Midchuck, Couldn't you also make a kind of ring out of foam rubber or styrofoam to encircle the end pin, so that your foam ring would abosorb the inpact instead of the end pin, if someone set the case down hard?

My problem with taking my old Martin on a plane is as much fear of theft as fear of damage. Many airports have little or no security in baggage claim.
Alaska will (or used to) insure luggage beyond their usual liability for $1.00 per $100 value of the item.

Special handling was mentioned above. How much does that cost?

Airlines used to have "escort luggage," where you checked the luggage at the gate and picked it up there when the plane landed. Do any airlines still have that?
Genie