Issue flying with Delta

Dreadfulnaught · #1 02-19-2019, 04:51 AM

I’m waiting to board a flight in Pittsburgh and has a minor kerfluffle from a counter type who did not want to let me bring my guitar as carry on. I mentioned the law that says they have to let guitars be carry on if there is room, she said there is no such law and would not look when I pulled it up on my iPhone. She said she is a trainer and if there was such a law she would know. She then tried to sell me a seat for my guitar. I detuned in case I had to check it as baggage. I pulled the Delta policy up to show her. She had looked it up independently and saw that it was Delta policy and law. She became sheepish and friendly after that.
I’m now on the plane and my guitar is safely in the overhead. Tragedy averted, but I wish everyone knew this stuff.

MikeBmusic · #2 02-19-2019, 07:23 AM

You're lucky. Get a gate person on a bad day - and it is TOTALLY within their ability to deny you carrying on the guitar. They can cite that there 'is no room' and that is that. Make a fuss, and they can deny YOU boarding.

lowrider · #3 02-19-2019, 07:44 AM

Glad it worked out. Is this a full size guitar in a hard case?

Dreadfulnaught · #4 02-19-2019, 07:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MikeBmusic

You're lucky. Get a gate person on a bad day - and it is TOTALLY within their ability to deny you carrying on the guitar. They can cite that there 'is no room' and that is that. Make a fuss, and they can deny YOU boarding.

Woman lied to try to sell me a ticket. I can’t believe she was that ill informed. The flight crew obviously knew the law and company policy and had no issue. The flight had room, which the ticket hitler told me.
Southwest is much better, I usually buy an A boarding pass to make sure there is room in the overhead.
Am on ground changing planes. THIS ticket hitler says he “don’t know what they do on plane” when I politely asked about my guitar as carryon.. Crap, who are they hiring these days? Day started with me being pulled out of line and made to go through the Star Trek Transporter glass round thingy. Then I was frisked. I must be under suspicion of being a Scandinavian terrorist, they always check me extra. Almost got swatted when they saw a capo on X-ray in Chicago several years ago.

Man, I better get a good song out of this.

Dreadfulnaught · #5 02-19-2019, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lowrider

Glad it worked out. Is this a full size guitar in a hard case?

Yep. Marlboro COPD Dread in a bright yellow Eastman case, not one of my flight cases. I’ve traveled with my Harptone Jumbo in overhead with no issues before.

lowrider · #6 02-19-2019, 07:51 AM

Here is the DOT rule;

https://www.transportation.gov/brief...travel-musical

I haven't had a problem with my Dread Jr in a gig bag, but I'm going to save the ruling in my phone. I think we all should, just in case.

Athens · #7 02-19-2019, 08:01 AM

Glad you were able to get her to see the light.

I've had gate agents tell me that they would sell me a seat on flights where they were trying to buy people off because they were over booked.

The sad part is that this person, right or wrong, has the final say. Same thing with CITES. right or wrong, the agent standing in font of you can hand you a very bad day and then it's your problem to straighten out.

I would go to Delta's site and log a complaint. They'll probably throw a credit or a couple of upgrade vouchers at you if you complain in a "constructive" way.

Nymuso · #8 02-19-2019, 08:20 AM

After many years of avoiding flying, I have recently done so with some regularity. Upon my return to the air, I was amazed an appalled at the difference.

Without getting into the specifics of the less than pleasurable TSA experience, the airlines cram passengers in after having socked it to them with baggage fees, causing even more carry-on stuff. When I see some guy board with a guitar, I cringe, both for him and for the rest of us. I will never fly with a guitar again. Ever. Where ever I'm going, if they have an airport they have guitars. If I really need one there, I'll rent one.

But the cookies they give you in place of the meal they used to provide were pretty good. And when ever possible, I opt for the emergency exit row. More leg room.

Yrksman · #9 02-19-2019, 08:24 AM

I flew from LA to a London a couple of weeks ago with Air New Zealand. I had a relatively big guitar in a big white Calton case. I dropped off my suitcase and not a word was said about the guitar. In fact not a word was said by anyone at all. I was more than pleasantly surprised and relieved bearing in mind the guitar in the case was a brand new Ryan Nightingale. I had been expecting to have to argue very firmly at some point or bite my nails for 10 hours wondering if it would reappear in one piece.

sbmackie · #10 02-19-2019, 08:35 AM

Delta's policy is plainly spelled out on their web site. If there is no room on the airplane in an overhead or a closet, then it will be gate checked (pink tagged is the Delta vernacular) and hand carried down to the bin where strollers, etc are kept, and brought back up to the jetway at the end of that flight leg. Obviously that particular gate agent wasn't trained properly. Communication with cabin crew can be an issue as well, as in cabin crew picks up the phone, calls the gate, and says something like "the bins are full, start checking bags", without saying anything about the closets. Under trained gate agent then falls back on officiousness. Usual caveat's apply when traveling with git box: plan for in the front bin. Loosen strings, pad head stock maybe, secure with a lock (not for theft, but so that one latch is secure). Then hope I nail the landing.
Scott

AgentKooper · #11 02-19-2019, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nymuso

When I see some guy board with a guitar, I cringe, both for him and for the rest of us. I will never fly with a guitar again. Ever. Where ever I'm going, if they have an airport they have guitars. If I really need one there, I'll rent one.

Why? I’ve flown with guitars a dozen or so times over the past couple years — domestically and internationally — and it’s never been unpleasant. I’ve had to gate check twice, which I did without arguing. My 00 fits fine in the overhead compartment with plenty of room to spare for other passengers’ stuff.

Nymuso · #12 02-19-2019, 08:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AgentKooper

Why? I’ve flown with guitars a dozen or so times over the past couple years — domestically and internationally — and it’s never been unpleasant. I’ve had to gate check twice, which I did without arguing. My 00 fits fine in the overhead compartment with plenty of room to spare for other passengers’ stuff.

Well, if I'm ever on a world tour and have to fly everywhere, I'll let the tour manager worry about it. I figure with what I'll be paying him and what he'll probably steal from me, he should be able to handle it.

Dreadfulnaught · #13 02-19-2019, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Athens

Glad you were able to get her to see the light.

I've had gate agents tell me that they would sell me a seat on flights where they were trying to buy people off because they were over booked.

The sad part is that this person, right or wrong, has the final say. Same thing with CITES. right or wrong, the agent standing in font of you can hand you a very bad day and then it's your problem to straighten out.

I would go to Delta's site and log a complaint. They'll probably throw a credit or a couple of upgrade vouchers at you if you complain in a "constructive" way.

No complaint. When she found out I was correct she was nice. No need for me to be vindictive. We exchanged smiles as I boarded.

ManyMartinMan · #14 02-19-2019, 09:18 AM

At the end of the day (or beginning of the flight) the gate/flight crew have the final say. Period. If you don't have any trouble that's great. If you have to gate-check it then you have to gate-check it. Anyone flying with a full-sized guitar, the rules say "small instrument" and that (without numerical specification) is up to the crew, is subject to carry-on if there's space and gate-check if that is the decision.

taylorgtr · #15 02-19-2019, 09:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dreadfulnaught

No complaint. When she found out I was correct she was nice. No need for me to be vindictive. We exchanged smiles as I boarded.

It doesn't make sense to escalate anything while you're flying, anyway. You have to approach it by trying to get the other side to see your point of view, and be sympathetic if you can be. If you do have to escalate....it's got to be polite and civil, which is hard to do sometimes.

If you start pushing, they will push back with greater and greater force....until you're kicked off the flight or worse. I've seen it happen. Any time someone starts with the "Don't you know who I am?" type of approach...it ALWAYS ends badly. (although some times, it's entertaining).