Flying with violins

[RumziGal]

At some point I will have to bring two vile dins back to France, probably on RyanScare.

In the old days I could take a vile din on as hand luggage, but probably not any more.   What would the musicians among you recommend - just pack them both in a large suitcase along with everything else, or put them through separately (presumably there's an extra charge?) and hope that they get handled appropriately?

I'm so glad I don't play the accordion!  [:)]  

[Hoddy]

It seems you have to buy a seat for them -

http://www.ryanair.com/termscond/conditions.html

Hoddy

[RumziGal]

Oh goodness, that is so funny!  [:D]

"Other musical items such as a guitar, cello, violin or viola which exceed our cabin baggage dimensions may be carried in the cabin if a seat for it has been reserved and the appropriate fare paid."

Is anybody sitting there?    Yes, my invisible violin. [:P]

At Luton on Sunday they were very strict about the one-piece-of-hand-luggage thing.  Even the tiniest handbags and bumbags had to be put inside the hand luggage.   But I'm getting better at packing - checked-in bag was 14.9kg.   Just think, I could have had an extra 100g of Cheddar!

Might have to choose between violins and Cheddar now......... 

[Patf]

When BA brought in their new regulations they made an exception for "sports equipment". ie these bags etc could be brought on as hand luggage. So someone suggested buying eg a tennis equipment bag or skibag and putting other things in. Maybe that could hold a fiddle? Might be worth checking out to see if it still applies. Pat.ps I know what you mean by vile dins - I used to play one in my youth and wasn't allowed to practise at home as it made the dog howl. He used to sit next to me and lift his head and howl.

[RumziGal]

Why does nobody ever stay at the Stradivarius Hotel?

 

Because it's a vile inn!   [:-))]

[Gardian]

[quote user="RumziGal"]

Just think, I could have had an extra 100g of Cheddar!

[/quote]

Don't know for sure what they're like at Luton / Stansted (because I've personally never been exporting cheese to France), but at Nimes they 'bounced' our cheese at Christmas that we were taking back (in our hand luggage).

Fortunately they were really helpful about it and allowed to pass back through security and check in the item of hand baggage (and with no additional charge for the extra item!)  It probably wasn't because it was potentially explosive cheese - just that it was already a bit niffy.  

[RumziGal]

[quote user="Gardian"]Don't know for sure what they're like at Luton / Stansted [/quote]

To be honest, neither do I!   It's different every time I go through there. 

[TWINKLE]

I once took a guitar on board Air France and they let me put it at the back in the air steward section. 

RG!

I played the fiddle for 12 years and in all that time I don't think I ever made anyone smile[:D].  I left it in London when I came to sing in France and I once visited the house I used to rent and it was hanging on the wall in the living room.  It looked so lovely - and quiet!

[Beryl]

I can't understand why parents pay so much money for their children to make a din when a recorder costs just a couple of euros and has the same effect!

[AnOther]

You could strap your Violin to your back and wear a coat on top so nobody sees it, you might look like Quasimodo but I've yet to see anybody searched at a check-in ! [Www]

Not suggesting you can do this with a Violin but when travelling RA I usually wear a 3/4 length lightweight coat with numerous rather large pockets into which I can place small but possibly heavy items. In one pocket I also carry a small packaway rucksack (Go by Design, you'll find them at the airports) into which I then decant everything (including the coat if I don't need to wear it anymore) once clear of check-in.

I've done this on innumerable occassions and never had any problems either going through security, airside or boarding the plane.

Next time you're on RA and you see someone buckling at the knees for no apparent reason it might be moi !

[cooperlola]

See

http://www.britishairways.com/travel/bagchk/public/en_gb

You can check musical instruments into the hold, but that's it, by the look of things, on BA.

[AnOther]

[quote user="RumziGal"]

Oh goodness, that is so funny!  [:D]

"Other musical items such as a guitar, cello, violin or viola which exceed our cabin baggage dimensions may be carried in the cabin if a seat for it has been reserved and the appropriate fare paid."[/quote]Surely if your Violin has it's own ticket and seat then logically it must have it's own 15kg baggage allowance.....that's an awful lot of cheese.....[:)]

[RumziGal]

[:D] [:D] [:D]

[Teamedup]

Ok so you buy a seat ticket for your gwter or whatever, then what. What do you register it as, does it need a name? Will one's own name do as in our case Guitar Up. Will Saligo Bay's fiddle be Violin Bay.

I am just wondering about this. And how are you supposed to get the seat belt on it? This is all mad isn't it.

And yes 'it' should get baggage allowance, but would it.

[AnOther]

Wot, your violin doesn't have a passport..............better get it one soon before it has to go for an interview.................!

[Hoddy]

Rumzi - I always think of you as petite and slim - could you go as the violin's baggage ?

Hoddy

[AnOther]

[quote user="Hoddy"]Rumzi - I always think of you as petite and slim - could you go as the violin's baggage ? Hoddy[/quote]This violin is taking on a persona of it's own if it has it's own baggage..............

Wikipedia definition of Baggage:

"Typically, the baggage would consist of the possessions (often including varying quantities of booty, goods looted from conquered territories or spoils of past battle such as weapons and armor of fallen enemies) of the military personnel, together with their wives, children, male and female prostitutes, and other non-fighting personnel"

I'm sure this doesn't apply to Rumzigal of course [:)]

[Cassis]

If the violin has a paid-for seat, does it also get food and drink on board?

[AnOther]

Hey, we're talking RA here don't forget. I suppose it could succumb to a Scratch Card though, be the first I've ever seen sold..........

[mint]

is flying with violins more or less fun than swimming with dolphins?

[Cassis]

Or dancing with wolves?  Anyway, isn't flyin with violinz what happens after the chavs get tanked up on duty frees?

[Beryl]

[quote user="Cassis"] Anyway, isn't flyin with violinz what happens after the chavs get tanked up on duty frees?
[/quote]

[:D] Very good , Cassis;  You are on tip top form today [:-))]

[andyh4]

[quote user="ErnieY"]

You could strap your Violin to your back and wear a coat on top so nobody sees it, you might look like Quasimodo but I've yet to see anybody searched at a check-in ! [Www]

Not suggesting you can do this with a Violin but when travelling RA I usually wear a 3/4 length lightweight coat with numerous rather large pockets into which I can place small but possibly heavy items. In one pocket I also carry a small packaway rucksack (Go by Design, you'll find them at the airports) into which I then decant everything (including the coat if I don't need to wear it anymore) once clear of check-in.

I've done this on innumerable occassions and never had any problems either going through security, airside or boarding the plane.

Next time you're on RA and you see someone buckling at the knees for no apparent reason it might be moi !

[/quote]

 

I tend to do similar but last Monday at Stanstead you would have been bounced at security, they were turning back anyone who even remotely looked like they had more than one piece of hand baggage.

 

PS I always decant my stuff airside - no way anyone can complain then since I have the possibility to buy any number of carrier bags of stuff and take it on the plane.

[AnOther]

[quote user="andyh4"]I tend to do similar but last Monday at Stanstead you would have been bounced at security, they were turning back anyone who even remotely looked like they had more than one piece of hand baggage.[/quote]They've been doing this for a long time at Stanstead but the trick there is just to keep everything in the coat pockets until through security, I've done it regularly. Barring prohibited items of course, there is no rule I know of which says what you can or cannot carry in your pockets.