Mandolin as Carry-On (Airline)

[Ivan Kelsall]

The 2 Airlines mentioned are totally adamant that NOTHING that excedes the dimensions that i quoted will be allowed on board -even if they built the Aircraft around me,unless i PAY. That's the crux of the matter. Both Airlines have come in for some heavy criticism by consumer watchdogs in the UK. The owner & Managing Director of Ryan Air was interviewed by a BBC consumer programme
last year,& it was 'take it or leave it' - he didn't give a damn as long as he got the cash,even though he knew he was being bloody minded regarding carry on luggage.
In spite of 'anecdotal evidence' - has anyone tried taking a Mandolin on board an Aircraft belonging to either of the 2 Airlines mentioned ? - i suspect not . However - i DO understand the point,it probably applies to many Airlines,but NOT the 2 in question.
The bottom line is this - the 2 Airlines are loosing money hand over fist. In order to try to recoup some of the lost revenue,they are charging for everything they can possibly think of & being very hardnosed about doing it - that was made abundantly clear during the BBC interview i mentioned.
I've talked extensively to representatives of both Airlines on the phone & they will not budge on the issue off allowed size. Only Aer Lingus told me that i would be allowed on board,but how could i guarantee that ?. It's too late after you've bought your ticket & you turn up at the check in,only to be told that your precious instrument has to be consigned to the tender mercies of the baggage handlers. That's my last word on the subject,anybody who doubts what i've said, can easily contact Ryan Air & Aer Aran to ask them their policies & if they would bend the rules to allow luggage 'larger than allowed',on board,
Ivan

[MikeEdgerton]

I'm guessing all the advice in the world doesn't matter here

[McMandolin]

There has been a lot of discussion on this subject over at the session.org
http://www.thesession.org/index.php
Search for airlines in discussion there are pages

[MikeEdgerton]

There's been a lot here as well.

[Jill McAuley]

Um, Ivan, if you read one of my posts on the last page you'll notice that I indeed HAVE flown with Ryanair and carried on my mandolin with no problem, no second looks and nary an argument or heated exchange to be had. I also know MANY other musicians who have done the same thing, with the same airline. Does that mean they'll let you bring your mandolin on? Haven't a clue there. From a statistical point of view mine and other folks experiences are purely anecdotal, but nonetheless we've all managed to fly with Ryanair, instruments in tow, without bother. I'm sure that isn't enough to provide you with peace of mind, but my intention here is just to clarify that yes, I have flown successfully with one of the airlines in question.

Cheers,
Jill

[mrmando]

Um, Ivan, if you read one of my posts on the last page you'll notice that I indeed HAVE flown with Ryanair and carried on my mandolin with no problem, no second looks and nary an argument or heated exchange to be had.

Same here.

[Ivan Kelsall]

Gents (& lady) - Again i take your point,but i can only repeat what i have been told. If an Airline chooses to say one thing & then do another,just how reliable can they be ?. Personally,i won't take a chance on it. The 'diagram' of the luggage size allowed, was from the Aer Lingus site,similar sizes are quoted on the Ryan Air & Aer Aran sites.The experiences that you guys have had may have been fine,but circumstances change.As i said before Ryan Air in particular have come in for a huge amount of flack in the UK 'precisely' over this matter - so it ain't just me !,
Ivan

[Aran]

I have flown on Aer Lingus, ArranAer, Air France, British airways, BMI, EasyJet and yes the dreaded Ryan Air and taken a mandolin on all of those carriers with no questions asked. Not even once.

What I do when I check in is not advertise that I am carrying an instrument and just hold the case between my legs when checking in. Generally keep it out of sight as much as possible and try to remain charming at all times. It's just a question of luck whether you get someone who fell out the wrong side of bed and spots your mandolin.

I have a contoured shaped hard case rather than a straight oblong box and this fits with plenty of room to spare in the baggage space on board any plane...

I'm gonna try Turkish Air later this year for the first time... We shall see but I am optimistic it will be fine.

[journeybear]

... I'm gonna try Turkish Air later this year for the first time... We shall see but I am optimistic it will be fine ...

If anyone asks, tell them it's an oud. You should be fine.

[mrmando]

No, no, no, say it's a cumbus! (But learn the correct pronunciation ... it's something like "jumbush.") Or a saz.

[man dough nollij]

Just refer to it as "my axe"...

[mandroid]

I recently got a used Brompton UK Folding Bicycle , and on one retailers websites,
the folded bicycle is a picture of one of those stowed in the Overhead compartment of a US commuter interstate Airline. ..a Carry-on Bicycle..

Getting your mandolin on an airplane should not be a problem , particularly if you have any skills to massage resistance, by charm and compliments , into acceptance ..

actual size of a mandolin in a case should not be a problem ..
some advantage, of course, to early seating so the others fill in around your case ,
rather than finding a hole, for it, in a rather full compartment.

[Eddie Sheehy]

If anyone asks, tell them it's an oud. You should be fine.

Get a cross between a mandolin and a balalaika and call it "The Oud Triangle".

[journeybear]

No, no, no, say it's a cumbus! (But learn the correct pronunciation ... it's something like "jumbush.") Or a saz.

I believe a saz has too long a neck. That's why I went with "oud," despite its bowlback body. But as to the Penquin Whisperer's suggestion ... I believe it inadvisable to even breathe a word which suggests something which could obviously connote weaponry in this situation. We're trying to fly under the radar so we can fly, ya dig? Honestly!

[Eddie Sheehy]

Do NOT call it a Bazookai....

[mrmando]

I believe a saz has too long a neck. That's why I went with "oud," despite its bowlback body.

The point is that the oud is Arabian/North African; the saz and cumbus are Turkish.

[journeybear]

Oh! OH?? OH!!!

When I researched the subject before posting (as I often do, so as not to clutter the interweb with unsubstantiated gobbledygook), the oud did come up as a Turkish instrument. I could be wrong about this - and I am not backing this up with research - but the oud is widespread among cultures in that region. I did see the bağlama and saz, and sussed out their sizes, but did not see the cumbus, however it's pronounced.

Oh, here's the cümbüş (pronounced [dʒymˈbyʃ]; sometimes approximated as /dʒuːmbuːʃ/) - sort of a cross between a banjo and an oud. That could work. A customs agent might not be so inclined to open your case to verify if that's what he thinks he will see ...

OK, I said I wasn't going to bother with research, but according to the wiki, there is indeed a Turkish oud. Aren't you glad you asked?

All this jibberjabber is quite beside the point, though, which was to suggest that Aran (and anyone trying to carry on a mandolin) blend in, not call attention to oneself, and be pleasant, and optimistic. Oh, and have a sense of humor!

[mrmando]

Oud would seem to be the most widely distributed chordophone across the Near East. So it would do for Turkey in a generic sense; the other two instruments I cited are more specifically Turkish.

If I were going back to Georgia I'd say my mandolin was a chonguri, even though it isn't.

[journeybear]

That's really the point - blending, becoming invisible, slipping stealthily past unsuspecting airline employees ... Saying it's an oud would lead a curious agent to think "oud, schmoud," having seen so many. Saying it's a cümbüş or a saz could be trouble, if the person at the desk's ears pricked up at the mention of his/her nation's instrument, or recalled tearfully how his/her uncle played one, and wanted to see it for sentimental reasons ... only to discover the truth, which was the deception ...

You know, by the time we're done with all this hoohoh, Aran will be back from Turkey with a bağlama or komuz!

And we still haven't gotten Ivan to Ireland yet, but I think he's taking a boat.

[Ivan Kelsall]

I'm rowing !,
Ivan

[Jim Hilburn]

Has anyone ever carried a mandolin under the seat in front of them? If they see anything protruding into the foot area they will make you move it.
I didn't completely read all of the posts here but as far as the dimensions vs volume go it's all about the shape of the overheads. I'm sure to the attendants each overhead with 3 rollarounds stowed on their sides in every compartment is what they want to see. I use the StewMac case which is about as small as you can get but as with any mando case it just won't fit lengthwise in the overhead so as soon as you put it in sideways you disrupt the status quo.
going to San Jose last week I was the next to last to board on Southwest and the overheads were overflowing. But there was just one where my case fit lengthwise in front of the bags and the door closed so I dodged a bullet.
Regardless of any printed regulations, the attendants have the final say so you need to be courteous to them not just for your own sake but for the sake of the next guy that gets on with a mandolin.

[Rob Powell]

...the attendants have the final say so you need to be courteous to them not just for your own sake but for the sake of the next guy that gets on with a mandolin.

Can I get an AMEN?!?!

[Ivan Kelsall]

I just read this morning that in an act of what i can only describe as utter desperation,Ryan Air are
putting forward the possibility of ripping out some of the rear seating on their Aircraft, & allowing STANDING passengers,who if they accept the 'vertical seating' (yes - that's what they're calling it !),will fly for free. Presumably a 'vertically seated' Mandolin player will still have to put their Mandolin in the baggage hold.
Ryanair: 'Fly For Free If You Stand Up' - Headline from 'Yahoo front page'. The next thing you know,they'll be paying passengers to fly in the baggage hold so thay can save on cabin space.
A crazy bunch if ever there were any - how it complies with 'flight safety regulations' is beyond me !!!,
Ivan

[rgray]

"Ryanair boss Michael O’Leary wants passengers to stand on the budget airline’s flights, in a bid to pack in more people and boost profits. Passengers would pay less to huddle next to what have been described as “bar stools”, with seatbelts around their waists. O’Leary has already held talks with US plane manufacturer Boeing about designing a jet with standing room.

He is now hoping to get the go-ahead from the Irish Aviation Authority before ordering a new fleet. A Ryanair spokesman said: “If they approve it, we’ll be doing it.” O’Leary got the idea from Chinese airline Spring, which put forward similar plans — estimating they could pack in up to 50 per cent more passengers and slash costs by 20 per cent."

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,...est=latestnews

Is this guy an idiot? I know this occurs in other places, the type places that probably allow you to bring your goat or chickens on board with you, but I can't believe that an Irish airline would do the same. I can see why anyone would be very cautious about trying to bring a mandolin onboard as carry-on.

[Aran]

Just refer to it as "my axe"...

That would do it.... especially as you can't even bring on a pair of nail clippers these days....