American Airlines is breaking the guitar carry on law

[Fishfood]

After 4 years of flying with them almost exclusively with a 00 guitar on every flight, AA has started in the past few weeks demanding I check my guitar at the gate. I tell them about the law requiring them to allow a carry on small instrument and one guy actually said "it's our plane. We decide what goes on it." The flight attendants still couldn't be be nicer so I've basically been telling the gate attendant to go to hell. I almost got detained today though so it's time to step up the complaints.

I think they are trying to extract priority boarding fees by claiming the overhead spaces are full but we do board early so that's a bunch of garbage.

This is a crime. I'll report back when my complaints are answered.

[Earl49]

Good luck with that. Passengers have no rights. In my considerable flying experience (probably 900K air miles of business and personal travel) any intersection between "airlines" and "customer service" is pure coincidence.

You are basically at the mercy of gate agents first and then cabin crew, despite the law. Be prepared to be detained or thrown off a flight if you object too much. I'd have my US Senator or Congressman on speed dial just in case. Or maybe the local TV news crew.

[mdunn]

I am digging back in the deep crevices of my mind to a letter from The American Federation of Musicians (I believe) and the aeronautical community (could have been the FAA) about the carry on policy as it pertains to guitars.

Years ago I did have a copy in my guitar case when I traveled.

I don't fly with a guitar these days; but do a google search and you should be able to find it.

You might also find it in the archives of the AGF. That is where I found the link many years ago.

Happy hunting.

[ManyMartinMan]

Originally Posted by Fishfood

.... I tell them about the law requiring them to allow a carry on small instrument and one guy actually said "it's our plane. We decide what goes on it." ......

And.......he/she is correct. I have never had a problem but my secret is ........ be nice, smile and......... be nice. And, be prepared on every boarding to gate-check your guitar.

[tgaume]

Check Margo Price's twitter feed. She's a well known County / Americana artist that plays a late 50's Gibson Southern Jumbo and they did that to her last week. She posted a video.

[Steadfastly]

Get a copy of the law and keep it in an easily accessible spot when you travel.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by Fishfood

After 4 years of flying with them almost exclusively with a 00 guitar on every flight, AA has started in the past few weeks demanding I check my guitar at the gate. I tell them about the law requiring them to allow a carry on small instrument and one guy actually said "it's our plane. We decide what goes on it." The flight attendants still couldn't be be nicer so I've basically been telling the gate attendant to go to hell. I almost got detained today though so it's time to step up the complaints.

I think they are trying to extract priority boarding fees by claiming the overhead spaces are full but we do board early so that's a bunch of garbage.

This is a crime. I'll report back when my complaints are answered.

Big clear letters clearly visible on the side of your case; 'Property Of Dr. D. Dao'.

[flaggerphil]

Good luck with your quest. To the best of my knowledge the flight crew still has the final say on what can come aboard.

[jimrivera]

Originally Posted by tgaume

Check Margo Price's twitter feed. She's a well known County / Americana artist that plays a late 50's Gibson Southern Jumbo and they did that to her last week. She posted a video.

Watched the video.

When I see things like where 2 low level clerks who like to show how they have power over people do something stupid like that, I really get angry.

They had no right to take the guitars, as they first should have checked to see if the bin door could close with the guitars inside, and if it couldn't then check the pilot closet at the front of the plane at primary entry to see if there was room, which there almost always is.

Margo could have also enlisted the pilot and asked if they minded if she could put her guitars there, overruling these presumptious, self-important idiots and their "I'm such an important person in the airline industry".

I would not have been so, shall we say, diplomatic. Haven't flown American since the early 1970s, for reasons like this.

[AsianGuy]

As much as I would like to see things change…you’re just going dig yourself into a deeper hole.
Just because you’re right, doesn’t mean you get your way.
As others have echoed on here, be courteous and hope for the best.
The last thing you want to do is get into a pissing match and start dropping printouts of “laws”. Do you think a cop knows every updated law and ordnance on the books? In theory sure…but the reality is they don’t. You know not to pull that sort of stunt with a cop at a traffic stop, so you don’t do it at the gates.

[TokyoNeko]

Originally Posted by Fishfood

The flight attendants still couldn't be be nicer so I've basically been telling the gate attendant to go to hell.

This is not how you get what you want.

[dagobert]

The only thing the provision states in certainty is that you can not be charged a fee to bring a small instrument as carry on.

IMO a guitar is not a small instrument.

[Parlorman]

Yo Yo Ma used to buy a ticket for his Stradivarius cello.

http://www.nytimes.com/1981/05/24/ar...pagewanted=all

Between arduous security lines, crowded planes, onerous airline rules and obnoxious passengers, I no longer fly at all if I don't have to. I've got hundreds of thousands of frequent flyer miles that I use to fly first class if I absolutely have to fly.

[Kerbie]

Originally Posted by Parlorman

Yo Yo Ma used to buy a ticket for his Stradivarius cello.

That's very true. I once flew with him to Toronto… he was in seat 1A and his cello was strapped into 1B.

[Gitfiddlemann]

49 U.S. Code § 41724 - Musical instruments
(a) In General.—
(1)Small instruments as carry-on baggage.—An air carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to any standard fee that carrier may require for comparable carry-on baggage, if—
(A)
the instrument can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or under a passenger seat, in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Administrator; and
(B)
there is space for such stowage at the time the passenger boards the aircraft.

(2)Larger instruments as carry-on baggage.—An air carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a musical instrument that is too large to meet the requirements of paragraph (1) in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to the cost of the additional ticket described in subparagraph (E), if—
(A)
the instrument is contained in a case or covered so as to avoid injury to other passengers;
(B)
the weight of the instrument, including the case or covering, does not exceed 165 pounds or the applicable weight restrictions for the aircraft;
(C)
the instrument can be stowed in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Administrator;
(D)
neither the instrument nor the case contains any object not otherwise permitted to be carried in an aircraft cabin because of a law or regulation of the United States; and
(E)
the passenger wishing to carry the instrument in the aircraft cabin has purchased an additional seat to accommodate the instrument.

I'm not a lawyer, but the way I read this law suggests that when it comes to 00 size acoustic guitars, consider yourself very lucky if they allow you to bring it on board.
The airline isn't breaking any law by having you check it.

The bottom line: They decide. Being nice about it, to everyone, is your best tactic, but be prepared to have to check it.