I also have to chime in here as well...(Murray, I had my Martin in a Calton case when I came to visit you last year, remember?)

The Calton case is the best investment I have ever made for my guitar. When I saw that United was doing the template thing, I plunked down the $500+ and got a Calton. I have no uneasy feelings about checking my Martin when it is in the Calton. There are some great survival stories and testamonials about how Calton cases have protected guitars.

I fly a lot and I cannot stand it when people take up the overhead bins with all kinds of stuff. As one flight attendant said to me when I asked about the carry-on situation, "It's really a safety issue. Things DO shift in the bins during flight and the possibility of something that heavy landing on someone's head is a risk that we don't want to take"

I haven't flown with my guitar since the disaster, but the airlines have been great...I ask that my guitar be brought to special handling where you have to show your claim number to retrieve it.

Spend the $$$ for a Calton. It's worth it.

Deb