TromboneChat

Sorry for two consecutive thread.

I am looking for a job in my home country, Thailand, and hopefully I can fly back soon. The only thing I am worrying is how to bring my horn back with me. I asked ANA and they said the horn must go into the cargo hold, no hope for cabin carry-on luggage. I don't quite trust the luggage handler, especially at the Bangkok side, on that. And since in Thailand there are very few good technician (we are not quite a "band" country, the problem which I would like to discuss in another thread), I absolutely don't want anything to happen to the horn.

So my plan now is to fly with low cost carrier, and buy one more seat for the horn. The overall price should be around the full-service airline's. But even that I am still worrying that the low cost carrier might not let the horn into the cabin. I shall ask them soon, but still there is even chance that they refuse at the check-in counter. As a result, I have to prepare for the worst: checking the horn into the cargo hold.

I have a standard Yamaha bass trombone case (YBL-830) and a DAC NX-2 bass trombone case. The DAC case has proven itself a few times (I rode a bicycle under a low-clearance railway bridge and the bell part accidentally hit the beam), but some in this forum say its shell is kind of thin. The impact with the bridge beam was also not that forceful and cannot be taken as structural integrity test.

So my question is: from your experience, are these 2 cases enough for air travel and abusive handing? And also, does anyone have experience about taking the horn into the cabin, both as carry-on luggage and "passenger"?

If necessary, I can buy a golf sack to add protection, but, another question yet, does that really help?

Thank you. Any help would be highly appreciated.

There has been a lot of discussion related to this; some of it won't apply.  Especially since you will not be flying a carrier regulated by the US FAA.

That said, some airlines will not allow you to buy a ticket for your instrument.  I think Yo-Yo-Ma recently ran into this.  I'm not sure what the problem is -- maybe they won't provide a Tung Oil in-flight drink for it?

Most airlines will allow instruments as one carry-on if it will fit in the overhead compartment.  No idea how that applies to your cases, but I hope others here can help.

As to protection from Baggage Gorillas (I guess in Bangkok they are refugees from Myanmar?) we usually suggest an SKB hard case to fit a set of golf clubs.  You will then have to pack around your trombone case with lots of extra clothes or packing material.  Check also the suggestions from Doug Yeo on how to fill the instrument case itself.

Quote from: BGuttman on Oct 31, 2017, 10:41AMThere has been a lot of discussion related to this; some of it won't apply.  Especially since you will not be flying a carrier regulated by the US FAA.

That said, some airlines will not allow you to buy a ticket for your instrument.  I think Yo-Yo-Ma recently ran into this.  I'm not sure what the problem is -- maybe they won't provide a Tung Oil in-flight drink for it?

Most airlines will allow instruments as one carry-on if it will fit in the overhead compartment.  No idea how that applies to your cases, but I hope others here can help.

As to protection from Baggage Gorillas (I guess in Bangkok they are refugees from Myanmar?) we usually suggest an SKB hard case to fit a set of golf clubs.  You will then have to pack around your trombone case with lots of extra clothes or packing material.  Check also the suggestions from Doug Yeo on how to fill the instrument case itself.

Thank you for your answer .

I can understand why airlines don't allow ticket for instrument. Since instrument cannot use seat belt, in case of accident it can transform itself into howitzer projectile. I would not want to sit in the seat in front of it. The engineer part of me screams airlines should not allow it in any case. The musician part of me scream the opposite... I shall ask the low cost carriers soon.

For cabin overhead compartment, I have asked ANA and JAL, and they don't allow it. Thai Airways, according to the allowable dimension stated on their website, don't either. I seriously doubt the low-cost ones would allow it. I have read the suggestion on Torpedo Bag's website, but the majority of them, like trying to be stealthy or bribe the luggage handler, are only possible with trumpets or at most tenor trombones in a sleek gig bags, not a big bad bass 'bone.

I have read Mr.Yeo's FAQ about this on his website, and I think maybe I shall go that route. With much foam and padding, hopefully the only way to harm my horn is to drive over it. Not that it cannot happen, though...

Or should I ship it with DHL instead?

On the remark, I think the people at the airport are all Thais, maybe because of security issue. Yes, we normally don't trust our fellow Thais. Sometimes it is from nonsensical prejudice, but sometimes it has factual basis...

Quote from: BGuttman on Oct 31, 2017, 10:41AMThere has been a lot of discussion related to this; some of it won't apply.  Especially since you will not be flying a carrier regulated by the US FAA.

That said, some airlines will not allow you to buy a ticket for your instrument.  I think Yo-Yo-Ma recently ran into this.  I'm not sure what the problem is -- maybe they won't provide a Tung Oil in-flight drink for it?

Most airlines will allow instruments as one carry-on if it will fit in the overhead compartment.  No idea how that applies to your cases, but I hope others here can help.

As to protection from Baggage Gorillas (I guess in Bangkok they are refugees from Myanmar?) we usually suggest an SKB hard case to fit a set of golf clubs.  You will then have to pack around your trombone case with lots of extra clothes or packing material.  Check also the suggestions from Doug Yeo on how to fill the instrument case itself.

Thank you for your answer .

I can understand why airlines don't allow ticket for instrument. Since instrument cannot use seat belt, in case of accident it can transform itself into howitzer projectile. I would not want to sit in the seat in front of it. The engineer part of me screams airlines should not allow it in any case. The musician part of me scream the opposite... I shall ask the low cost carriers soon.

For cabin overhead compartment, I have asked ANA and JAL, and they don't allow it. Thai Airways, according to the allowable dimension stated on their website, don't either. I seriously doubt the low-cost ones would allow it. I have read the suggestion on Torpedo Bag's website, but the majority of them, like trying to be stealthy or bribe the luggage handler, are only possible with trumpets or at most tenor trombones in a sleek gig bags, not a big bad bass 'bone.

I have read Mr.Yeo's FAQ about this on his website, and I think maybe I shall go that route. With much foam and padding, hopefully the only way to harm my horn is to drive over it. Not that it cannot happen, though...

Or should I ship it with DHL instead?

On the remark, I think the people at the airport are all Thais, maybe because of security issue. Yes, we normally don't trust our fellow Thais. Sometimes it is from nonsensical prejudice, but sometimes it has factual basis...