Air travel and ukes

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Normagal

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Have you taken yours on a plane?
We are heading to my son and his family for Thanksgiving. I wanted to take my uke...but am rethinking that. I was gonna put it in my carry on, but it doesn't fit in its case in th bag as well as I had thought it would. I really don't know if I can trust it in my checked bag. It's only a Dolphin so it's not expensive, but I still don't want it broken.
Any thoughts?
I guess I could live without it for a week.
 
If your checked bag is big enough, and you wrap clothes all around your uke for padding, it probably will be OK. I would want about 3 inches of padding between the wall of the suitcase and the uke. Otherwise, I have one duffle bag carry on, that my dolphin can fit into. I often travel with two dolphins in that duffle and I use the boxes they came in for protection.

–Lori
 
Normagal said:
I guess I could live without it for a week.
Click to expand...

Oh, I doubt that. ;)

Along the lines of what Lori suggested, my Dolphin travelled from New York to Florida then back to New York and then to Geneva, all in my checked bag. I put the whole case (Uke Crazy) in and surrounded it with clothes and it was fine. I doubt I would do that with a very expensive instrument but I didn't know better at the time. It worked out fine for an inexpensive laminate, especially on Swiss Air. I'm taking a short flight this weekend and I am thinking I will carry the 'uke and just a tote bag. I like the idea of streamlining my carry-on baggage anyway.

But I would really try to bring it with you, if you can!
 
Lori-it probably will work in my more structured carry on bag, I just won't fit a whole lot else in that bag. I have a padded case, and can put my coat and other clothes around it. I think that will work. The bag I originally planned to put it in is not padded enough. It will probably end up being gate checked, but that should be ok. Traveling is kind of a pain...
 
I fly a lot and take my uke with me almost all the time. Half the time I keep it in my luggage as discussed above and the other half I put it in a soft gig bag and it fits in the overhead compartment. Haven't had any trouble either way.
 
you're normally allowed to one piece carry-on plus one personal item (laptop / camera bag) plus a musical instrument, so just bring the uke in its regular gigbag or case.
 
Ukelix said:
you're normally allowed to one piece carry-on plus one personal item (laptop / camera bag) plus a musical instrument, so just bring the uke in its regular gigbag or case.
Click to expand...

This. Most airlines will let you count it as your personal item. If you normally carry a purse, you may need to get a travel wallet to keep id, boarding pass, and currency/cards around your neck to keep all those handy and stash the purse into your carry on. Check the airlines website to see what your particular carriers rules are.
 
I have taken my TV Pal in a hard case several times a year for the past two years as a carry-on. It goes in the overhead bin without a problem.

The only comment I've ever gotten in the security line was something like, "A ukulele, like Tiny Tim?" from someone behind the X-ray machine.

Nobody in the concourse has ever requested an impromptu concert.

I have only taken it on Southwest flights, where the competition for overhead bin space is not so fierce, due to the free checked bags policy. I'm taking another airline for a Thanksgiving visit and wonder if I should be prepared to gate check it.
 
I brought a Soprano AND a Tenor together as carry on from New York to England in May, and last month brought a Tenor in a hard case back here from Hawaii (3 separate flights). I wasn't challenged once, and wouldn't hesitate to do it again.

Flying AA again is an altogether different matter.
 
I travel back and forth between CA and HI and have not had any problems carrying my Tenor in a gig bag as carry on. I heard some have had some problems with a hard case. Ask the specific airlines to be sure. I've been allowed to put it on the floor, under the seat, between my feet.

Good luck.
 
Buy another Dolphin on arrival and leave it there for your next visit.
You never know someone from the family may pick it up whilst you're away!
h
 
When I and my family fly for Christmas, we will have two violins, at least one ukulele, and we are trying to decide if we can carry on an 1/8 size cello. We've not had problems carrying on violins (1/4 size or smaller), or ukuleles (tenor and smaller). Typically I've had the instrument as a personal item, and another carry-on bag.

Many instruments are longer and narrower than typical allowances and fit reasonably well in the overhead bins. Your fine as long as no one is being hard nosed about luggage and you aren't to obvious. My sister is short (5'1" on a tall day) and she usually has her husband carry her violin because it looks smaller when he carries it.
 
I ended up putting it in my carry on bag that gets gate checked. I put it in the soft padded bag I have for it. It's kind of a tight fit, cause its almost too tall for the bag. It made it just fine.
 
I have a Fluke tenor, and a Sceptre Tenor, both in hard cases. While I only carry one at a time, either will fit fine in an overhead bin - even on commuter flights. No problems from United with either as a carry-on item.

-Kurt​
 
Well, watch this video:
 
I flew to Florida with mine and to Jamaica with my KoAloha in April and May respectively and had no problems carrying it on the plane. I would not suggest packing it in your luggage unless it is in hard case. The airlines have done some serious smooshing of my luggage in the past. Hard case, overhead compartment. No issues.
 
We flew back from Honolulu last month with two concert size ukes in hard cases and didn't have any problems either. We stored both in the overhead bins and they got home safely. We did have some concerns while other passengers were trying to ram their oversized carry ons into the compartment though. It would be nice if airlines would better regulate the size of what is allowed to be carried on for free and make people check any luggage that is over the allowable size.
 
I travelled between New Zealand and Los Angeles recently with a Guitarele and was worried I wouldn't be able to take it on thenplane but I wasn't questioned once. Because of it's size, I ended up putting it up the front with the strollers/prams. :)
 
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