Size of Overhead Bins (flying with instruments)

Subject: Size of Overhead Bins
From: GUEST,Al
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 02:14 AM

Does anyone know where to find the dimensions of aircraft overhead bins, sorted by airline and model of aircraft? Al

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 02:27 AM

Unable to help, Al, but if you're thinking of bringing a guitar on board, don't. Security is a royal pain in the ass, and they'll make you check an instrument. Been through it several times. I don't even bother anymore. I just check my guitar in a hardshell Calton case. Haven't suffered loss or damage yet.

All the best.

Seamus

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 11:02 AM

There are definite advantages to playing a concertina.

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 11:14 AM

I've never had a problem flying with a violin. Its in a rectangular case and it fits into the overhead bins nicely. However I don't take any handluggage. The things I need such a passport, tickets etc fit into my case.

cat

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 11:34 AM

I believe that the size of what can fit, what is permitted, is standard from airline to airline and aircraft to aircraft. Any travel agent should be able to give you those dimensions.

Asking for more information than that is likely to cause quite a bit of suspicion in these times we now live in.

~Susan

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: GUEST,Al
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 11:42 AM

Yup,that's what I was thinking. I got a brand new Seagull Grand Artist, and a very nice little guitar it is. I was hoping it might fit in the overhead bin when we go to Clifftop. Seamus, where do you fly out of, and which airline was giving your guitar the boot? Al

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: Jeri
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 12:06 PM

Al, I think most airlines will give guitars the boot. They occasionally have given me crap about my fiddle, and it has fit easily in ever overhead bin I've stuffed it in. It also fits under the seat with a little bit protruding, which I put my feet on. That was before Sep 11. I've since heard about people having capos, metal pennywhistles and strings confiscated.

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: wysiwyg
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 12:18 PM

You can crate it and ship it to your destination.

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 12:37 PM

We looked into this last year when my wife needed to travel with her hammered dulcimer. It was definitely outside the limits of what is officially considered acceptable for carry-on luggage. However, we know that people often carry bags that are outside the official limits and stow them in overhead compartments, and it seems that the airlines never try to stop them. So we attempted to find out whether the instrument would fit in an overhead compartment. It seems you can't get this information through any official channels. We even tried going through a friend of a friend, who works for an airline, and got nowhere. It seems that the size of the bin varies in unpredictable ways, and the airline refuses to make any guarantees. If you think you're going to be flying on, say, a 747, the airline has the option of switching to a different aircraft at the last minute. Or they can cancel your flight and require you to travel on a different flight. If that adversely affects your plans, tough luck.

The best information we could get was this: You can bring your instrument to the gate, and depending on the whim of the person taking tickets, they MIGHT allow you to take your instrument aboard the plane and TRY to fit it into the bin. If it doesn't fit, you have no choice at that point but to allow it to go with the rest of the luggage in the belly of the plane. On the other hand, the ticket taker might take one look at it and say "You can't bring that in here." They're more likely to do that if the plane is crowded and the crew is busy, or if the ticket taker is just an ornery cuss who wants to do things by the book. If there is any good news in this, it may be that you do have the option of checking your instrument at the last minute before you board the plane.

It didn't help us much, because it meant we had to be prepared for the worst, which meant she had to bring the hardshell case. We figured there was no way the hardshell case would fit in the overhead bin, although the soft case might have. So we just checked the instrument.

The other good news is that you can also arrange special handling, which means they won't send your instrument down the chute with all the other baggage; they'll move it to and from the plane on a cart on the elevator instead.

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 12:40 PM

p.s. I should have also pointed out that our adventure with the hammered dulcimer was before September 11. I have no idea how things might have changed since then.

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: catspaw49
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 01:03 PM

The whole thing is an exercise in futlity as Jim pointed out, even in the days before 9/11. All Liners are not the same and the size and configuration of the overheads varies even within the same series of aircraft used on different lines.

Seamus has the problem solved.......check it through baggage in a great case or packed extremely well. Calton is hard to beat. Get yourself some insurance and forget it. Otherwise you'll drive yourself nuts and even if you think you can do it, have been told so even, the decision at Check-In is final. If you're stopped there, what do you do? Just make other arrangements and quit trying to even think about carrying it along with you.

One other thing, and again this was long before 9/11---------I used to average about 5-6 flights per week, every week. I was frankly overjoyed when the airlines tightened up the carry-on crap. There would be umpteen people ahead of you trying to jam 100 cubic yards of shit into a 3 square foot space while you're just wanting to sit down. Then when the friggin' plane lands, every swingin' dick that has the 100 cubic yards of shit tries to get off first and slows everyone down. BRAVO FOR LIMITED CARRY-ON!!!


Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: bob schwarer
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 01:08 PM

Amen

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: Eric the Viking
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 01:17 PM

On Ryan Air going to Brussels, I stacked my guitar in Hiscox hard case, Skipjack, got his accodian and violin, and Bill got his banjo all into overhead lockers! We may have been lucky, we didn't make any fuss, just carried them on in the melee

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: DMcG
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 02:39 PM

I work for the United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority and if you are *really* interested I am sure I can dig out the relevant material.

The section next to mine carries out Surveys and a few years ago everyone in the section got lots of free flights world-wide while they assessed how much was really being stuffed into these lockers ... needless to say, I didn't :-(

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: EBarnacle1
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 02:47 PM

Tom Paxton had the pleasure of maledicting Republic Airlines for their mistreatment of his guitar--sticking a forklift fork through the case. Not too long after, Republic went out of business. Unfortunately, the nature of baggage handlers is such that carryon or shipping is still really the only safe way.

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 03:42 PM

Excuse me: Republic Airlines didn't exactly go out of business; it was acquired by Northwest Airlines in 1986. Here's the official story of Northwest Airlines' Lineage.

The story there isn't complete, however; there was a period of time when it was called Northwest Orient Airlines.

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: Jim Dixon
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 04:34 PM

Here's another thought: If you're not going overseas, and if you have the time, would you consider going by train? Trains are WAY more liberal about luggage than airlines. Here's Amtrak's policy on carry-on baggage and checked baggage.

Note that they allow you TWO pieces of carry-on luggage of approximately 5 cubic feet each, OR one piece of about 10 cubic feet. (I'm simplifying somewhat; see the web site for details.)

For comparison, airlines officially allow you ONE piece of approximately 1.6 cubic feet. See, for example, Northwest Airlines.

And their checked baggage policy is more liberal, too.

Just one more reason to love trains.

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: mousethief
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 04:45 PM

Before putting your instrument case in the luggage hold of an airplane, I suggest the following:

Go to the hardware store and get those plastic zip strips and zip your case shut along the neck and at least twice across the fat part (cut off the tails). Duct tape (multiple layers) over all the latches.

Alex

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 06:14 PM

On a recent trip to Ireland aboard Aer Lingus, we saw someone carry a guitar on to the plane in a soft case. It wouldn't fit in the overhead without protruding into the next compartment forward which was already full. So, he very politely asked the people in the seat in front of him if he could move their carry on stuff to the compartment across the aisle. They agreed and his guitar went in slick as you please.

But, you can't count on that or anything else in air travel today. That's why we have never taken an instrument on a plane. We travel in a small motorhome. It limits our range but it eliminates a lot of problems. It's never overbooked, it never cancels, and it leaves whenever we're ready. And, we can take whatever we want and no one complains.

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: Murray MacLeod
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 06:36 PM

I do SO hate it when I open a thread, scroll down and find that Spaw has already said everything I was going to say....

Murray

Subject: RE: BS: Size of Overhead Bins
From: Seamus Kennedy
Date: 03 Jul 02 - 08:14 PM

Al, I fly all over the country from most major airports, including international, but mostly out of BWI or Washington Reagan or Dulles. I don't want to risk my guitar in a soft-shell in an overhead bin with other folks' carry-ons. The drawback is you can't take it out and start a session en route. So I check it. Problem solved. I've never had my guitar lost or damaged when I checked it. The case will get a bit scuffed, but that gives it personality. All the best

Seamus

Subject: RE: Size of Overhead Bins (flying with instruments)
From: GUEST,Jakki
Date: 10 Mar 10 - 04:20 AM

If there are any people travelling on Air Canada I checked their website and they have a section just about musical instruments

http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/airport/baggage/music_inst.html


From what I've seen on this page and from the posts here they should be pretty good to travel with.
I am going to try to travel with my Violin in it's case witch is about 32" long....
I'm not sure if the overhead space is larger in 1st class or not so I will check that out later and post it here if there is a noticeable difference.

I will be travelling from Tokyo, Japan to Nova Scotia, Canada so it's a reeeeeally long distance, I kinda expect to have issues but meh...

Let me know if you have travelled with Air Canada before please ^_^

Subject: RE: Size of Overhead Bins (flying with instruments)
From: GUEST,chris
Date: 10 Mar 10 - 06:18 AM

Hi
I went to a lot of trouble a few years ago in buying a case suitable for carrying 2 concertinas. I specifically bought a case that conformed to the recommended size and even checked the case at the airport in a frame designed by airports to check size of carry on luggage. It conformed - but no one had told the aircraft manufacturer who had made the overhead bins smaller than the so called recommended size. It is further complicated if you have to change aircraft for an internal flight to your final destination - they are smaller than intercontinental planes. Fortunately the cabin crew were understanding and stowed my case in the crews luggage space allocation. BEWARE there is no such thing as standardisation
good luck