Re: Flying with a tuba - Again!


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Posted by JIM on February 02, 2003 at 13:40:54:

In Reply to: Flying with a tuba - Again! posted by John Caves on January 31, 2003 at 23:01:21:

My son has flown with his tuba in a Walt Johnson case on 3 different airlines, Northwest, Delta and Spirit. The only one to charge us the oversized baggage charge was NW and that was only on the flight departing from NY Laguardia airport. The handling and care of the instrument seems to depend on the people at the individual airports, not the airline itself. Generous tipping does seem to help with Skycap people, but once it is out of their hands you are at the mercy of the other baggage handlers.

I have watched from the airplane window several times as the baggage guys muscled the case onto the conveyor belt going into the aircraft with no special treatment at all. Your best protection is your the quality of your case, since you can't control the all of the people who will handle the tuba.

On a recent Delta flight, we were called to the gate counter 25 minutes before take off and told the tuba wouldn't fit on the 50-seat regional jet we were booked on from Indianopolis to New York. I specifically wanted that flight since it was non-stop and would involve less baggage transfers from one plane to another. So much for that plan!

Delta said they would put the tuba on a flight to Cincinnati and transfer it to New York from there. I asked if we could go with the tuba and, since the flight was not full, they said yes. I told my son, "always stay with the tuba if possible". At 17, he seemed unimpressed by my planning and constant worrying about the status of the precious cargo, but maybe some of the attention to detail will rub off on him eventually.

Delta got us and the tuba to NY only an hour or so behind our original flight, so it wasn't so bad. But, the tuba was moved around by a lot more people than the Skycap I gave $10 to get the tuba on the plane.

I must say, though, that the Delta agent I spoke to and asked for "special attention" for the tuba, was at the departure gate to oversee the handling of the tuba and be sure that we were informed of what was happening. I think that other agents, especially in NY, may have just put the tuba on the other plane without telling us. So, my hat is off to that Indianapolis Delta agent. I wish I had gotten her name to send a letter to Delta.

Northwest and Spirit provided flawless service on the flights we have been on. Good luck.


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