Chainsaw cases on flights

[bombtek]

Do you guys know if a J/C chainsaw case has to be checked baggage or can it be carry on?

I'm flying Southwest airlines to Kentucky tomorrow (work) and I'm getting tired of these long stints without a guitar.

So far I've been to:
Salisbury, UK (many times)
Tiranna, Albania
Gadsden, Alabama
Pine Bluff, Arkansas (many many times)
Tulalip, Washington
Lexington Kentucky (more than a few times)
Dover Delaware (again, more than a few times)
Sandia, New Mexico a couple of times
I'm sure that there were more (I KNOW there were LOL) ....but they escape me right now.

Anyways, each of these work trips are a minimum of two weeks. More often than not, they are four weeks. That is why I am getting tired of being guitarless on them.

[joelayres]

I'm not sure but I'll bet they make you check it - unless you pay for a seat for it.
Airlines aren't very friendly as of late.

[Vass]

No they aren't friendly. They have gotten very bad.

But this is what I suggest- Just take it through security. When you get to your gate, they're gonna tell you, unless the flight is almost empty, no shot bringing that on. But they'll offer, or should offer, to gate check it for you. That means they take it at the end of the ramp & bring it down below & put it in the luggage compartment.

If they give you shit, ask them if they take folded up strollers for gate check, which is every bit as bulky as a guitar in a chainsaw case. They do, all day, every day. Nobody "checks" their kid's stroller at check in. Gate check all the way.

When you get off they'll hand it to you. No baggage claim, and nobody slamming it onto the belt or throwing it onto the caddy out on the tarmac to go tipping off when the bonehead goes whipping around the back of the plane at 100 miles an hour.

If you do manage to get it on the plane, that's your carryon- You're allowed one, along with a purse (heh) or a laptop type bag. Just be aware they may give you shit if you're bringing a real carryon, too.

Under no circumstances would I ever, ever, ever check a guitar in a chainsaw case. It just isn't butch enough to handle what luggage goes through when it's checked. I have seen even the check-in people, right in full view of the passenger checking the bag, slam a bag down on the conveyor to be loaded like they were Rowdy Roddy Piper bodyslamming Hulk. Imagine what happens out of sight.

You travel alot. You see what your luggage looks like after a few trips? Yeah. That.

Also- check your ticket- Electronics ARE NOT COVERED IN CHECKED BAGGAGE ever, ever, ever. Guess what they're going to call your guitar if it gets waffled & you make a claim?

If I had to guess the outcome of you checking it before security, round trip, I'd put my money on "bad experience". I have 3 chainsaws. They're cool, but they ain't that strong or padded.

Only other thing I would consider is UPS'ing it to wherever you are going and insuring it. Otherwise, you gotta spring for a flight case if you can't gate check it.

FYI the new carryon rules are in effect- Southwest didn't cut theirs too bad- but obviously, a chainsaw case isn't going to cut it.

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/baggage.html

"Southwest Airlines limits carryon bag dimensions to 10x16x24 inches"

Continental cut theirs to 22 inches- my one carryon technically is no longer approved for carryon. I snuck the fucker on the last time, whatever.

Yes, I travel alot for work too- I feel ya bro.

EDIT- Just read your sig & almost choked. Awesome.

Vass

[992gnt]

No help with the airline, but where are you flying into? I'm right near the Cincy airport (which of course is actually IN Kentucky).

[bombtek]

Lousiville and then driving to Lexington. Don't ask LOL. Management HATES layovers and if we were to fly sraight into Lexington, we would have to stop in Cinci as there are no direct flights into Lexington. PITA if ya ask me. I got no problems with layovers, but it isn't up to me.