Though helpful, this approach is limited by three variables. First, at least two major airlines allow only one carry-on item. Secondly, certain aircraft have no closet for suitbags. Third and more commonly, any airline accommodating a near-capacity planeload of passengers on a given flight will invoke its right to limit each passenger to one carry-on item. Any of these three variables will force the musician to choose which half of the instrument to subject to the greater risk!

The only “safe” answer is to ensure passage of the entire instrument in one case within the cabin. The FAA is rightly concerned with the nature of carry-on items and has set regulations so as to protect all passengers. But, as quoted frequently in the IM, the FAA’s Federal Register recognizes that “musicians state that they must carry on musical instruments; if checked, the instruments could be seriously damaged. This rule allows the air carriers to make provisions to accommodate travelers with special baggage problems, provided the baggage can be safely stowed. We would expect that carriers would establish procedures to allow passengers to notify the airlines prior to traveling to see if special baggage needs can be accommodated.”

How accommodating are the airlines? In an effort to determine their policies, I sent one-page questionnaires in January to thirteen major airlines: American, Braniff, Continental, Delta, Eastern, Midway, Northwest, Pan American, Piedmont, Southwest, TWA, United, and U.S. Air. All but Eastern (which is undergoing difficulties and could not respond) and Midway (which responded quite late) replied within a month, though many replies were inconclusive and required my follow-up.

On January 1, 1988 a “model” set of maximum dimensions for items stored in overhead bins was agreed to by the Air Transport Association: 36” x 10” x 14.” Given the acceptable example of my own, 36” x 9” x 12” tenor trombone case, built of a light wood of nominal weight, only Delta and Continental replied that my instrument could be carried into the cabin as a matter of policy. To do so on any other airline would require latitude on the part of the gate agents and crew. Only three airlines (Midway, Northwest, and United) consider such discretion in instances of underbooked flights. All other airlines discourage such discretion, meaning that should your attempt to board with the instrument fail, it would be sent below the plane (following your signature on a damage waiver!)

A common misconception exists that gig bags guarantee carry-on access. When the question was re-phrased to consider a soft-sided case of similar dimensions, the airlines’ responses were identical: the construction and appearance of the case is not the issue in their viewpoint.

I must stress that Continental, in accepting the item, reserved its right to refuse it any time at the crew’s discretion. However unlikely, such a statement adds to the occasional risk. Also, anyone attempting the dismantling technique described in the previous article should not try it with Pan Am or United: they usually limit passengers to one carry-on item (two, if quite small). And remember that any airline may do the same at will.

Airlines are quick to suggest that musicians buy an extra seat for their instruments. If you are affluent or desperate enough to do so, be aware that Piedmont’s and Continental’s “seat baggage fare” is 100% of regular fare; Delta, American, Northwest, and Braniff usually approximate 75% of full or coach fare; Southwest, Midway, U.S. Air, Pan Am, and TWA approximate 50% of domestic coach fare; and Pan Am charges 100% of its international fare. No cabin-seat baggage is allowed on “United Express” shuttle flights. Most airlines require a specific location on board; so reservations are important. Piedmont boards without assigned seating; the musician, reservations in hand, should be at the gate early to pre-board.

However, even buying a ticket for your instrument is not a guarantee of cabin passage. I have personally witnessed an occasion when a bassist, tickets bought and instrument strapped in as per regulations, was told by the flight crew that his bass was “annoying” to another passenger (who had complained bitterly) and would have to be removed and checked below, its ticket fare to be refunded. Though other instruments are less likely to “offend,” airlines often print such unpublicized clauses in their regulations. Even if an item meets all other prescribed standards, for example, its status is approved only “when determined acceptable by Piedmont.” Pan Am clearly states it may refuse any otherwise-acceptable item deemed “annoying” to passengers. Of all the airlines surveyed, however, only Continental frankly admitted that the incident with the bass could potentially take place on its flights; all others denied any possible occurrence.

As a professional musician who frequently travels with tenor and/or bass trombones, I attempt to ascertain carry-on policy when purchasing an airline ticket. Often I receive affirmative responses from the airlines’ ticket agents on the phone at point of sale only to be rebuffed at the gate (even when the aircraft size has not changed). All of the airlines queried believe their ticket agents are informed well enough to answer the various carry-on concerns correctly over the phone, and all but Continental believe that those agents can also verify underseat or overhead bin dimensions of a ticketed flight with accuracy. Though this may largely be true, exceptions surface with regularity. Even in written responses to direct questions, officials at two airlines contradicted themselves by supplying printed regulations that differed from the content of their cover letters and/or answers from their telephone ticket agents. Only after I identified the contradictions were corrections offered.

Faced with the raw data that only two airlines surveyed will accept the given, FAA-acceptable item as a carry-on within their policy, one might conclude that the instrument’s protection is not widely available without the added cost of an extra seat ticket (even then subject to imprecise “acceptability”). Musicians playing smaller instruments are now noticing the trend towards banning all hard-sided cases from overhead bins (current on some airlines); yet “gig bags” will not guarantee acceptance of a trombone. The discretionary latitude of the flight crew is spoken of approvingly by only three other airlines.

Finally, I have in the past attempted to get a written guarantee of carry-on passage for overhead stowage of my case. Though several customer relations representatives speak affirmatively of such an agreement, I have yet to receive one in hand. To my fellow musical passengers I can only suggest that the airline industry is not yet accommodating our needs as recommended by the FAA in the June 5, 1987 issue of the Federal Register—over two years ago! I can only recommend that we make those needs known, individually and collectively, to the industry until a satisfactory measure of response is received.