Quick! How to carry a violin as 'carry on"..anyone?
 

Going on SW; want to take my violin; never travelled with it; what are the complications. ? Dare I check it? Should I forget the whole thing. All these new regs (and interpretations that vary and fluctutate day by day, got me flumexed!

Haven handled million dollar violins, I would never consider checking any violin. Carry it on. Unless you have a cliche firearm in the case there should be no complications.

Call Southwest and check the TSA website--you should find what you're looking for there. I haven't traveled with my violin and wouldn't check it unless I had to and then I would use a hard case. It may come down to the number of bags you intend to carry on board with you.

Here you are...see the link below for more information. You are allowed to carry on one musical instrument--yeah!

http://www.finecases.com/about/airline-travel.html

Well done AnnMarie!

I hand-carrid a violin I bought in Galway, Ireland back to CA in Sept. 2003....no problems but I did get some "looks" from other passengers...I told everyone I could that it was a violin I was surprising my husband with when I got home....
Shadow

my children and i travelled with both their violins from portland, maine to vancouver, bc and back. it was not problem at all! the children had several requests from the cabin, stewards, and pilot cabin to play during the flight. we stored the violins above us in the compartments, buffered by our softer carry-on jackets so they wouldn't rock back and forth.
you should have no problems!

Don;t know what the violin is worth but I would never check it. I had a co-worker whose brother is a concert musician and he buys his a seat - so there's no issue about having to put it in an overhead. But his IS worth a lot - and I think this may be written into the insurance policy.

(And I once say a musical group - don;t know who - but obviously small classical group - and they brought instruments on board - several with their own seats - presumably for the same reason.)

My ex always carried on a travel guitar in a soft travel case...No issues.

Just wondering, as I looked at the tSA sight and they said I could, no problem, but SW says it is too big for the overhead. Don't want to get to the airport and get hassled. WHile it is not a Stradaverius, it is not junk either...beloned to my son who died in January, and i am donating it to a worthy student in his memory.

samting, I am so sorry for your loss.

My hard violin case is approximately 8" longer than the 22" suitcase which easily fits in the overhead bins on SW with room to spare. I would carry it on. If, for some reason it doesn't fit, ask if you can store it in a closet (if there is one). At the very least, be sure to obtain a fragile sticker from the check-in counter just in case SW decides to place it below with the baby strollers, etc. Is the violin in a hard case?

Yikes! The following from the SW webiste,

"Southwest Airlines limits carryon bag dimensions to 10x16x24 inches."

...assuming the violin is an adult / full size you can't carry-on but I wonder if you can walk it to the jet way attendants, as parents do with strollers, and have them stow it. That way you know it's board with you. I sure hope you are able to work this out--best wishes.

HAve you thought about just shipping it? You could have it professionally packed.
I mail heavy pottery and other fragile items all the time through USPS and UPS without any breakage.

t

Having carried on artwork & such in the past, explain what you have to the flight attendants & they should be able to take care of it, if it won't fit into the overhead.

Don't worry. Most airlines will let you on with the violin and it will fit the overhead. Yes, the length exceeds the dimension of most airline's limit, but I've never heard of anybody with problem trying to carryon a violin.

samting, I am sorry for the loss of your son. Donating this violin in his honor is a precious thing to do and will no doubt put a smile on the face of a child that might never have had the opportunity to play.
Hugs to you.

We've carried on a trumpet and a saxophone in full-sized hard cases and most recently a trumpet in a soft-sided/padded case. No problems...but no requests to play them either!!!!

Maybe worth it to call and ask SW specifically about your situation. I have seen people with guitars on planes often (obviously a lot bigger than a violin!).

I would not check unless you had a special hardsided shipping case for it (a family member does this as he travels with a hammer dulcimer).

I saw a young man with a cello in a very hitech, solid case. Obviously, he was a serious concert musician. (I play violin, but use a standard case) He held it in front of him the entire trip.This was Southwest.