Flying with a Guitar?

Hey everyone, (fellow musicians in particular)

In preparation for my journey to California to join my friend and bandmate, Andy, in a one week west coast rockout, I have found a dire need to assure my guitar is going to be allowed to come on the plane with me. I usually have not had problems in the past, but a couple years ago United Airlines once forced me to check my guitar. Apparently Im not the only one either, this guy's $5000 Taylor was smashed by an overzealous baggage handler. Justifiably, he wanted United to reimburse him for the damaged guitar (and didn't even want to sue for the emotional damage that comes from having your Martin damaged). After months of being given the run-around over the phone and email by United representatives, he was finally told "we are sorry sir, but there is nothing we can do."

So how does that saying go? Don't get mad, get even. As a songwriter, he wrote a catchy little country tune called "United Breaks Guitars" about his travesty and posted it up on Youtube. Then magic happened. After about 2,000,000 views the song had caused substantial damage to United Airlines ticket sales. Booya. It had such an impact that United called him up and told him they would make a deal with him and reimburse him if he took the video off so that people would stop avoiding the airline. What he tell them you ask? Calm and collected he said "Im sorry but there's nothing I can do"...click. And here is the song itself in all its glory:



Aw, poor poor United, you guys are upset because you stomped all over a consumer whose power you grossly underestimated. Maybe you'll decide to give my grandfather back the pension he worked for for 30 years as one of your best pilots? Oh whats that? Oh of course I understand your need to cut corners these days with the economy and all, oh yeah its fine.


Anyways,
Thankfully it arrived fine, (more or less) a little intonation problems for a bit, but I got it fixed; the extreme temperature and pressure changes that occur in the baggage container below are not good for the instrument (as Im sure most of you already know) and neither are the baggage handlers. So after a good amount of time scouring the internet to prevent this situation from reoccurring or being worse next time with another airline, I have found a few helpful links for musicians planning to fly with an instrument. Rumors have gone around claiming that there is a form you can print out and bring on a plane that this will prevent airlines from denying your instrument from coming on board. That is not true.

For the truth, here is a link to the TSA pdf file that explains the real deal: PDF

Like me, if you are disappointed (like me) that there still isn't some print out you can bring to have immunity from the rules and regulations, click the link below and read the article, it was the most helpful one I found.

Here is a link to THE BEST page of information on flying with an instrument that I found:
ARTICLE

Here a link to another article...a little less interestingly written, but very informational:
ARTICLE 2

The moral of the story; we have not yet won the war against the airlines. Hopefully one day we will get that legislation and never have to stress about this crap anymore. Until then just remember, "United Breaks Guitars"!

I hope this post will save the life of at least one acoustic guitar or other instrument.

Safe travels,

Dylan