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Re: Flying with a bass clarinet

Author: Max S-D
Date: 2016-05-15 23:53

I flew from San Francisco to New York City (and back) in October with my bass clarinet (a Bundy in the one-piece case). I wrapped a luggage strap around the case to make sure it didn't pop open in transit and printed out the relevant TSA guidelines with the appropriate sections highlighted. If I recall correctly, the general rule is that a musician can carry their instrument onboard as one of their two pieces of luggage as long as it is a similar size to a violin or an acoustic guitar in a case (their examples).

I never needed to pull out the TSA rules (though I was glad I had them) and was never questioned even once about my instrument going through security or boarding United and American Airlines flights. I showed up as early as possible to my gate and made sure that I was first in line in my boarding group, but, since I bought cheap tickets, boarded in the second-to-last and last group each time. In both cases, the flight attendants were very accommodating and helped me find a space for my instrument. On the flight out to New York, there were no passengers with walkers or wheelchairs and only one family with a stroller, so they offered to put my horn in one of the compartments they usually reserve for special carry-on like that.

The flight back wasn't a redeye, so those compartments were full, but the flight attendants helped me find a spot in the overhead compartment for the case.

I was pretty nervous about the whole experience and spent the train trips to both airports running through various scripts where I would politely assert my rights and pull out the TSA rulings, but all I ended up having to do was show my boarding pass, smile and say hello.

YMMV of course, but this is probably a situation where being polite and cooperative goes a long way!

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