<p>Could someone direct me to a thread that discusses traveling by plane with a violin? My son will go to college across the country in the fall and he'll bring his only (and fairly expensive) violin with him.</p>
<p>Thank-you.</p>
<p>I think it will be Delta or United.</p>
<p>Here’s one
<a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/514974-current-air-travel-w-instruments.html?highlight=air+airplane[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/music-major/514974-current-air-travel-w-instruments.html?highlight=air+airplane</a></p>
<p>There was another thread recently, probably is still on the first couple of pages about flying with, I believe, a saxophone, but it wandered into other instrument territory.</p>
<p>Thank-you, stradmom!</p>
<p>My son has flown with his violin numerous times both domestic and international and has always brought it on board. One of his bows has a tortoise shell frog so we have a certificate saying the bow was made before importing such things became illegal. Never been asked for it though.</p>
<p>My daughter flies with her violin many times a year and it’s not been a problem (except once, which you can read about on the other thread.) The best advice I can give is to limit your carry ons so that you have only one other item and stand fast if they try to gate check. In general, if you are polite and respectful (as I know your son is, having met him in person!) it should not be a problem.</p>
<p>Same experience here other then one bozo tsa person, that was quickly resolved. Usually it gets treated as a personal item, but it could count as a carry on, but in any event you should be able to get it on the plane. I have flown with my son with both United and American, and neither gave us problems. I have heard Delta may not be so friendly, which is not a surprise, they have the worst customer satisfaction ratings in the business (it is why you see all those delta commercials with the voice of Donald Sutherland, extolling how it is about people, how it isn’t about the rules, etc) and I believe either Strings or The Strad magazine had an article about the issues with instruments. That said, I think the problem was much worse several years ago after all the issues with airborne terrorism attempts, the shoe bomber, the liquid bombs, etc, I think now that security routines and such are more settled it is probably a lot less likely to occur and I am pretty sure some of what was in the article was referring to that time period.</p>
<p>Delta does offer the cheapest flight on the route where my son is going but it might be worth paying $25 more to use United. I haven’t purchased instrument insurance but do plan to do so this summer before he leaves.</p>
<p>You do hear stories about spare violin strings being treated as if they are weapons, etc. But that has never happened to us. My daughter has even flown repeatedly without her nail clippers being confiscated (when she forgot to remove them from the case.)</p>
<p>We haven’t had any problems with Delta or United.</p>
<p>And if the first person says “no”, ask to speak to another! I’ve seen it go both ways even on the same flight: the first person with a violin allowed to board with no problem, while the second was told he had to check his instrument (that was eventually changed, but…). It also helps to get there early and to be in line to board among the first, if at all possible.</p>
<p>My son had an incident flying from DC to Boston by American Air. I had already passed through the gate when I noticed he wasn’t following. I went back and faced a nasty gate agent who toldme that she wouldn’t allow the violin on board unless it was checked and if I stepped out of the door line, I would not fly. She even closed the door on my son. I went back to the plane and taled to the stewardess who walked out to the gate and told tHe agent she headroom to store the violin on board. </p>
<p>Ever since that incident, my son and I stopped at the gate and let them know we had a violin. Some agent let us board early while most didn’t even make issue out of it. </p>
<p>The best way to avoid any problem is to purchase early boarding option or inform the gate agent in advance.</p>
<p>Having the violin carrying person go ahead of you in line is another easy fix - that way, both of you can step aside without creating a security problem.</p>