travel: have you carried onto a plane a 61-key board in a soft case?

[El Lobo]

Wondering if anyone has successfully done this and how you did it? Backpack straps so it hides on your back? Ask to put it in the closet? Try to fake your way on and hope they don't take it and put it in checked baggage? Bring chocolates to the flight attendants? (I'm also on a sax forum and these are some of the strategies sax players use to carry on a tenor sax, or even sometimes a bari sax.) Have you tried to carry on a keyboard? What happened? Were you successful? Any tips and tricks for how to do it?

[obxa]

 Flying is miserable.   Really depends on the airline,  how crowded the flight is, time of day,  and the mood of the gate agent-  I greet them extra cordially. 

 

 I still carry a printout of that thing from the Musicians Union with me.  TSA is usually clueless, so that's your first hurdle to educate them before you get to the Gate Agent.  

Check this.  https://musiciansunion.org.uk/working-performing/working-overseas/travelling-with-a-musical-instrument/flying-with-us-airline

 

I've flown with a Nord Electro 61 in its honking red softcase.  Luckily it's more compact than  most guitars. The Gate Agent can still can just tell you to take a later flight, or ask you  to gate check.  That said, I've found gate checked gear arrives in better shape than bagged checked, but I wouldn't fly with anything I really care about.     For that reason,  99% of the time I backline everything, even if I have to go out of pocket on some or all of it- and always  bring Mainstage.  

 

I'm sure you already know this:  If possible, Tuesday is always a better day to fly- that day and early morning flights are less crowded and you stand a better chance.     I despise  a.m flights - but promoters are cheap and cruel, and will routinely book  6 a.m flights even if the band played the night before in to the wee hours- but at least chances of bringing stuff on board are better. 

 

Here is the pertinent paragraph from the DOT/FAA printout. 

 

 

§ 251.3 Small musical instruments as carry-on baggage.

Each covered carrier shall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other small musical instrument in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to any standard fee that carrier may require for comparable carry-on baggage, if:

(a) The instrument can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or under a passenger seat, in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the FAA; and

(b) There is space for such stowage at the time the passenger boards the aircraft.

 

 

Good luck!!

 

 

 

[El Lobo]

1 hour ago, obxa said:

... Really depends on the airline,  how crowded the flight is, time of day,  and the mood of the gate agent-  I greet them extra cordially. 

... I've flown with a Nord Electro 61 in its honking red softcase.  Luckily it's more compact than  most guitars. The Gate Agent can still can just tell you to take a later flight, or ask you  to gate check.  That said, I've found gate checked gear arrives in better shape than bagged checked, but I wouldn't fly with anything I really care about.     For that reason,  99% of the time I backline everything, even if I have to go out of pocket on some or all of it- and always  bring Mainstage.  

 

I'm sure you already know this:  If possible, Tuesday is always a better day to fly- that day and early morning flights are less crowded and you stand a better chance. 

Thanks for your comment. Yes, I've already thought about this. My flight is on a Thursday at Xmas time so it's going to be full. I'm talking to an instrument rental place at my destination. If the price and availability of preferred gear is right, I'll do that. If I do try to take something on the plane it will be a Casio S1 in an old Nord soft case. If it's gate checked and damaged, it won't be a big monetary hurt ... and maybe I'll collect some insurance. 

[Josh Paxton]

I've done it successfully, but eventually I decided that it wasn't worth the stress involved. If you do it, obviously you'll want to do whatever you have to do to be in an early boarding group, so there will be space left in the overhead when you board. The thing is, if you have a connecting flight, there's no real way to guarantee that. If your first flight is delayed, then you may end up being one of the last people to board your second flight and having to gate check the board. A few years ago I was doing a trip where I decided to check my board for that very reason, because when I looked at the schedule I had a feeling that that might happen. It did, and I was really glad I made that choice. I've been checking it ever since.

[Reezekeys]

I fly United a lot and always boarding group one, so never lack for overhead space. I would expect dirty looks from the later-boarding passengers looking in vain for space to put their bags and seeing a 61-note keyboard stretched across probably three rollerbag spaces. Actually, most of them wouldn't know who put the keyboard there, but I wouldn't be surprised if someone made a stink out of it – and it could very well be a FA. Lots of people in foul moods on airplanes these days!

 

I assume you're not on a regional jet either. I'm only familiar with the Embraers United Express flies; a 61-key board likely wouldn't fit on in the overheads there. Ironically however, those are the planes I'd trust more with gate checking since they'll load the gate-checked stuff last and take it off first, then deliver it to you at the jetway as you debark. Be aware that if you gate-check on a larger UA jet, chances are it goes to baggage claim at the destination with all the other bags.

 

PS - not a bad idea to have an Airtag in the case, if you do wind up having to check it.

[Mike Kent]

No, but i once checked a Roland XP-50 into fragile baggage in  padded bag.

It survived fine going there and back.

[El Lobo]

3 hours ago, Josh Paxton said:

The thing is, if you have a connecting flight, there's no real way to guarantee that. If your first flight is delayed, then you may end up being one of the last people to board your second flight and having to gate check the board. A few years ago I was doing a trip where I decided to check my board for that very reason, because when I looked at the schedule I had a feeling that that might happen. It did, and I was really glad I made that choice. I've been checking it ever since.

Thank you all for your comments. I also thought of bubble wrapping the board in the soft case and checking it in as baggage. I have to make a connecting flight and what Josh said about the advantage of checking the bag vs. hoping for carry-on room on the connecting flight is worth thinking about. 

[Analogaddict]

I’ve done a some flying with keys in Europe. I’m not doing it anymore! 😅 The risks are too big (broken or missing stuff, denied entry on plane) and the general experience sucks. I use a small rack with an Integra-7 and a HX3 module and backline keyboards. Most backline firms have a Kronos or similar - not the latest generation of boards so I go for slightly older stuff. 

[obxa]

Renting is worth it- especially if the people you're working for/with will cover or help with the cost?    I always bring some easy to lug  emergency essentials like a switchable sustain pedal.... and volume pedal if you use one.  Can't tell you how many times those get forgotten or sent  broken by backline places. 

 Half the expense with backline companies is setup and delivery.   If feasible, check on picking it up yourself.  You can also try a local music store, and  many GuitarCenters rent too.   Never hurts to also let folks here or on facebook know where you're gigging.?   I've been saved by fellow forum people in desperation on a few Europe, Island gigs,  and remote domestic places.  I've also (cheaply) rented out some of my gear.  Safe travels!

[nursers]

As someone who's just done some extensive international travel plus some domestic US travel, do NOT underestimate the level of pandemic chaos still in place. I'm talking baggage delays, people trying to get too much on board in checked baggage (I've never noticed so much enforced gate checking as this trip). And then there's the actual flight delays   I've never experienced the level of chaos that I did on this most recent trip.

[El Lobo]

Thanks all. I've confirmed availability of a rental board at my destination. 

 

BTW, this is not a gig. It's a sort of a family reunion on Grand Cayman Island. My brother and I spent many winters there in the late 60's/70's/early 80's and my 2 (then young) children were also there. Those "children" are now in their 50's and I have 6 grandchildren. My brother and his lady are pro musicians, my son plays sax/flute/keys/guitar/bass and most of my grandchildren play bass/guitar/keys. There will be 14 of us all there so we're putting the family band together on a Caribbean island for a week or so around Xmas time. I've been trying to work out how to get instruments there and it turns out there is a rental place with decent prices. So much easier. I can go back to traveling with just carry-on. I am so relieved ... 

 

Anyone want to buy an enormous and very heavy flight case for a 61-key board? Brand new and never used. 

[obxa]

That sounds awesome! What a very  great thing to do. 

 Did  some oldies and corporate gigs in the Caymans in 2010-2011.  Still have some friends there. I still laugh that half the island folks last name is  "Banks".    Sounds like things are better for backline there now- I think my first time I used some local guy's personal Juno.

[Jim Alfredson]

Already great comments in here. When I have to bring a board, I always check it in an ATA approved hard case. I've seen way too many guitarists lose the battle with gate agents when they try to get their guitar on the plane with them. Too stressful. 

But for your situation, either attempting it with a cheap keyboard you're not too invested in or renting is the best idea.

[MathOfInsects]

I've posted about this before, but my experience with this has (thus far) been different from some. I travel by plane with my NS3C as a carry-on I would say "freque-mittently," so I am happy to defer to those with more experience. But...SO FAR my experience has been that the flight crew goes out of their way to make sure it's easy for us to bring on. My last time (post-pandemic) one of them even asked if I would prefer it in the closet up front, and I said only if they preferred that, and she said, "No, just so people don't cram their stuff against it." She took it herself and carefully walked it up the aisle to the crew closet like she was doing holy work. 

It is smaller than a guitar/case. I wrap the hell out of the board in bubble wrap just in case.

Once and only once neither the overhead nor the closet would fit it. That was on me. Bad planning. I should have guessed it would be a Buddy Holly plane. I said 7 Hail Mary's and surrendered it to the fates and it was protected perfectly inside the case and bubble wrap.

 

But obviously I wouldn't roll those dice too often. 

[Reezekeys]

I'm curious, was this one particular airline? Policies (and agent training on accepting larger carry-ons) differ greatly between them. As I mentioned I'm on United and we check quite a lot of gear, so I've never needed to carry on anything beyond my computer backpack – though I now carry a roller with my clothes when flying to a gig, due to a few delayed baggage incidents in the last year & a half. Flying home from a gig, I take my chances and check it - so far so good. I keep an Airtag in my keyboard case too.

[Adan]

Not really answering the question, but I have a Reface CP specifically for air travel, mainly so I can play in the airport, on the plane, or wherever else I might have a spare 15 minutes.  You probably wouldn't want it as your gigging keyboard, but it might provide comfort to know it's there as a backup.  Fits under seat if needed.

[El Lobo]

On 11/1/2022 at 2:38 PM, obxa said:

That sounds awesome! What a very  great thing to do. 

 Did  some oldies and corporate gigs in the Caymans in 2010-2011.  Still have some friends there. I still laugh that half the island folks last name is  "Banks".    Sounds like things are better for backline there now- I think my first time I used some local guy's personal Juno.

If their last name isn't "Banks" it's probably "Bodden." I don't know if things are better for backline or rental, but I'm about to find out. The person at Cayman Music says I can rent a Casio board for a week for $100 (with a $400 deposit). I'll see how it goes. This is not for a gig, just informal family music-making.

[Moonglow]

If all else fails, might there be a real piano available somewhere?

[El Lobo]

14 hours ago, Moonglow said:

If all else fails, might there be a real piano available somewhere?

There might. But it won't be in one of the condos or apartments we've rented so we'd all have to go where the piano is, which might not be convenient for where the piano lives. 

[obxa]

 I think I remember your'e a sax player..Great time to pick up an inexpensive 32 or 25 key Melodica (or two LOL) and toss in your bag, horn players naturally play them better- and if you don't use it, someone else will enjoy! 

 

[El Lobo]

16 hours ago, obxa said:

 I think I remember your'e a sax player..Great time to pick up an inexpensive 32 or 25 key Melodica (or two LOL) and toss in your bag, horn players naturally play them better- and if you don't use it, someone else will enjoy! 

 

Haha. Thanks for the suggestion. I do have a melodica (or 2). I also have a couple of different types of wind synths and I've thought about taking one of those. I could also take an alto sax on the plane without difficulty. Too many instruments ... 

[Moonglow]

On 11/3/2022 at 11:30 AM, El Lobo said:

There might. But it won't be in one of the condos or apartments we've rented so we'd all have to go where the piano is, which might not be convenient for where the piano lives. 

That’s easy! Steal…err…borrow one. 

[TomKittel]

TWIW: I once brought a Nord Electro 73 in a Nord softbag as hand luggage from the US to Europe without any problems. 

[pjd]

Been in a similar situation before — family visit, nothing on the line professionally. Often have considered buying a cheapo keyboard then leaving it behind for the youngins.

 

— pj

 

[El Lobo]

15 hours ago, Jazz1642606857 said:

I’ve carried my CT-S1 onto several flights without a case.

Really? Do you mean just the keyboard, not even in a soft gig bag or any covering? Exposed in all its natural nude beauty? I have an S1. it's hard for me to picture just walking it on to the plane, as if I was the inflight entertainment.