I thought I'd share my recent experiences travelling from coast to coast by plane with my bass in a David Gage bass trunk. First of all, the trunk protected my bass very well. I travelled on JetBlue because their policy(which you can access online) is that instruments fly free....you just pay a baggage fee, but no oversize or overweight fee. The bass trunk with bass inside weighed less than the maximum allowed and the total inches (height, width, depth) did not exceed the maximum as well. At JFK, they were very helpful...and agent helped me roll the case through the inspection and all the way to the gate where the bass was taken down to the baggage compartment. The TSA agents were also very respectful...I had to open the trunk, takeout the bass, remove the cover, and take out the bass, but that was all expected, and it went smoothly. There was no problem taking the trunk with me through the inspection barrier...they just had me put the trunk on the side, and then inspect it after I had put my other things through the xray machine. At SFO, the trunk was wheeled out to me through the oversize luggage door. Coming back was slightly more difficult as the check-in agent was unfamiliar with JetBlue's policy and wanted to charge me overweight and oversize fees. I was patient and politely insistent (its very easy to get frustrated with some of the employees, but, just be polite, it usually works) and eventually he gave me a pass so that I could get the trunk to the gate where again it was taken down to the baggage compartment. Again, the TSA agents were respectful, and the routine was the same as at JFK. Upon arrival, this time the bass was actually brought up to the gate, and I was able to wheel it to the outside of the building. In all, the process was much easier than I anticipated, although, wheeling a 90+ pound large cumbersome trunk is not easy.
I would recommend JetBlue as the airline to use. I would recommend the Gage trunk as it protected my bass very well. I would find the JetBlue instrument policy on line and print a copy to take with you since you might encounter an agent such as the one at SFO. I would try to stay with the bass all the way, through the inspection process to the gate. I hope this account of my experience might be helpful for other travelling bassists.
I would recommend JetBlue as the airline to use. I would recommend the Gage trunk as it protected my bass very well. I would find the JetBlue instrument policy on line and print a copy to take with you since you might encounter an agent such as the one at SFO. I would try to stay with the bass all the way, through the inspection process to the gate. I hope this account of my experience might be helpful for other travelling bassists.
