Hey everyone. Sorry if this is a stupid question, but how do you travel on planes with a cello? I mean, you can't just chuck it to be stored with all the baggage right? I've heard that you usually have to buy an extra plane ticket to bring your cello on board. I'm curious.

Hi Sevenblackkittens!
One can purchase hard cases for cellos which are very robust and would probably be ok in luggage hold with a 'fragile' sticker on it .... it all depends on how valuable the cello is - I couldn't imagine Yo Yo Ma's cello going in the hold (his ex-Du Pre's Strad) of an aircraft!
But then in first class they probably have a place just to put valuable awkward items! (especially for celebrities).
I too have heard that an extra seat is often paid for in these cases - makes sense.
If its only a 'cheap' practice cello, the hard case would be just as valuable as the cello! However they cheap ones normally have soft cases, and I'd hate to be the cello if this was checked into luggage..
(have you seen the treatment luggage can receive?!)

Cabin staff are often very helpful and might even sort it all out for you free of charge - I once travelled with a precious Tenor Saxophone (not as big as a cello but not small either) and they found a cubby-hole for it.
I wouldn't dream of putting my cello into checked luggage - tho' something tells me I may never need to!

QUOTE (sevenblackittens @ Oct 21 2004, 10:17 AM)

Hey everyone. Sorry if this is a stupid question, but how do you travel on planes with a cello? I mean, you can't just chuck it to be stored with all the baggage right? I've heard that you usually have to buy an extra plane ticket to bring your cello on board. I'm curious.  :rolleyes:

Airlines vary (or used to, before they all started losing money). I think it was Julian Lloyd Webber who told the tale of buying an extra seat for his 'cello, only to find out that that particular airline would have taken it into the cabin free of charge.

After the 9/11 incident a lot of airlines clamped down on what could or couldn't be taken into the cabin.

I've got friends who tour with orchestras and generally they all take their cellos into the cabin with them - some having purchased an extra ticket for their instrument, depending on the airline.

It's always best to check with the airline before booking and not least before travelling, but if it really does have to go in the hold then it would be wise to buy or borrow a proper 'flight case' which are big robust cases with internal air-suspension systems. These cases aren't cheap - £1500 approx - but they are robust enough to allow the contents survival of the rigours of baggage handling.

On a light-hearted note, bearing in mind if your cello is old and you have to purchase an extra ticket, ask the airline if they give a special rate for OAP's

This is way too late to be any use to Ms. Kitten, but since my other hat is aviation safety, here goes.

AmandaL is right, since 9/11 all the rules about cabin baggage have been strictly enforced. If you contact the airline and they say YES, get it in writing; if they say NO, here are some choices.

My first choice: hire an instrument at the destination. Even if you have to pay a term's rental, it may not cost more than shipping etc. Although son Viohazard usually takes his violin, we hire a classical guitar for him to practice. Last time I tried to travel with both his instruments I totally lost it and left my handbag on the airport bus, though I never let go of his instruments...

Second up: Consider getting a specialist packing service to pack and airfreight it for you to pick up at your destination airport.

Last choice: Hard case, fragile sticker and check in very early.

Note: Although some people say it's nonsense, Viohazard sometimes finds that a long airtrip does horrible things to the tone of his violin. It comes back in about 3 days, but I take that to mean that stringed instruments are afraid of flying...so I avoid it if possible.