Help please. Anyone ever taken a tenor size Ukulele on as personal item ?

So i am headed to Maui Monday i decided to bring my new beloved tenor i purchased from Doc_j with me so i can focus all my resources on buying my daughter a nice one when we get there. However i see the baggage restrictions for a carry on are a bit short for a tenor , do you think they will allow it as a personal item ? Anyone done this before ? thanks all
Davo17

I have traveled numerous times with both guitars and ukuleles and have never had a problem getting them onto the plane.

Mitch

mkatz said:

I have traveled numerous times with both guitars and ukuleles and have never had a problem getting them onto the plane.

Mitch

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as a carry on? personal item or checked baggage?

I've carried tenor ukes on planes before - back from Maui and to and from Walla Walla, WA on a variety of planes. I can carry my iPad in the outside pocket of my uke case, so I can gate check my briefcase if I need.

All carry-on luggage is subject to available space. Don't think that just because you're allowed two carry-ons you'll be guaranteed to board with them. I've been on plenty of packed commuter flights where people got really miffed because they were forced to gate check anything more than what wouldn't fit under the seat in front of them. When the overhead bins are full, they're full.

So pick your seat carefully to be one of the first to board. Most major airports use jetways and board rear to front, so a seat toward the back of the plane is more likely to get you first crack at overhead storage.

I just flew on Alaska air with a tenor. I just shoved it under my seat and my wife's seat. No problems. On the Seattle to Atlanta portion of my flight, i placed it under my seat only. Flight attendants didn't notice.

I always take tenors as carry on on large long plane flights. On caution is to beware if you are flying any small jets as they gate check almost any carryon. I just flew back from New York on Hawaiian air and had a double kala gig bag with two tenors in it and a full hard roll on bag and had no problems. They were so nice the flight attendant held it special in a first class empty overhead baggage compartment.

I take mine all the time (Tenor). I take a carry on (small one that fits under the front seat or overhead and my uke). I have never been hassled yet. I'm either lucky, or I can hide a ukulele behind my back very well. I only travel in the U.S. on American or Alaska and both have been very uke friendly. I travel to Mexico and have been on Continental and AeroMexico, no problems.

MGM has a great tip as well which is knowing what kind of plane you will be on. If it's a small commuter, it might be an issue as the overheads in the CRJ's for example barely hold a damn toothbrush, so a uke probably would take up too much room (tenor) and in some there is not first class. If you're on anything beyond a commuter, 737 is the smallest most fly these days (which are beyond the commuter size) you should be fine. Any of the 7 series. Airbus A300 series also have plenty of room.

Cheers,

Thanks you guys that takes a load off my mind!

davo17 said:

as a carry on? personal item or checked baggage?

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I put them in a gig bag and carry them on.

Mitch

I did Canada to Phoenix return with my tenor in a hard case this winter as a carry on no problem. I personally think the secret is to reduce or eliminate your other carry on bag and not have two, then they are very unlikely to call you out for the very small overage in length.

Mxyzptik said:

I did Canada to Phoenix return with my tenor in a hard case this winter as a carry on no problem. I personally think the secret is to reduce or eliminate your other carry on bag and not have two, then they are very unlikely to call you out for the very small overage in length.

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+1

Walking on to a plane with both hands full (when one is slightly oversized) is an invitation for scrutiny. If you really want to reduce the chance of having your tenor case challenged, arrange your baggage beforehand to ensure that you are only carrying the tenor when you board. Tablets and phones, etc. can always be placed in outer pockets.

Also, be aware of the policies of the airlines. Many airlines now give you boarding preference if you allow them to check your carry-on at the gate. So, with a carry-on and a uke, you check the carry-on, and get boarding preference to find the best spot for your uke.

I've never had any problems carrying my tenor on. I've taken it to Hawaiii, Australia, New Zealand and through out the lower 48.

The last 4 times I've come back from Maui with a Uke as a personal item. 2 of the times I had tenors without any issue. The real trick is finding a way to use half the overhead for something else then put the Uke in front of it, seem to work the best for me... Enjoy your trip!

On Alaska Airlines I've traveled many times with concerts, tenors and baritones with no problems.

I've taken my Taylor GS Mini(travel guitar) with no issues on multiple trips...had to remind a passenger that it was an instrument as he was cramming his stuff into the same overhead..

I have travelled with my ukulele. And some airlines has clearly stated in their website about the baggage information. Mine is a soprano with hard case, I always take it as a carry-on baggage, and put it under the seat or in the overhead compartment.
Take United Airline as an example:
http://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/travel/baggage/fragile.aspx

"Musical instruments

Musical instruments can be carried on board or checked as baggage. If necessary, a seat can also be purchased for an instrument.

Carried on board

A small musical instrument can be carried on as a personal item. If the musical instrument appears too large or irregularly shaped to fit under the seat or in the overhead compartment, it will not be accepted for in cabin stowage.

Checked as baggage

Instrument should be in a hard shell case to protect it during normal handling.
Excess charges apply if checking more than the baggage allowance.
Oversize charges apply to musical instruments that measure 90 - 115 linear inches.
Overweight charges apply to musical instruments that are over 50 pounds.
Musical instruments over 70 pounds will not be accepted.
If the instrument is over 115 linear inches, contact United Reservations.
In addition to the above polices, stringed instruments should have the strings loosened to protect the neck from damage due to expansion and contraction which result from temperature variations.

Cabin-seat baggage

United will allow a customer to purchase a ticket for a musical instrument which is too fragile or bulky to be handled as checked baggage. Upright basses and guitars will not be accepted as cabin-seat baggage.

Excess Valuation may not be purchased for musical instruments."

I love that guitar. It's the only one that feels like it fits me.

I've always done a purse & a musical item. Never had a problem. My purse is a huge canvas bag that fits under my seat.

I've had no problem with my tenor ukes in overhead bins on any United flights, even the tiny commuter jobs.

I've had - at different times - my Fluke Tenor in the Fluke case, or my KoAloha Sceptre in a standard O'ahu tenor case.

I always make sure bag #2 - either a briefcase or backpack, and usually carrying 2 or 3 computers - will fit under the seat, but also has a full compliment of TSA locks. I'll gate check the computers, but not my instruments.

Have fun, and good luck!