I've Had It! $100.00 for 70+ lbs on American Airlines

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 17 Sep 2007 5:36 am

I flew to Minneapolis Friday on AA from DFW. My steel in flight case w/volume pedal, cables, bar bag is 79lbs. So they charge me the usual $50.00. Yesterday on my return, I check in and the lady says, "that will be $100.00". I said "you only charged me 50 on the way out", to which she replied, "it went up yesterday". I really had to bite my tongue at that point.
We get to DFW, at baggage claim and here comes my steel crashing down the conveyor on to the carousel. For $100, your steel gets no different treatment than your luggage. It's a total rip off.
I'm buying a lightweight steel very soon. I may be looking into the Stageone Steel.

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 17 Sep 2007 5:55 am

forget the Steel, did they let you keep your Shave Cream and you Shampoo ?

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 17 Sep 2007 6:57 am

Did they take it out of the case to inspect it by grabbing a hand full of pull rods and then throw your bar and tuner and everything back in loose to roll around like they did mine when we flew to Alaska a couple years ago?

Now that was a Kodiak moment.

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 17 Sep 2007 10:31 am

American even charges for snacks now, I think it was $3.00 for a small bag of pretzels. Air travel has been steadily going downhill for the past several years. In the late 80's and early 90's I flew around 100,000 miles a year. Thank God I don't have to travel much anymore.

Earl Foote · Post by **Earl Foote** » 17 Sep 2007 11:12 am

Dick Wood wrote:Did they take it out of the case to inspect it by grabbing a hand full of pull rods and then throw your bar and tuner and everything back in loose to roll around like they did mine when we flew to Alaska a couple years ago?

Now that was a Kodiak moment.

You mean that's not how you're supposed to take a steel out of the case?

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 17 Sep 2007 1:49 pm

I'm gonna get a keyless single neck and put it on the over head in a flour sack.

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 17 Sep 2007 1:50 pm

I'm gonna get a keyless single neck and put it on the over head in a flour sack.

Billy Wilson · Post by **Billy Wilson** » 17 Sep 2007 1:50 pm

I'm gonna get a keyless single neck and put it on the over head in a flour sack.

Albert Svenddal · Post by **Albert Svenddal** » 17 Sep 2007 2:12 pm

This is why I am buying a Keyless Williams. It will fir in the overhead bin. Besides, the Williams is a great guitar. Albert

Albert Svenddal · Post by **Albert Svenddal** » 17 Sep 2007 2:12 pm

This is why I am buying a Keyless Williams. It will fit in the overhead bin. Besides, the Williams is a great guitar. Albert

Darvin Willhoite · Post by **Darvin Willhoite** » 17 Sep 2007 3:08 pm

Do I detect some doublespeak here?

John Jeffries · Post by **John Jeffries** » 17 Sep 2007 3:33 pm

I looked into stowing a violin in the airplane overhead.....was told by the airlines that I would have to put it in baggage, or at least take the strings off, put them in my baggage & check the bags.....it seems that airline security has deemed that "strings are a lethal weapon"! You might want to check this out with the airline before you fly........(don't know about dental floss, though).

Bob Blair · Post by **Bob Blair** » 17 Sep 2007 3:41 pm

My daughter just flew in awhile back with a Martin Backpacker, carried on without a problem. Would they really let you put a keyless psg in the overhead bin though? I wouldn't want to count on that. And I flew out of Heathrow the other week and security was only allowing one carry-on item per passenger - including small purses.

Michael Pierce · Post by **Michael Pierce** » 17 Sep 2007 4:23 pm

Chris, I assume you were on your way to Minneapolis to do the Derailers/Lake Wobegone show? You guys sounded great. Can you tell us what that was like (not that this topic isn't fascinating)? thx, mp

Dick Wood · Post by **Dick Wood** » 17 Sep 2007 4:45 pm

Hey John, I suppose strings could be a lethal weapon if you heard me play.

Dyke Corson · Post by **Dyke Corson** » 17 Sep 2007 4:46 pm

I have a case for my D-10 PP body only, comes in at 42lbs, I put the legs, pedal rack, rods in with my clothes, everything else in my carry on. I've never been charged extra ...YET...

I also put in a picture of me playing the thing to answer any questions....

James Morehead · Post by **James Morehead** » 17 Sep 2007 4:49 pm

Hey Chris, get even with them. Ya'll write a song about them and make a million.

chris ivey · Post by **chris ivey** » 17 Sep 2007 4:53 pm

years ago, the first flight my '82 zum took...came home with a small hole punched in the side of the case... i heard it happen in denver...i patched the case and the airline also paid enough for a new case...which i probably blew at the nearest casino...

Chris Schlotzhauer · Post by **Chris Schlotzhauer** » 17 Sep 2007 5:18 pm

John Jeffries wrote:I looked into stowing a violin in the airplane overhead.....was told by the airlines that I would have to put it in baggage, or at least take the strings off, put them in my baggage & check the bags.....it seems that airline security has deemed that "strings are a lethal weapon"! You might want to check this out with the airline before you fly........(don't know about dental floss, though).

I'm not sure, but we carry guitars on board all the time. A bass in a gig bag will fit overhead fine. Why would a steel be different?

Eric West · Post by **Eric West** » 17 Sep 2007 5:39 pm

Two years ago I tipped the skycap 15$ and never paid a dime more for a 100pound Flight Case with a S~B Professional out of Nashville to PDX. Over dimensions too.

Told him I needed some "help", as I lifted it up on the stand, called him "sir", and that was that. He stuck the holographic TSA stamp on it, and that was that.

At their "regular rate" I figured it to be a COUPLE hundred bucks.

Tipping isn't a guarantee, but when it works it works, and although Nashville is very "steel guitar friendly" since they see more than a few of them, 10$s are internatially acceptable.

2 bucks to the rental car guy saved me a charge for gas too.

YMMV of course.

FHLE

Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 17 Sep 2007 6:19 pm

We've all been jaded by those "Fly to Miami for $99" ads. Though many airfares are reasonable, it's not uncommon for certain airfares to go up into 5 figures for a single (business-class) ticket. When 10 grand won't get you into 1st class for a trip, it sorta changes your perception of the phrase "it's a small world"!

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 17 Sep 2007 11:18 pm

American must be trying to keep up with Delta.
The past five years Delta's "excess baggage" has been $50 for 51lb to 70lb and $100 for 70lb to 100lb,and no checked baggage allowed over 100lb.
However any musical instrument over 40lb and up to 165lb can be carried into the cabin, but you but you have to purchase a full price first class seat ticket for the instrument, and it has to be strapped into a seat.

Olli Haavisto · Post by **Olli Haavisto** » 18 Sep 2007 12:07 am

Chris,
Just for reference: My U-12 7x6 Keyless Williams in a flight case ,weighted by North West at DNA was exactly 50 lbs. No extra charge.

Olli

Pat Kelly · Post by **Pat Kelly** » 18 Sep 2007 4:05 am

Chill out

cost me nearly 800 to send a guitar out here.
Pat

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 18 Sep 2007 10:18 pm

Pat Kelly wrote:...cost me nearly 800 to send a guitar out here...

Are you sure the bloke behind the counter wasn't your cousin Ned ?