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Hi there, this is potentially a very niche question, but wanted to see if anyone might be able to help.
Japan produces some quality musical instruments and availability and pricing in Japan (with the weak yen) are very good at the moment, so I’m considering purchasing a bass guitar while in Osaka or Tokyo in a few weeks’ time.
Has anyone ever bought a guitar while travelling and transported on BA and, if so, how did you manage this (e.g., carried on, checked in using box or using hard case, etc.)?
We will be flying in Club for the return flights (HND-LHR-GLA). It seems like there’s a chance I could carry the guitar on for the HND-LHR leg, but the LHR-GLA leg seems less likely.
Any thoughts, insights, or experiences that anyone could share?
There are some useful instructions on the BA website (Musical Instruments)) but it looks like a rigid case if the only way to do this safely, especially if they can’t accept it in the cabin. You can either take a case with you on the way out and travel with it empty, or buy one there.
There are some useful instructions on the BA website (Musical Instruments)) but it looks like a rigid case if the only way to do this safely, especially if they can’t accept it in the cabin. You can either take a case with you on the way out and travel with it empty, or buy one there.
Yeah, I was hoping to avoid needing a rigid case, but seems this might not be possible/advisable.
Unfortunately. I can’t really travel out with one, as we’re going a few places before Japan (e.g., China. South Korea) and buying one wipes out a bit of the savings vs UK prices.
I might need to go back to my traditional interest of buying medium format film cameras/lenses when travelling, as much easier to carry back, although these new CT carry-on scanners damage undeveloped film!
There are some useful instructions on the BA website (Musical Instruments)) but it looks like a rigid case if the only way to do this safely, especially if they can’t accept it in the cabin. You can either take a case with you on the way out and travel with it empty, or buy one there.
Yeah, I was hoping to avoid needing a rigid case, but seems this might not be possible/advisable.
Unfortunately. I can’t really travel out with one, as we’re going a few places before Japan (e.g., China. South Korea) and buying one wipes out a bit of the savings vs UK prices.
I might need to go back to my traditional interest of buying medium format film cameras/lenses when travelling, as much easier to carry back, although these new CT carry-on scanners damage undeveloped film!
Would a lead lined bag stop that issue? It used to stop the old scanners fogging film when I started travelling so wonder if it would work for the new ones. You’d probably be guaranteed to have them check your bags to see what it is but worth it if it saves the film.
If it’s a headless bass, or short-scale / smaller-than-usual, you might get away with carrying it on board in a gig-bag. But I’m not sure I’d rely on there being space in the overheads or whatever cupboards may be available. I’ve always found crews to be as helpful as they can, but if there’s no space, then there’s no space. Being in Club will no doubt help, though maybe won’t make any difference on the domestic leg (I once took a Gibson Les Paul on board (long-haul), in its hard-case, and was able to put it in the overhead bin – but I was in 1A and had a whole bin to myself – doubt I could have done that down the back 😉
I think if it were me I’d plan on buying a (possibly second-hand) hard case with it, and then see if they’ll let you at least gate-check it. I would probably also buy (or take along) one of those nylon baggage straps with a TSA combi lock on it, and wrap that around the case / through the handle – so that if customs/security want to inspect it they can do so without smashing the case locks (been there, done that 😉
I would probably also use some t-shirts etc to wrap around the neck and pad under the headstock. Don’t forget to loosen the strings 😉 Contact details inside the case as well as on the outside baggage tag. If you know you’ll be checking it in straight away (i.e not gate checking), I might even put the case inside a cardboard box (with any luck, the shop you buy it all from may have some spare), preferably with plenty of bubble wrap / newspaper / other padding (laundry?!) inside – though that’s probably a guaranteed way to get it inspected by customs when you pick it up from the carousel on arrival 😉 Not sure what import duties and/or VAT may be payable. Whereas walking through with a slightly battered / well-travelled case that looks like you could plausibly have owned it for years might not (🤷♂️😂). Either way, get the check-in agent to put plenty of Fragile stickers on it.
@Jon, some really good advice there. I think I have some of the straps with TSA combi lock somewhere, so will dig those out and make sure to bring with us. The suggestion of the second-hand case seems sensible too for either gate check or checking in.
Would a lead lined bag stop that issue? It used to stop the old scanners fogging film when I started travelling so wonder if it would work for the new ones. You’d probably be guaranteed to have them check your bags to see what it is but worth it if it saves the film.
I’m not sure. I’ve found that even one pass through the new carry-on CT scanners will noticeably affect film, so I’m really out of luck if the lead-lined bag doesn’t work or the security folks insist the film goes through the scanner outside of the bag.
YMMV, but talk to the security staff. They must know about film and X-ray/CT scanners, and if not in the camera can manually inspect it (the roll). As for the guitar, I’d imagine in Club you can get it to LHR (in overhead bins or ask crew to store in their cupboard/storage). LHR-GLA you could book an extra seat??
My neighbour is a world-renowned musician. You’d be surprised how many people travel with classical instruments worth £100k+ around the world to perform. No way are they going in the hold.
YMMV, but talk to the security staff. They must know about film and X-ray/CT scanners, and if not in the camera can manually inspect it (the roll).
Yeah, I’ve flown all over with film over the years and while some countries and their airports are very accommodating for hand checking film (e.g., USA, Japan, etc.), there are others that will insist that film travels through the x-ray scanners (often European airports). With the old scanners, a few scans were not a problem for me, but there is no room for error with the newer CT variety (the ones currently being installed in many UK airports where you don’t need to take liquids or anything out of bags). In Amsterdam, which has had some of these since before the pandemic, I had two separate experiences where they would not even consider letting me remove anything from my bag, let alone hand check the film, so all photos from those two trips were damaged.
As for the guitar, I’d imagine in Club you can get it to LHR (in overhead bins or ask crew to store in their cupboard/storage). LHR-GLA you could book an extra seat??
My neighbour is a world-renowned musician. You’d be surprised how many people travel with classical instruments worth £100k+ around the world to perform. No way are they going in the hold.
Yeah, I have previously read about travelling with expensive/unique instruments (e.g., violins) and know you can book seats for instruments (and I would too if my instrument were worth tens of thousands).
The guitars I’m considering will be a fraction of such prices though (and my livelihood won’t depend on the instrument), so not sure it’d be worth buying a seat in this case (and would negate a lot of the cost savings versus purchasing in the UK).
If I’m willing to spend money on a seat for the guitar, I’d probably just as well try to ship the guitar to the UK, which is something else I might also consider (depending on cost and whether shops offer this).
Potential nightmare if you get to the airport and some individual won’t let the unprotected instrument in the cabin. Having travelled with guitars before (not a long necked bass I might add) I always always always have the instrument in either a metal trimmed and securely fastened flight case or polycarbonate reinforced case. It then goes into the checked hold and is collected with all the other outsized luggage. No problems encountered. I once met a pro band in first on BA. All their gear was in the hold in flight cases. Personally I would have it cased properly for the hold and then try and get it into the cabin. A full scale bass might cause dimension problems in the cabin though. Good luck👍
Personally I would have it cased properly for the hold and then try and get it into the cabin.
Yes, that! Good luck, and I’d avoid trying to pay import duty (they really aren’t bothered for a few quid).
As for film, if you put in a lead bag….. Don’t the CT scanners just pick up they can’t see what it is and then it’s flagged anyway?? I take biologic (live) medication, and haven’t taken it through a CT scanner yet but would strongly resist it. Normally I don’t mind through normal scanners, or they just swab it.
Just an update to this thread, bringing back a guitar ended up turning into a bit of an adventure… Fortunately, with a happy ending thanks to Villa Fontaine Grand Haneda Airport hotel and BA/JAL staff.
To make a very long story short, I bought a bass guitar in Osaka (prices were amazing!) and it was supposed to be boxed and sent to our hotel at Haneda airport ahead of our departing flight home, but it never arrived. Resigned to having to organise a complicated return/refund via email when I got home, we left the airport hotel to catch our flight.
While in the JAL lounge after security though, and about 70 minutes before our flight (!), I noticed that I had a missed call from the airport hotel…
A number of frantic Skype calls with the hotel and some quick negotiation with BA/JAL staff at the gate later, the hotel very promptly brought the guitar to the BA check-in desk and BA staff were able to get the guitar checked in for me, which enabled the guitar to just make the flight and the guitar is now safe and sound with me at home in Glasgow.
So grateful for the service from both the hotel and airline staff; their quick and helpful action made the end of this trip and the flight so much more enjoyable.
Jim Morrison’s spirit lives with your guitar: “If you book them, they will come”. 😁 🎸
My daughter was separated from her bag at Delhi recently. The amazing ground staff working for Virgin managed to get it checked in for her while she was airside (I’d already advised her on the phone this was impossible!). There’s a lot of moaning in these forums about airlines (including from me) but it’s fantastic when these things happen.
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