Taking a Composite Acoustic to Singapore - has anyone tried this?

[SqshdPanda]

I'm traveling to Singapore at the end of the month and I really want to bring my guitar.
I was thinking of bringing my Composite Acoustic XCOT but I really would prefer to have a gig bag (a hardcase was too much trouble last time I traveled).

Has anyone ever flown with a Composite Acoustic guitar in a gig bag? And if so, has it ever needed to be checked in?

I know it's carbonfiber and all and supposed to be tough but would they survive being checked in with only a gig bag protecting it?

Thanks in advance for the advice!

[Thin Crust]

I flew to Hawaii with one, but it was a Cargo. I put it in the overhead, and some guy crammed his briefcase against it and slammed the door. Poor briefcase will never be the same.

[royd]

here's a thread from the carbon guitar forum with a photo of a hole in a CA guitar.

If the guitar had to be checked, I wouldn't count on it surviving in a gig bag.

http://carbonguitar.com/smf/index.php?topic=1334.0

I just did some traveling with my cargo in a hard case... I carried it on 4 planes and had to gate check in 2.

[SqshdPanda]

Wow, thanks for that link!
I guess I shouldn't risk it (what in the world did they do to that poor guitar??!!).

I wasn't so worried about the flight from US to Singapore. Last time I flew there they let me bring an acoustic in a hardcase as a carry on.
The problem was flying out of Singapore. The staff there are more strict and they made me check it in.

[hann]

well i live in singapore and checked in my guitar a few times albeit in hard case.. but having checked it in with fragile stickers etc...

i got my case unscathed.. didnt look like it was thrown anywhere at anytime.

[Hendra]

Originally Posted by SqshdPanda

The problem was flying out of Singapore. The staff there are more strict and they made me check it in.

+1 on that. I travel on business quite a lot in South East Asia Region. On some of my long trip I bring my travel guitar along (it's a small guitar) in a gig bag. No problem of bringing it into Singapore either from Manila, Bangkok, Jakarta or Vietnam as a carry-on.
The problem come when flying out Singapore. In 2 occasion, the airport authority (right before the departure gate) insist me on either checking it in or buy another ticket. Telling me it won't fit the overhead compartment (a generalization of a normal acoustic guitar). After some argument I was allow to bring it in a carry-on and of course it fit in.

On your case, I would suggest to use your hard case if your CA is a normal size guitar coz you’ll need to check it in. If it’s ¾ of normal guitar like my travel guitar, you can use gig bag and some negotiation or arguments to bring it in on your flight out of Singapore. Make sure you check with your airline the overhead compartment width to make sure it fits width-wise and check-in all other bags(except small carry on) so that its only the thing (and a small bag if any) you bring into the flight and last but not least, check in early.

Bon Voyage.

[lightmage81]

I live in Singapore too.

I once bought a bass from the States and brought it back home, had to check it in. Had no problems.

My brother who lived in the States for a few years has brought home many guitars and each time he had no problems. But he did have to check everything in.

Which airline are you flying? If you are flying Singapore Airlines, I don't think you should worry too much. If you are flying United... er...

[hann]

bro u came back on SQ?

ok so no problems if check in a hard case la? cos the SQ website say check in allowance is like based on total dimensions of the luggage then like that u have one guitar in a hardcase definitely bust the dimension limit even with a small luggage.