Domestic flights are usually the most anxiety-issuing ones from this point of view, especially within Europe where, if you’re lucky to bring the instrument on board without having to book an extra-seat for it, you’re generally forced to avoid any extra personal item (only a purse or a runner’s belt in addition to the violin). On the other hand, it’s been nice to have never had any problem on overseas flights so far!
This is such good and important advice! Flute is a little easier to take on planes, since it's small enough that it can fly completely "incognito," but even so it's stressful. What a good service you've done by posting this video. I think your timing with world circumstances is great, too!
Thanks April! Yea, I was just having a conversation with a musician who got on their first flight since 2019 and hopefully the experience isn't TOO stressful now...hopefully not too many crazies!
Great video! It's a little anxiety producing going through security and making sure the instrument makes it on the plane. I always feel better once the plane is in the air.
Thank you so much for this amazing video!! I've traveled the world with my violin and never have any problems carrying my violin case and a small backpack. But when it comes to traveling inside the USA it is a headache! Especially with Spirit... on a round-trip they have not charge me on my way out of state but when I'm coming back home they told me to pay $100 bucks! (My violin case was the only thing I was carrying). This advise is gold! Thank you so much. I really hope that soon in the future more airlines have more consideration. Best wishes!
Thanks so much for the kind words! And yea.. from my understanding, "budget" airlines like Spirit charge for every little thing! Ends up being more expensive.
Thankyou, I have to take a flight from Spain to New York, I also have to make an intermediate stopover in Madrid, I will fly with Iberia, and they have not answered my questions about transporting my violin. Of course I have read the rules and it seems that it is possible to carry any instrument that is smaller than a guitar. However, I remain anxious because I have not had any direct answer, and I am afraid that they will cause me problems at customs. Your video gave me some interesting insights and I think I will follow them.
Good luck - Not familiar with Iberia but be sure to print out or screenshot things from the airline website about their instrument statement... if for some reason the overhead bins are small (never seen this problem, except some back rows) usually the flight attendants have a closet somewhere in the main cabin. When in doubt, walk with confidence!
Thank you! It definitely helped. I have watched other videos and searched on google, and it seems that people loosen their strings because of the large change of pressure and the humidity. Just wanted to let you know :) I will be flying American Airlines soon. Their small instruments policy is a little weird. Their policy is a first come, first serve basis. Have you had any experiences with AA? Anyways, amazing video. Thank you!
I flew AA once or twice, but without my instrument... pre-boarding might be a good idea to play it safe, especially if you're traveling during holiday season. Change of pressure/humidity is not that significant to loosen strings - it's a common but very unnecessary thing people do, and I just don't understand it and always found it strange.. It can easily ruin the sound post position - which later can become a bigger problem, unless you have a luthier at your final destination to correct it (or know how to do it yourself)
Thank you very much for your kind Information!🙏 Next month I'm having a Performance in the German State Brandenburg two hours north of Berlin. I'm living in Lörrach 🇩🇪 and travelling with a German Low Cost Train Carrier called "Flixtrain" from Basel Bad Bhf to Berlin HBF,they are in Europa generally well known for their Buses "Flixbus"by the way, I reserved on seat more on for the Viola,so deeply hope it will work out,and in August,🛫 to you guys to the US 🇺🇸 I'm going to fly on Lufthansa there I deeply hope there it will work out,the LH Agentur said should be fine,fly on a Monday to Seattle and inside by you guys aux Étas Unis, flying on United Airlines,Cooperating of LH,and back Newark to Frankfurt am Main on a Saturday,arriving European Standard Time on Sunday with Final Destination EuroAirport Basel-Muhlouse 🎻😬🙏 Thank you again so much and wish you all the best 🍀🍀🍀! Your playing is wonderful 👌🎻🎶! Kind regards from Europe 🇪🇺 "Three Country Zone-Area German French Swiss Border Area 🇩🇪 🇨🇵 🇨🇭 ",Lörrach 🇩🇪 to the US 🇺🇸 Your Opera-Tenor-Violist Josha 🙋♂️🎻🎶
Thank you for sharing your journey and wish all goes smoothly for your travels! We have Flixbus in the US also, and I used it multiple times to travel between cities! Generally, very dependable. Would be cool to give Flix train a go next time I visit Germany!
Yes, but please do check your airline and read their instrument policy on their website. By default with most major airlines, the violin is considered your carry-on, so anything else you bring with you on the plane must fit under the seat. I flew NYC to Tokyo with my violin on board no problem.
Thanks for the informative video. Always interested in how other musicians deal with the anxiety of flying. I used to fly with my Gibson F5-G mandolin in the 90’s and 2000’s to Bluegrass festivals but it’s much harder these days because everyone carries everything onboard to avoid paying for checked luggage. So the way I deal with it now is if I’m flying I leave the my Gibson at home and fly with my beater. You can buy a cheap used instrument for traveling and the beach and don’t have to worry if it gets damaged. Of course it’s a sacrifice in sound quality but you still can practice and jam with others while traveling. I travel with a padded soft case with backpack straps stuffed with clothes socks or underwear around the neck so it also makes more space in your backpack for other items. I try to get a window seat sometimes paying extra for it. I’ve found that if the overheads are full my mandolin will fit along the cabin wall floor not obstructing emergency exiting. Only once did a flight attendant question it and placed it in the overhead.
@@Violinna they do but it's huge and completely ruins the idea of having a cabin case IMO. You're better off with other brands. You can still attach the bow case to the violin case, as the straps come with the violin case.
Did your case exceed the maximum dimension? I’m having flight on this Monday with Qatar airlines and they seem to have a problem with my case’s dimension. Did you have experience anything like that before?
@@pettyvagost7594 Most definitely should fit in the Boeing. I've never been lucky to fly the double decker Airbus but assuming it's big... One time I was on a Delta flight where crew put it in their closet in the main cabin - so that might be an option. Usually the dimensions on websites specify numbers for typical piece of luggage - those will never match up with those of a violin case.
Did you manage to fly with musical instruments in Qatar airways? We are travelling this weekend with viola and when i called qatar support, they seems to have problem with case dimensions? it 80*15*25 cm
Domestic flights are usually the most anxiety-issuing ones from this point of view, especially within Europe where, if you’re lucky to bring the instrument on board without having to book an extra-seat for it, you’re generally forced to avoid any extra personal item (only a purse or a runner’s belt in addition to the violin). On the other hand, it’s been nice to have never had any problem on overseas flights so far!
Oh wow..I heard bad things about RyanAir regarding this... never flown it actually. I've only taken Norwegian within Europe thus far.
@@Violinna yes Ryanair with mandatory extra-seat, but also British Airways and EasyJet. Norwegian is no problem!
@@LauraGianniniViolinist very good to know - I hope people are reading your comment!!
This is such good and important advice! Flute is a little easier to take on planes, since it's small enough that it can fly completely "incognito," but even so it's stressful. What a good service you've done by posting this video. I think your timing with world circumstances is great, too!
Thanks April! Yea, I was just having a conversation with a musician who got on their first flight since 2019 and hopefully the experience isn't TOO stressful now...hopefully not too many crazies!
Great video! It's a little anxiety producing going through security and making sure the instrument makes it on the plane. I always feel better once the plane is in the air.
Yes, same!!
Thank you so much for this amazing video!!
I've traveled the world with my violin and never have any problems carrying my violin case and a small backpack.
But when it comes to traveling inside the USA it is a headache! Especially with Spirit... on a round-trip they have not charge me on my way out of state but when I'm coming back home they told me to pay $100 bucks! (My violin case was the only thing I was carrying).
This advise is gold! Thank you so much.
I really hope that soon in the future more airlines have more consideration.
Best wishes!
Thanks so much for the kind words! And yea.. from my understanding, "budget" airlines like Spirit charge for every little thing! Ends up being more expensive.
I think it is very interesting informations!
This is such a helpful video! And thank you for mentioning “instrument friendly” airlines 💜
😊❤️
Thankyou, I have to take a flight from Spain to New York, I also have to make an intermediate stopover in Madrid, I will fly with Iberia, and they have not answered my questions about transporting my violin. Of course I have read the rules and it seems that it is possible to carry any instrument that is smaller than a guitar. However, I remain anxious because I have not had any direct answer, and I am afraid that they will cause me problems at customs. Your video gave me some interesting insights and I think I will follow them.
Good luck - Not familiar with Iberia but be sure to print out or screenshot things from the airline website about their instrument statement... if for some reason the overhead bins are small (never seen this problem, except some back rows) usually the flight attendants have a closet somewhere in the main cabin. When in doubt, walk with confidence!
Hello, how was the experience with Iberia, flying with them as well with my violin 😅
Very nice 👌 joined u.......
Hope.......
Thank you! It definitely helped. I have watched other videos and searched on google, and it seems that people loosen their strings because of the large change of pressure and the humidity. Just wanted to let you know :)
I will be flying American Airlines soon. Their small instruments policy is a little weird. Their policy is a first come, first serve basis. Have you had any experiences with AA? Anyways, amazing video. Thank you!
I flew AA once or twice, but without my instrument... pre-boarding might be a good idea to play it safe, especially if you're traveling during holiday season. Change of pressure/humidity is not that significant to loosen strings - it's a common but very unnecessary thing people do, and I just don't understand it and always found it strange.. It can easily ruin the sound post position - which later can become a bigger problem, unless you have a luthier at your final destination to correct it (or know how to do it yourself)
Thank you very much for your kind Information!🙏
Next month I'm having a Performance in the German State Brandenburg two hours north of Berlin.
I'm living in Lörrach 🇩🇪 and travelling with a German Low Cost Train Carrier called "Flixtrain" from Basel Bad Bhf to Berlin HBF,they are in Europa generally well known for their Buses "Flixbus"by the way, I reserved on seat more on for the Viola,so deeply hope it will work out,and in August,🛫 to you guys to the US 🇺🇸 I'm going to fly on Lufthansa there I deeply hope there it will work out,the LH Agentur said should be fine,fly on a Monday to Seattle and inside by you guys aux Étas Unis, flying on United Airlines,Cooperating of LH,and back Newark to Frankfurt am Main on a Saturday,arriving European Standard Time on Sunday with Final Destination EuroAirport Basel-Muhlouse 🎻😬🙏
Thank you again so much and wish you all the best 🍀🍀🍀!
Your playing is wonderful 👌🎻🎶!
Kind regards from Europe 🇪🇺 "Three Country Zone-Area German French Swiss Border Area 🇩🇪 🇨🇵 🇨🇭 ",Lörrach 🇩🇪 to the US 🇺🇸
Your Opera-Tenor-Violist Josha 🙋♂️🎻🎶
Thank you for sharing your journey and wish all goes smoothly for your travels! We have Flixbus in the US also, and I used it multiple times to travel between cities! Generally, very dependable. Would be cool to give Flix train a go next time I visit Germany!
So I can bring my violin in a flight ,just like going to the music school ? We are going to a 15 hours flight to the Philippines.
Yes, but please do check your airline and read their instrument policy on their website. By default with most major airlines, the violin is considered your carry-on, so anything else you bring with you on the plane must fit under the seat. I flew NYC to Tokyo with my violin on board no problem.
Would a violin mute/silencer help protect your strings and bridge from bumps or jolts?
Never tried - but many decent violin cases now have something that protects the bridge when you close the case - A little cushion
At first I thought you mean playing fast by flying lol. Great tips, thank you!
🤣 maybe for another video😁
brilliant!
It’s easy. Buy a Trinity violin suitcase. I even take it on Ryanair. 55x40x20 centimeters.
Amazing! Just looked it up - first time hearing about this! Thank you!!
It’s fantastic.
Thanks for the informative video. Always interested in how other musicians deal with the anxiety of flying. I used to fly with my Gibson F5-G mandolin in the 90’s and 2000’s to Bluegrass festivals but it’s much harder these days because everyone carries everything onboard to avoid paying for checked luggage. So the way I deal with it now is if I’m flying I leave the my Gibson at home and fly with my beater. You can buy a cheap used instrument for traveling and the beach and don’t have to worry if it gets damaged. Of course it’s a sacrifice in sound quality but you still can practice and jam with others while traveling. I travel with a padded soft case with backpack straps stuffed with clothes socks or underwear around the neck so it also makes more space in your backpack for other items. I try to get a window seat sometimes paying extra for it. I’ve found that if the overheads are full my mandolin will fit along the cabin wall floor not obstructing emergency exiting. Only once did a flight attendant question it and placed it in the overhead.
I've got a cabin case by Bam, it's basically the size of the violin. The only catch is you need to carry the bows separately.
Sounds tricky! Don't Bam cases like this have an attachable bow case?
@@Violinna they do but it's huge and completely ruins the idea of having a cabin case IMO. You're better off with other brands. You can still attach the bow case to the violin case, as the straps come with the violin case.
I’m curious if I didn’t loosen my strings it wouldn’t popped the strings?
No, but always good to have extra strings in the case. Never had strings break on the plane.
@@Violinna thanks💞
Did your case exceed the maximum dimension? I’m having flight on this Monday with Qatar airlines and they seem to have a problem with my case’s dimension. Did you have experience anything like that before?
Hi, I never had this problem before but also never flew with Qatar before. What model is the airplane for your flight?
@@Violinna it’s Airbus a380-800 and Boeing 777 for return
@@pettyvagost7594 Most definitely should fit in the Boeing. I've never been lucky to fly the double decker Airbus but assuming it's big... One time I was on a Delta flight where crew put it in their closet in the main cabin - so that might be an option. Usually the dimensions on websites specify numbers for typical piece of luggage - those will never match up with those of a violin case.
Did you manage to fly with musical instruments in Qatar airways? We are travelling this weekend with viola and when i called qatar support, they seems to have problem with case dimensions? it 80*15*25 cm
Oh yeah I love this thank you for the advice.
Thanks Tony!
@@Violinna 💖👌👏👍😊