Mandolin as Carry-On (Airline)

[Fweezle]

I'm going on vacation for two weeks to Reno to see the family and I'd like to take the mandolin along to keep up with practicing. Has anyone had experience taking along their mandolin as a carry on item? There is no way I would check it to baggage, so if I can't keep it with me at all times, no dice. They seems small enough for a carry on.

[Capt. E]

Not usually a problem, but you should have it in a hard case for best protection. It can be put in the overhead if you want or request the flight attendant to put it in the front closet. Some people slip the case under the seat in front.

[Rick Schmidlin]

I have never had a problem.

[Mattg]

Lot's of threads on this already. Get the TSA regs and have them in your pocket. Still, I have never had a problem. Fit's nicely in the overhead. It's nice to have a mandolin around if you get stuck waiting for a delayed flight (never happens, right?).

[Fweezle]

Lot's of threads on this already. Get the TSA regs and have them in your pocket. Still, I have never had a problem. Fit's nicely in the overhead. It's nice to have a mandolin around if you get stuck waiting for a delayed flight (never happens, right?).

Yep, tried the searchy thing and came up with nothing. I tried "carry on", "airport", and "airline".

Thanks for the insight everyone.

[JEStanek]

Shouln't be a problem. Don't store string trimmers etc that the security folks won't like in the case. Be polite. I've never had a problem.

Jamie

[rgray]

Just returned from a trip and had no problem. Individual airlines set the policies, not TSA. TSA may have you remove from the case and may even run the explosive sniffer over it. They did for mine on the return and it was a great conversation starter. (What's that - a ukulele?) Delta has the following policy but you may want to check your own airline:

Guitars and other smaller musical instruments, such as violins, will be accepted as your free carry-on baggage on Delta operated flights. These items must easily fit in the overhead compartment or approved stowage location in the cabin, on a space available basis at the time of boarding. If adequate space is not available, the item must be checked.

Note that your mando case will count toward your carry-on allowance. Adequate space will almost always be available and I think a standard case will fit under the seat if needed. I suggest boarding as soon as possible before overhead bins fill up. Select a bin on the opposite aisle just across from your seat or very close. This lets you keep an eye to make sure some idiot doesn't try to jam anything between your case and the top of the bin. I also carried my CPAP machine (for sleep apnea) and would put on top of the mando case to discourage anyone from thinking they could put anything on top.

[jimbob]

Take all the weapons out of your case ! You never know what TSA will determine to be a weapon....

[Chris Rogers]

Ditto that, jimbob. Back in 1990, I had a didgeridoo confiscated on the premise that it could be used as a weapon. Maybe to bore the flight crew into a stupor, but please! Got it back damaged, too. Never had any problem with a teeny little harmless mandolin, though.

[journeybear]

Shouln't be a problem. Don't store string trimmers etc that the security folks won't like in the case. Be polite. I've never had a problem.

Last time I flew, about three years ago, I carried my F-12 on in its rectangular case, as did my guitarist with his rather larger case. However, we were pulled out of the line pre-boarding and they went through all our stuff and confiscated my needlenose pliers. I had had them for 35 years - in the top five for longevity of possessions (apart from my old hippie clothes) - and hated to see them go. I could have wrassled with the security head honcho but would have missed my flight. Not sure how they could have caused anyone much damage - but then again, I don't see how the nail clipper I keep on my key chain could be used to hurt the judge when I've had to go to court ...

Anyway, we put both our instruments in the closet. In the past I have slid mandolins under my set, when I had a form-fitting A model case and a thinner rectangular case, but this particular case is a bit too large for that. I've found onboard personnel to be quite accommodating. Except that time I flew Air France. The food was good but the service was rude - what a cliché!

[Laird]

I've been flying a fair amount this summer and have taken the mando as carry-on in each case with no problems. As someone else said, it sure does help pass the time between delayed flights. I was in Washington-Dulles a few weeks ago and found a corner of a deserted gate to sit and play in. By the time I was done, the music had attracted about a dozen folks--not sitting and watching, but doing their own thing while they listened to the music (yoga, knitting, etc.). As one guy said to me, "Thanks for bringing a little humanity into this place." It was much better than reading yet another newspaper!

[Eddie Sheehy]

I had no problem carrying an Octave Mandolin on a several flights except when I specifically asked a Flight Attendant to stow it for me. DO NOT ask a Flight Attendant to stow it for you - you risk being told "Check it at the Valet Gate (just outside the aircraft) and pick it up in the same area when you land - or buy a seat for it". So just walk on with it and find a spot in the overhead bin - hard case recommended. Your main problem will be finding a spot in the overhead bin near your seat... getting very crowded these days...

[Ken Sager]

Put it in a tennis racquet bag and nobody will give it a second thought. I've got two bags I picked up for less than $20 each that are padded and have shoulder straps. They'll fit a TKL hard-case no problem.

[Jill McAuley]

Your main problem will be finding a spot in the overhead bin near your seat... getting very crowded these days...

No kidding - I was on a flight back from Boston last week and I couldn't get over how packed the overhead bins were and just how BIG the stuff was that folks were "carrying on". One lad had a rucksack the approximate size of a well fed 4 year old child - you'd assume he'd be told to check it but he carried it on and stuffed it into an overhead bin - taking up the entire thing and delaying our plane because the bin then wouldn't close. And don't even get me started on the multitude of identical small black suitcase things on wheels with handles. One guy thought his case had been stolen (from a plane in mid air no less...) when in fact it was exactly where he put it but he mistook it for one of the other 200 small black suitcases with wheels and handles choking up the storage bins...

Cheers,
Jill

[walt33]

This year I've taken mine on Southwest several times, and JetBlue once. No problems at all. Played it in two airports, and it's gotten a few comments; TSA guy: "That a mandolin?" Passenger: "That's just the CUTEST little guitar!"

[MikeEdgerton]

My suggestion is the same as it always is. Hope for the best and plan for the worst. You may have to check it no matter what everyone else has experienced. Here are several threads on airline travel (with one thread about airline brand instruments).

[Jim Garber]

Last time I flew I had my double tennis bag with me. I took out the rackets and packed them in regular luggage. My Flatiron in its HSC fit nicely in one compartment and I had plenty of room for books and other paraphernalia as a carry-on. They did need to xray it and make sure there was nothing inside.

[Squash]

Back in 1990, I had a didgeridoo confiscated on the premise that it could be used as a weapon.

That's interesting, in 2001 I took a didgeridoo as carry on cross country, no questions asked. Different security I suppose.

[Eddie Sheehy]

And ALWAYS call a Bouzouki an Octave Mandolin anywhere near an Airport...

[Ivan Kelsall]

Individual Airlines do have their own individual policies re.what you can or can't take on board,most are based on size and/or weight. Having looked extensively at UK/Irish Airlines that fly to Ireland,i've found that my Mandolins plus their cases come well within the weight limit.The drawback is the size & gives rise to something i've never been able to figure out. Airlines usually quote sizes allowed as the length x width x depth (L x W x D in inches). Both my cases are 'slightly' over the width limit & are 'definitely' over the length limit by around 8",but the depth is waaaaaaay below the allowance. The total VOLUME of each case is 25% LESS than the total volume allowed - so why don't the Airlines state a total Volume instead of L x W x D which prohibits me from taking my instruments on board - ultimately it's the volume of an item that takes the space up, not ONE dimension out of three. That in essence is the main reason why i haven't gone over to Ireland yet & i'm REALLY P****d off about the hard nosed attitude that these Airlines adopt,
Ivan

[Plectrosaurus]

My Eastman has made 2 trips to Hawaii via Delta and American Airlines. Went in the overhead compartment quite nicely. Interesting story on the first trip; as it went through the xray in Honolulu for the return flight, the gentleman watching the screen said "We don't see many mandolins come through here. Vassar Clemments came through several years back with 'Blackie'." That was neat!!

[journeybear]

Airlines usually quote sizes allowed as the length x width x depth (L x W x D in inches). Both my cases are 'slightly' over the width limit & are 'definitely' over the length limit by around 8",but the depth is waaaaaaay below the allowance. The total VOLUME of each case is 25% LESS than the total volume allowed - so why don't the Airlines state a total Volume instead of L x W x D which prohibits me from taking my instruments on board - ultimately it's the volume of an item that takes the space up, not ONE dimension out of three.

Something's not adding up here, so to speak. First, I thought the size limit was determined by the sum of length and girth - ie, length plus the distance around the article perpendicular to the length, or L + 2W + 2D. Volume makes more sense to me too - that is the critical consideration, after all - but perhaps they do it this way because the calculation requires addition, rather than multiplication, which may pose more trouble for more people ...

But volume is computed by the formula L x W x D, so I don't understand your objection.

[Chris Keth]

I've carried mine on 4 flights in the last couple months without any problem. 3 were united and one was airtran.

[Rhinestone]

I've carried mandos and lap steels (approx the same size) for years no problemo. It's always better to avoid rectangular cases and stick to form fitting ones or soft gigbags because they don't seen to trigger the perception that they should be stowed below with the surfboards and golfclubs. If I'm not flying internationally I always just carry my mando in a soft uke bag and sling it across my back so that when standing in line or walking down the aisle viewed from the front all you see is the strap. When I get to my seat I quickly stow it. The other thing is if you do check it,always travel with an instrument you can afford to lose...And even if it's in an anvil road case,they can still lose it for you. That's why if I do check it in,I always take my Michael Kelly FSE and/or my Eastwood mandocaster in flight cases - both highly tweaked and modified - quite playable but quite replaceble. The only problem I encountered was when I brought a speargun as a carry-on piece on a flight to Cuba. The captain insisted it could be used as a weapon and I told him it was a weapon. He laughed and said he preferred to carry it in the cockpit and gave it back as I left the plane. Pre 9/11 of course. You never know of course. Case in point - in 2002 I was travling around Eastern Europe and at the Ljubljana airport they were trying to get some jazz sax player to check his alto in a soft gig bag as baggage - they kicked him off the plane when he refused - whilst they let our drummer carry on his cymbals in a big round leather bag and our guitar player had 2 Teles back-to-back in a double gigbag. Go figure.

[Rob Powell]

Years ago (late 70's) my Martin D35 was considered too large for a carry-on. After checking it once and only once, the ABS case was starting to come apart at one of the seams. After that, I bought a seat for it. Seems outrageous in hind sight but I was making my living with it then and considered it insurance

I'm going to Nashville in a few weeks and I'm still debating on whether I'm going to fly or not because I want to take both mandos with me. I figured I would check my bag and use the mandos as my carry-ons. Fear of checking them has me considering the 10 hour drive

I've almost talked myself into doing the drive by coming up with things to do and see along the way....