Flying with Fiddles

Subject: Flying with Fiddles
From: GUEST,Kara
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 05:19 AM

Hi

I'm trying to arrange for a friend to come over to France from UK and put down some fiddle on the CD that I am recording. The flights are extremely cheep but there does not seem to be anyway she can bring her fiddle with her? Has anyone had any experience of flying with a fiddle, what do you do???

Subject: RE: Flying with Fiddles
From: GUEST,paco rabanne
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 05:29 AM

eh? Why can't she carry it as hand luggage? Or am I out of date.

Subject: RE: Flying with Fiddles
From: GUEST,Kara
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 05:43 AM

According to Ryanair, its too big.

Subject: RE: Flying with Fiddles
From: GUEST,BanjoRay
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 05:52 AM

Whenever I fly anywhere, I have to take both a banjo and a fiddle. I usually get my banjo on as hand luggage, and my fiddle goes in the hold. I put it in a small case which then goes in my holdall inside all the clothing - it's worked fine for several trips to the States. Mind you it's only worth 3 or 4 hundred pounds. If it was a Strad I'd have to think of something else....
Ray

Subject: RE: Flying with Fiddles
From: nickp
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 05:59 AM

If it ends up in the hold I'd suggest slackening strings. I'd be inclined to pester Ryanair to see if it can be hand luggage in lieu of anything else.

Subject: RE: Flying with Fiddles
From: Newport Boy
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 07:21 AM

Ryanair doesn't respond to pestering. Other airlines are more flexible.

Phil

Subject: RE: Flying with Fiddles
From: GUEST,Zen
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 08:37 AM

In my experience, RyanAir have a very poor attitute indeed to musical instruments. Even specially checked in through oversize/special luggage they managed to put a hole in my Hiscox guitar case (but fortunately not the guitar) at Dublin airport. I'm sure O'Leary would charge extra for the air you breath on the plane if he could find a way of metering it per passenger.

Subject: RE: Flying with Fiddles
From: doncatterall
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 09:05 AM

from my experience it not only depends on which airline but which airport or which side of the bed the check in staff got out of!!!
no consistency

Subject: RE: Flying with Fiddles
From: Jess A
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 09:07 AM

I've flown quite a bit with my fiddle recently (although not specifically with Ryanair) and won't put it in the hold. Even though it is bigger than the dimensions allowed for hand luggage, to date I've not been refused with it, I've just turned up to check in and said 'it's a musical instrument' when questioned... Once or twice they've said it might get refused aty the actual boarding gate but haven't said a word once I got there. A normal sized fiddle case does fit in overhead lockers in every plane I've been on so far. As a fall back position I've always been prepared to take it out of its case, put the empty case in the hold, and carry the fiddle in my hands all the way there - wouldn't be ideal but I reckon it'd be the safest option. So far I haven't had to do this.

That said my band mate who has fiddle and pipes in a double case which would no way fit in the overhead locker has put them in the hold, and so far touch wood has had no problems. The case is a Calton case though which is virtually bomb proof. I have in the past travelled with a viola in a Hiscox case in the hold and again, no problems. You just never know though - I've witnessed very battered cases coming out of the hold before and have heard too many horror stories to be comfortable doing it unless I have to.

Subject: RE: Flying with Fiddles
From: GUEST,Sarah the Flute at Work
Date: 10 Sep 08 - 09:54 AM

We flew to Guernsey this summer with the band and we were allowed to take on all our instruments (including a fiddle as hand luggage in addition to ordinary hand luggage for no extra cost....and the plane was full. We took a gamble and only asked when we got to Gatwick but it was fine and the check in people were surprised we thought there might be problem . So if the worst comes to the worst your friend could fly via the channel islands!!!!!

Cheers

Sarah

PS took my pipes on board in the case with my flute tucked inside

Subject: RE: Flying with Fiddles
From: fiddler
Date: 11 Sep 08 - 07:22 AM

Aye it is too big and, what many airlines don't realise, contains 4 garrots and sometimes some spare garrots too!

I've flown with mine and the cabin crew will usually look after it as an option - put it in their coat lockers but certainly I've been let on and put it in the OH luggage locker.

The Hold - Never Never Never - I might not be the best player but it is still a good instrument that needs TLC and freezing it in the hold does not fit that bill.

Coming out of Dusseldorf the otehr year they made me play it to prove I wasn't smuggling it out of the country.

Andy

PS I never use Ryan air - or never have to date!