New Case for a Plane Ride

[ObsessedTrombonist333]

Hi all! So I've been planning on flying out to Massachusetts for Shires' new factory day to try out different options and hopefully see if I like their horns or not, and I want to take my horn out for their mini-masterclasses and all that (as well as have my mouthpieces!) My problem, however, is I don't know how well my case is going to fit in the overhead of the plane, as I haven't flown with the horn yet. The case is just the regular old stock Conn case for my 88HO, and I've been wanting to get a new case for it for a while but I haven't gotten around to it, and with this coming up in a little over a month I wanted to get one soon. I've been thinking about getting a gig bag for it, but I don't know how well that'd stand up to normal use, bringing it to school and back as well as travel. I do realize the question's probably been asked a lot, especially over on the old TTF server, but what case should I get (I'd be flying with Southwest)?

[tbathras]

Last factory day I was at, if you didn’t have a horn, you could put one together from the showroom pieces. That said, that’s no guarantee.

I’ll be there for Friday, Should be fun!

[Doug Elliott]

Southwest is the most accommodating airline for instruments in my experience. But it depends on what's already in the overheads when you board. If your airport is just a stop between others, it could already be full when you board. And in that situation it doesn't help to get there early. Try to figure out the plane's origination and previous stop before your airport.

[StevenC]

Flying with a trombone is pretty good these days. If there is not room in an overhead, they will put it in some onboard closet. We haven't had to check a trombone in years.

Are you looking at being there Friday or Saturday?

[mwpfoot]

On Southwest I've had no problems with the SKB trombone case. I think they are tanks for the price. Mine has stupid, exposed latches though - every SKB case I own for pro audio stuff has great latches that would have made it perfect.

So! I get it through security, then wrap a cloth belt on it to keep it closed tight no matter what happens to those stupid latches for the rest of the journey. Then I gate check it with the strollers while boarding, so no baggage handling gaffes getting it onto the place. Then it magically ends up at the oversize desk in a bunch of golf clubs.

I haven't seen the need to get it in the ovehead bins for what I'm carrying, but they'll let you. If your case or horn requires that, it helps a LOT to be in one of the earlier boarding groups. You can pay a few bucks extra for that upgrade these days.

[ObsessedTrombonist333]

I’m looking at being there both Friday and Saturday, hoping it’ll be a fun break from school! I’m looking at getting either a direct flight or a one-stop flight from Chicago’s Midway to Providence, RI and just driving down to/staying at a nearby hotel for the weekend. I’m hoping to get the earliest boarding group I can that way I can get my stuff in the overhead early enough, but I just wanna make sure my horn is protected enough if people cram their stuff in there and if it shifts at all. Might just be paranoid though

[bbocaner]

Southwest is all 737s which is good news. Their newer planes have bigger overheads, but with that case I *think* you'd be good even in the older style. I'd aim for a direct flight rather than one with a stop as that means you'd need to fit it on board twice, and if you are running late at all with the first leg you might not have the option to board ASAP. You can pay for early boarding on southwest which may be a good idea. If you don't pay for early boarding, you're assigned a boarding order based on your check-in time, so check in online the SECOND you are allowed to, this is typically 24-hours before the flight. If you wait 5 minutes you will be behind 50 people. SW lets you check bags for free, so check everything else and try to take just your trombone case. If someone gives you a hard time, you can point out you only have the one thing.

[StevenC]

I’m looking at being there both Friday and Saturday, hoping it’ll be a fun break from school!

I'm thinking of going there on Saturday. Friday sounds great, but I don't know that I can justify the day off.