V.com weekend vote: Have you traveled via plane with your violin in the last 5 years?
It doesn't seem to be getting any easier to travel with a violin or other instrument these days, with packed flights and fees that encourage everyone to bring carry-on roller bags, making overhead space a precious commodity.
It goes without saying that putting a violin or other stringed instrument (even a guitar) in cargo hold of a plane is a terrible idea, given the temperature, pressure and rough handling. But bringing a fiddle on board can be a difficult proposition.
I wanted to see if people have been traveling with their instruments any more or less, post-pandemic, so this vote asks about the last five years: have you traveled via plane with your violin or other stringed instrument?
I have indeed traveled several times with my violin, and while I managed to get to my destination and home without any major incidents, it was tremendously stressful. In order to travel with the violin as a carry-on, I needed to jump through a lot of hoops, such as checking my other bag and ensuring that I had early boarding so that I could board while there was still room in the overhead compartments. This involved actively upgrading to an earlier boarding group (which either costs $$ or affects the choice of airline, depending on whether or not your have the airline's special credit card and "status."). It's also preferable to travel on a direct flight, to lessen the number of times one has to roll the dice and board again.
Beyond the logistics, there is simply the stress - waiting in line to board and wondering if a helpful crew member will make it easy, or if bureaucratically-minded "rules" person will flag the instrument and block the way, arguing that it is the wrong size and shape, despite rules and laws that do allow musical instruments on board. It's not fun to have to fight for it, all while under the ordinary pressures of travel.
So - have you traveled in an airplane with your instrument in the last five years? If so, what was your experience? Did it go smoothly, or did you encounter problems? Did it require a lot of advanced planning? And would you do it again? Please participate in the vote and then share your thoughts in the comments.
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Replies
I came from Europe with Dr. Peter Zaret's Strad November 2019. The violin had just completed a most thorough study and condition report at the University of Pavia, Italy. just after I picked up the fiddle Europe shut down, covid. When I came back through Washington DC the gentleman at TSA said this small airline won't let a Stradivarius or the like no million-dollar violins allowed. I laughed out loud and said, 'ya right like I could have a Strad in this case!'. He laughed and said ya go ahead. So, no problem sort of. What a gem of a concert quality the unpublished McKay Stradivarius some say it is the best concert quality Strad they have ever heard! Most of the time no problem.
I had no problem whatsoever. I stored it in the overhead bin during flight.
I voted no. As I’ve commented in previous votes, I don’t fly anymore. I last flew before the turn of the century, mostly during my student years, when security was unintrusive and took only about 10 seconds. No problems getting my instrument on board or securing it right beside me. I may have used overhead storage a few times - I just don’t recall doing so.
“Would [I] do it again?” No. Back in the day, believe it or not, I did manage to have some fun with air travel - especially as a kid traveling on my own between school and home - despite my aversion to being airborne. But now? The bureaucracy, the fees, the hassles, the hoops travelers have to jump through? No thanks. These factors would be more than enough to keep me on the ground.
I think the horror stories abour airlines and instruments are somewhat overblown. I have a much worse time asking security not to roast my 35mm film with their X-ray scanners.
This following strategy has worked for me when boarding 4 aircraft each year over the last 4 years. I check my luggage bag and obtain a boarding pass at the counter, while wearing the backpack that contains my violin case.
By placing it in my back back it is treaded as one carry on by American Airlines and affiliated their Airlines. I use a stretch band to make sure the violin case is firmly attached and cannot slide out when taking my back pack off or putting it on. This makes it easy to carry around the airport.
When I board the aircraft I ask the flight attendant if I can place my very valuable violin in their forward closet, because I don't want it crushed by other bags in the overhead bins. They have always said yes. The flight attendants always say, don’t forget to pick it up on your way out.
I slip the violin case out of the backpack, place the violin in a vertical position inside the forward closet. Once I am seated, I place my backpack in the space under the seat in front of me, to have snacks and a drink easy to retrieve during flight.
I have a Cricket violin from Magic Fluke for travel and it is smaller, more durable and replaceable. That said I've had no problems. My concern has been that the case kinda looks like it's a rifle case and that I'll get pulled aside before X-ray... ??
@Cotton, no, I don’t think those stories are overblown. I’ve known of incidents, often involving a smaller aircraft/commuter jet where a crew member insists that the violin case won’t fit in the undersized bins (spoiler alert, it usually will).
Lara St John wrote a blog post on how to fly with a violin.
https://sauriansaint.com/2011/10/17/tricks-for-getting-your-violin-on-a-plane/
My go-to strategy when I have to bring my violin along is to fly Southwest and pay for the earlybird check-in to ensure there will be bin space available. I don’t know what I’ll do when they move to assigned seats.
My worst experience was at a TSA screening when an overzealous agent insisted on removing my violin from the case and manhandling it while swabbing for explosives. Having to stand by watching that, in fear for my instrument but also aware that if I made any sort of protest I could be prevented from flying, was horrifically stressful.
I've never had a problem with violin, but have had problems with viola and guitar. Last was guitar gatwick to split no problem, split to gatwick they insisted it went into hold, pegs broken when I got back, what a relief that's all.
No for a different reason... 13 years working for Bell Labs in a high travel job... I'm never going to be inside an airplane again!
I've traveled a handful of times over the past 20 or so years with my violin or viola (never both) and almost 100% on Southwest. No problems at all. I was surprised to see the recent spat involving Southwest. I hope that is not an indicator of things to come.
The last time I was boarding a Southwest flight, I was astonished to see the gate agent pull a passenger out of line, make them hold their carry-on baggage against the size indicator, and then tell them their bag was too big to bring on board. Honestly, that bag was not any bigger than many other bags I saw in line, and smaller than some. I have never seen anything like that before. I was so grateful not to have my violin with me.
Traveled last December with my violin in an oblong case. Didn’t have too much issue. Only two of the four flights didn’t have space but made space in the flight attendant closet.
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June 22, 2025 at 03:24 PM · I have travelled with my violin in December 2024. I did not have any problems other than the security check, which took longer than usual because of the violin.