruments that you could not check including banjos.  I had to buy a seat which was not much since it was a budget airline and we were going from Hahn near the Mosel in Germany to England and back.    This was 16 years ago and Ryannair may not be in business any more,

I have never heard of any federal rule that instruments cannot be removed.   OH space used to be big enough for a banjo or a guitar when I started flying in the 1960s.  Only if you are flying First Class or Business class and then only more than 5 years ago would the overhead been be big enough to fit a banjo of any size.

One principle involved is that THE CLOSER YOU GET TO THE ACTUAL AIRPLANE THE MORE PEOPLE WORKING FOR THE AIRLINE WILL WANT TO HELP YOU.   The people checking people in at the front desk are the least able to be helpful.  Gate check the instrument and you will be dealing with a person who works directly with the people operating the airplane,

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE.  After you make the flight, come back to Banjo Hangout and tell us how it happened, what you did and how it worked out or did not work out.  I have been on BHO for about 20 years now, and I hate it when people come with a problem like yours, but never tell us what they did in the end or how it worked out!

'Thanks

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quote:most airlines allow you to gate check.  You take it yourself to the plane, a special attendant takes it on the plane and puts it in a special area, rather than regular cargo.  A similar attendant is there when you get off the plane and hands you the instrument either on the ramp off the plane or at the desk for the flight inside the airport, though in other countries like Germany the airport may have a special area for such items   People are always doing this with wheel chairs and babby carrying carts'

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Originally posted by 5stringjim5

To me extreme is arriving at your destination only to find the banjo didn't arrive with you, or it arrived damaged. Take the risk. It's up to the individual. If it was a low-end banjo, I'd say go for it. If it's your favorite, go-to banjo you paid a fortune for, then no. Find another way. Pros have their own planes. Semi-pro players use charters, much safer and more reliable.

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It's your banjo; up to you if you want to risk having airport personnel handle it. Check with your airline yourself. Don't just go by what someone else tells you you can, or cannot do.

Made it safe carrying the instrument on. I cheated and did first class to get on the flight early so there was room. brought a copy of that federal guideline and the airlines own guideline just in case. But the banjo in case fit fine in an OH bin and no one questioned me. Easy Peasy this time.