NOTE: I first posted this article exactly 42 months ago (June 1, 2008). That original article is now in the archives and is no longer a fully accessible thread. Additionally, the air travel scene has changed somewhat. So I’ve updated the original thread; major changes and additions are in bold type.
KEYWORDS: flying with a banjo, traveling with a banjo, flying, airplanes, airlines, traveling with instruments, flying with instruments
Can you fly with a banjo? In a word, yes. But you need to be smart about it. Here’s the lowdown, and answers to oft-asked questions about the zen of being a traveling picker.
CAN MY BANJO BE CONSIDERED CARRY-ON LUGGAGE?
It depends on where you’re flying. ALL US-flagged air carriers now permit banjos as carry-ons, provided there’s space. Delta was once legendary for denying instruments as carry ons, but they’ve subsequently relaxed their rules. One hangout member reported hassles with Delta personnel in 2009 and 2010 at LAX and SFO. These appear to be exceptions, rather than the rule.
Typically, Canadian travelers report no significant carry-on issues, and the old thread noted that international travel originating in North America usually produces reasonable results with banjos as carry-ons. Be forewarned, however, that there’s no guarantee with ANY airline, especially those that are flagged outside of North America.
Two caveats. First, although the policies in the US generally support bringing instruments aboard, the decision about allowing them belongs to the ground crew and the flight crew. Policies be damned, they can still make a decision you don’t like. And being allowed to carry on a banjo presumes that the overhead bins can accommodate them.
When the thread was originally posted, the airlines were not aggressively charging bag check fees. As these fees became more common, so, too, did the flying public increasingly stop checking routine baggage and begin carrying their luggage aboard. This problem has been exacerbated by airlines eliminating a fair number of flights, resulting in typically higher load factors for airplanes – i.e., more passengers on each plane. As a result, the overhead bins on airliners are increasingly stuffed to the limit, and that can significantly limit your ability to carry a banjo on to some flights.
Also, note that if you bring your banjo aboard, that's considered your carry-on. Your computer or purse or man-bag is the "personal item" that needs to go under the seat in front of you.
See below for a listing of aircraft types that can and cannot handle a banjo in the overhead bins.
The absolute bottom line here is that you should prepare for travel assuming the banjo will have to be checked, and then do everything in your power to avoid having to do so. Tips on that follow.
WHAT KIND OF CASE SHOULD I USE?
The answer to this one is simple: the best case you can afford. There are two cases on the market that are justifiably considered ‘flight’ cases – the Calton and the Price. Both are made of fiberglass, are well-padded and are so sturdily built that they can pretty much handle being run over by a baggage cart tractor.
Downsides? Both are heavy. Load one with a resonator banjo and you’re easily looking at 30+ pounds of additional weight to lug around an airport. And both are expensive. Does it really make sense to carry a $500 banjo in a $700 case? Most would agree that it doesn’t.
For most pickers, a good quality 3-ply plywood/Tolex case such as a TKL would probably be a minimum for safe travel. Don’t be surprised to see the Tolex covering (the black stuff) seriously scuffed up in the process. Liquid electrical tape does a good job of repairing these dings.
There are also some Asian-built fiberglass cases on the market today that may provide reasonable protection.
Some traveling pickers swear by gig bags, arguing that they take less space than a hard case and that the inherently less-protective nature of the gig bag means that flight crews are more likely to take pity on them and find a place to stash the instrument in a coat closet or somewhere else on the plane if the bins are full.
It’s your call on that one – but I’d argue that on today’s super-crammed flights the gig bag doesn’t provide as much protection from the knucklehead trying to jam his rollaboard into a bin, or from the ravages of the baggage hold if there just isn’t space. Bottom line is that a hard case still offers better protection.
HOW SHOULD I PACK MY BANJO?
The basic rule of thumb is to pack your banjo assuming that you’ll be forced to surrender it on check-in and not see it again until you arrive at your destination. That calls for planning.
There are essentially two ways banjos get damaged in transit. The first is a crush problem – such as the case gets run over by a baggage cart damaging both the case and its contents.
The second way banjos can get damaged could be considered ‘whiplash’ injuries – such as when the case falls from any height, or falls over. The most common types of damage in these situations appear to be either damage to the resonator (specifically, tearing out the sidewall lugs) or ‘whiplash’ on the neck, causing it to break at the peghead.
The key is to make sure that your banjo is as immovable in the case as possible, so that the shock-absorbing materials lining the case shell can do their job. This means filling all possible voids between the instrument and the case. Pay special attention to filling the voids above and below the peghead - curiously, even the best case builders tend not to provide adequate peghead support. And fill in any voids around the instrument itself. U-Haul stores sell polyethylene foam sheets for packing china; I’ve found that they work nicely to pad voids between a banjo and the case.
The more expensive cases, such as Price and Calton, have excellent hardware that tends to stay put. Lower-quality cases tend to have latch hardware that’s fairly easy to snag and open. Remember, airline and security personnel can open your case at any time, so you can’t lock the case – they’ll merely destroy the lock. So if you’re using a cheaper case, give serious thought to wrapping a belt around the outside of the case, through the handle, in order to keep the case closed should the latches flip open.
Even better, consider a case cover for your banjo. These are made of ballistic nylon, help protect the case from getting scuffed up and ensure that the latches don't flip open. As a bonus, you can have backpack straps sewn onto them, which definitely makes lugging a banjo through an airport a lot easier.
SEAT SELECTION, CHECK IN AND ARRIVING AT THE AIRPORT
Your goal is to be among the first people to board the aircraft, ensuring space for your instrument in an overhead bin.
This is becoming increasingly challenging as airlines finagle various forms of loyalty and upgrade programs. I recently (December, 2011) took a cross-country flight on United; there were so many different classes of boarding that by the time “general boarding” was called only about 20% of the passengers were left at the gate. And no, the banjo did NOT make it into a bin.
Seat selection can be a huge factor in your odds of success. I generally look for two different types of seats. If I’m feeling sufficiently flush to buy an ‘economy plus’ upgrade, I usually do so. In addition to more leg room, there’s that much more bin space, and these seats increasingly have a higher boarding priority than general boarding.
If that’s not an option, I look for seats NEAR, but not AT, the rear of the plane. The bins closest to the rear of the plane are often taken up by flight crew carry-ons and other official gear such as first aid equipment. And I always try to book a seat that has the highest odds of leaving the middle seat empty – again, partially for comfort, but partially to increase the odds of having bin space for the banjo. And given that I always travel with a computer bag in addition to the banjo (that’s the “personal item;” the banjo is the “carry on bag”) it’s nice if I can put the ‘puter under the unoccupied middle seat.
Sitting towards the rear is advantageous for another reason. Some airlines board by row number, back-to-front; some use “zones,” which also tend to be back-to-front. The earlier you board when your section is called, the higher your odds of success.
I’ve found it useful to position myself out of the main flow of traffic but get as near as possible to the boarding area while the earlier zones are called. That way, when my zone IS called, I can be one of the first to board for that zone – again, increasing my odds of finding bin space.
TSA AND SECURITY:
Assuming that you’re not forced to surrender your banjo to the maw of the baggage handling system on check-in, you can bring your banjo through security screening. The case will fit into the scanner.
Do remember to do a fast examination of the contents of your case before traveling. TSA does not like to see things such as large wire cutters and screwdrivers showing up on the scanners (small ones are okay). And don't forget that the TSA people are looking for liquid explosives, so make sure that you don't have a bottle of instrument polish or any other liquid or gel substance in the case.
Don’t joke about banjos being hazardous materials with the TSA people. They aren’t known for their senses of humor.
Do yourself a favor, just in case you have bad luck and have to surrender the banjo upon checkin: write up directions regarding how to remove the resonator for inspection. I have a piece of paper showing the front of a banjo with specific instructions to TSA people (along with a polite “Thank you for keeping us safe!” message and clear instructions on removing the resonator. It has a photo of the pot of a banjo and arrows pointing to the four thumbscrews that hold the resonator on. I weave this through the strings.
Banjos have been damaged or destroyed by security personnel who couldn’t figure out how to get the resonator off. Remember, TSA has every right to check the contents of the case.
WHAT KINDS OF PLANES CAN MANAGE BANJOS AS CARRY-ON?
By all means, find out what type of aircraft is scheduled for each leg of your journey. You can determine this on your airline’s website. The type of plane has a direct impact on your odds of being able to bring your banjo into the cabin.
This is all becoming more confusing as airlines increasingly use small regional jets. Based on my experience, here’s how it breaks down with regard to commonly used planes in North America and whether the bins will handle a banjo:
Boeing:
717 (and MD-80 variants), 737, 747, 757 - yes
767, 777 – It depends on the configuration of the plane. Generally, the answer is yes – as long as you’re not sitting in the center seats. The bins over the center seats in some 767 configurations are amply deep enough but too short in length to accommodate a case. Outer bins are generally long enough – but not always. Fortunately, these planes generally have ample coat lockers and crews will generally stash your case in one of these.
787 – haven’t flown on one yet. They reportedly have larger bins.
Airbus
All models – yes. CAVEAT: Airbuses are particularly likely to have crew paraphernalia in the bins at the back of the plane.
Canadair Regional Jets
CRJ 100, 200, 600 – no
CRJ 700 – yes, barely. The overhead bins in these aircraft CAN accommodate a banjo case, provided that it’s not oversized and the plane isn’t full. You may get lucky, but plan on gate checking. NOTE: Canadiar will introduce a new series of larger planes in 2012 and 2013. These are aimed at the 100-149 passenger class and are therefore likely to have adequate bin space.
Embraer Regional Jets
EMB 120, 145 – no
EMB 170, 175, 190, 195 - yes
Turboprops:
Turboprops are less common than they once were, but you may still encounter them – particularly if flying short hops to and from smaller destinations through major hubs such as Philadelphia, Newark, Denver, Salt Lake City or San Francisco.
Most turboprops do not have adequate bin space (or closet space) for a banjo, even in a gig bag. Some configurations of the DeHavilland DHC-8 (“Dash 8”) can fit a banjo case, and the newer Canadair Q400 NextGen turboprops have adequate dimensions to accommodate a banjo case – provided that the plane isn’t full, which they’ve always been every time I’ve been aboard one.
WHAT IF I CAN’T CARRY MY BANJO ONTO THE PLANE?
Gate check it. This means that you carry the banjo through security and attempt to board with it. If you’re on a plane that’s too full or is incapable of handling a banjo in the bins, you then get a gate-check tag from the ramp agent and leave it either at the bottom of the jetway (or another designated spot) just before boarding, or in an area designated for this purpose – you’ll recognize the area because there will be large roll-aboards, strollers, etc. parked in the same location. Baggage crews will then transfer the instrument directly into the hold. Your banjo will be returned at the end of the flight the same way.
Bad things can still happen to a banjo in the interim, but consider this: the instrument gets handled by the baggage maulers only twice, as opposed to the numerous terrible things that can happen to it if you send it through the entire baggage handling system.
On recent flights on some airlines, I’ve noticed a disturbing new trend: an offer to check through bags to destination, but NOT accept gate checks.
On one such flight, finding no bin space, I was able to gate check it anyway. And if forced to check it through, by all means REFUSE to sign or accept any documentation waiving the airline of responsibility for damage. They’ll often try to make you do so. I politely refuse, tell the gate agent that I’ll carry it aboard, and if unable to find bin space I’ll allow the cabin crew to arrange the gate check.
By the way – the way you approach the crews (both gate and flight) can make a huge difference in your odds of success. If I know the bin configuration can’t handle the case, I ASK for a gate check tag rather than behaving like an ignorant jerk. If gate crew tells me it won’t fit and I think it will, I’ll thank them for their concern but say that in my experience it will (as long as I know that to be true). And I NEVER argue with flight crews; being polite and cooperative is always better than behaving like a self-entitled jerk.
ONCE YOU’VE ARRIVED:
Before you leave the airport, open your case and examine your banjo thoroughly if it's been out of your direct control at any time. That includes removing the resonator. If there’s anything amiss, you need to file a report immediately with the baggage office.
This will undoubtedly begin a long and very frustrating process. The claims people at the airlines are expected to deny claims of damage to expensive items, and there are international conventions on the value of checked baggage to support these denials. You CAN be successful – but you need to gradually work your way ‘up the line’ until you’re talking to the right people.
Keep scrupulous notes of all conversations and emails you have with airline personnel. Be polite, but be firm and, above all, persistent – airlines apparently want to get you sufficiently frustrated that you’ll simply give up. Don’t go nuclear all at once, but after a while – perhaps several months – you may find it handy to contact their public relations department, their investor relations department, and the office of the president. It might not be a foolish tactic to mention that you’re an active member of a website that represents more than 60,000 banjo players, many of whom travel, and that bad reviews of an airline get around fast.