So…it’s something we have all been faced with…How to carry your guitar on a plane. Fortunately,  you don’t have to worry about it. What you do have to worry about are the uninformed uniformed attendants that will surely want to challenge you when their main concern is the overhead bin space. You know, the the compartments that most people stuff with luggage for a 30 day trip (that should be checked). My “pet peeve” if you haven’t noticed. I have been really lucky in the past to have never had to check any instruments that I couldn’t fit in an overhead. I’ve always joked with attendants that I checked my 7 bags so I could carry on my guitar on your plane. Laughing, (when successful at bringing it out) seems to work wonders in hotels and on airplanes.

How to carry your guitar on a plane (and other instruments)…

In a nutshell, the reformed definition states “carriers are required to allow passengers to stow their musical instruments in an approved stowage area in the cabin only if at the time the passenger boards the aircraft such stowage space is available”

Also, the revision states carriers are not allowed to require a passenger to remove his or her musical instrument that is already safely stowed (e.g., in the overhead bin) to make room for carry-on baggage of other passengers who boarded the aircraft later than the passenger with the musical instrument.

So, first come, first served here…makes you think the “Early bird” upcharge on Southwest flights is probably worth it going forward.  So carry your guitar on and know your rights!! Not to mention I do enjoy getting on a Southwest flight in the first group making it easy to carry your guitar on (and get a seat close to the front to get out as soon as possible). Hopefully this helps you out some so you don’t have to check you guitar in the frozen luggage compartment of your favorite airline.

Get the document here….