concert uke + US airways

hi. I'm trying to take my uke on a flight via US airways. I spoke to their CS but am getting mixed responses. Some have told me the uke counts as a personal item while others stated that it's carry on. Anyone with experience know?

Just to clarify, you can only take one carry on + one personal luggage with US airways. I don't want to check in my bag w/ clothing lol. :3

Hi!
Ive made a similar thread, not so long ago. Bad connection, so cant find the link - but look it up! I had a lot of great help from fellow UU'ers and even a pilot!

I bought a uke in US and flew it back home as a carry on - not with US Airways though, but with Lufthansa.

It was a tenor in a ukecrazy case, so it was a pretty big thing, but I had no problems what so ever. I even had another bag with me with my laptop and a few other things. And that is eventhough they told us on the speakers only minutes before boarding that we could only bring 1 bag with us. There was no room for a personal item and a carry on. One bag per person.

But still - no problems. I flew on both a big and a small airplane with my tenor and neither flights caused any problems.
Im sure you will do it just fine! Good luck

Most of the domestic airlines say "One carry on + 1 personal item". I had a small (6" x 3" x4") bag I carry phone/passport/watch etc. in through security, and that was counted as a personal item - so I tucked it in my carry on.

It comes down to, you can have two things. period. Sometimes, they insist on something getting gate checked - in that case, my computer backpack has a plethora of TSA approved locks, and I hang on to my instrument.

I've also found that sitting and playing the instrument while in the gate area tends to get a less brusque treatment from the airline/airport folks.

Have fun!

I have flown on Hawaiian....no problems with them.....and on United....no problem with them either!! I did get some stares from the United Gate person but was not stopped and I had 3 carry on items. I was just pleasant with the workers giving them compliments and was never stopped. And yes.....it is a GREAT way to pass time while waiting to board the plane!!

I just flew U.S. Airways from Miami to Charlott to Akron. I had my Kala concert in my backpack on my back and the a small suitcase for clothes and laptop. No problems with the ukulele.

Note my Kala concert is a travel thinline but still with a full size concert, the only measurement that exceeds TSA regulation is the length, so the thickness should not matter.

But like others have said, it varies from one employee to another - it all depends on if they like you or not... if they don't like the way you look, or something you do or look piss them off, or if your items look huge even though it fits their requirements, they will give you trouble.... So hope for best, prepare for worst, and just be super nice and polite to those who can potentially abuse whatever little power they have from their job to ruin your trip.

We flew US Airways from Maui back to MN and no issues at all with my Concert in a padded bag along with my carry on bag. I was able to put both in the overhead compartment on both legs of the flight, both FULL. I was able to put it on top of my bag, just as you would a jacket. I was lucky not to have full size carry on around it at all. I've done it with all 4 of my Ukes and never had any issues, that is on Delta, US Airways and American...

I flew into LAX from Denver a couple days ago. Had my uke and my bag. No problem. Even the flight attendants were careful with it. Flying from LAX to Denver today, driving right now on the 405, okay-hubby is driving, and I'm not anticipating any problems.

I think the advice given of "hope for the best, plan for the worst" is the best. Carry the uke on your shoulder, be polite, and should you get hassled, cooperate. If you're prepared, you'll have your carry-on ready to gate-check for the "worst".

Leaving Honolulu on United, my son and I were going to carry our 2 new ukes on in addition to the carry-on and personal item, which normally isn't a problem. But they announced pre-boarding that the plane was completely full, and there may not be enough room for all carry-on luggage, so the absolute limit was one and one, and if you could help out by gate checking your carry-on, they'd appreciate it. I resisted, but after about 4 of those announcements, I figured they meant business, and we chickened out and gate checked our carry-ons (I never check luggage, but didn't want to get to the jetway entrance and hold up the line).

Both ukes, a concert and soprano in gig bags, fit in the gap between the seat and fuselage, so I didn't even need to put them in the overhead; and, gate-checking the bags turned out to be fine, they were there when we got out the door, and we walked right by all the people waiting for checked baggage, as we always do...

Just home from a trip to Australia from US. Carried a concert neck Flea in my carry-on. No problems. Thirteen different flights in total. Never a hassle with gate agents or flight attendants. Only problem was a security guy "adjusted" my carry-on as I put it on the x-ray belt. Headstock clipped the mouth of the scanner and broke one tuner off. Just about the end of the trip, though. It was OK and an easy fix. Be kind. Be thoughtful. You'll do OK.