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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | I know some of you fly KLM to and from the US pretty frequently. I am plannng to visit my son in Germany in a few weeks, and I am wondering if they will let me take my Ovation or Adamas with case as a carry-on as they do on most US flights? If not, what are my options? I've checked the web site, and they show a limitation of 45" total (Hight+Width+Length) on carry-ons. Their checked baggage dimensions also add up to less than the size of an Ovation case. Any help here?
Edited by bvince 2012-06-02 10:03 AM
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Location: Louisville, OH 44641 | Vince:
Good luck. I'll be surprised if they let you call a Cased Guitar, a carry-on. Remember, all carry-ons must fit in an overhead bin or under the seat...so good luck. I just came back from Germany (Heidelberg area). I only saw 2 guitars on the flight and they were both checked (with the cases securely wrapped in tape). I flew US Air but it's likely their policies are similar. |
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Location: Ohio | Look at the Youtube video "United broke my taylor guitar" or some such. Very funny! |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | This was a recurrent theme in the old days. My experience then was that a cased Ovation would fit in the overhead bins. But, I travelled in the summer, before the airlines started charging for checked bags. Now, everyone takes a huge amount of carryons and the bins seem to be smaller. It might be much tougher.
Whether you have to check a guitar is up to the people at the desk. I called ahead and got a different response than I did when I got there. When I called they said I'd have to check it and when I got there they said I could carry it on.
I didn't take a guitar on any overseas trips. On the last trip to Germany, Karl (Charlie Ramon) supplied an Adamas and a book full of songs from the 60s and 70s that we played to a decent crowd in Rottenburg. It was the highlight of my trip, although my wife thinks I'm crazy. Some of our friends that went along still talk about how that German guy showed up with an extra guitar and all the songs that they grew up with. Look up Karl and say hello for me. |
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Location: Germany, where delicious wine is growing (Rheinh) | Hi Bryan,
if you will be in Germany, I would be proud to have a visit with you. I told you, I'm only half an hour from your son. Let me know when you are here!
Bernie |
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Location: Utah | http://www.klm.com/travel/us_en/prepare_for_travel/baggage/exceptio...
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Thanks for the generous offer Bernie. I'd really like to meet up with you, but it looks like I will be doing a lot of travelling during my visit... with a car load of grandchildren. If for some reason I do get some free time, I will definitely look you up. If I do take a guitar, it will probably be my 1581 Adamas, since it has always held up well on other trips with the hard case. The Ovation hard case is a little bit over on the total size allowance for checked baggage, but I don't think there will be a problem. On the trip over I can gate-check it, but on the return trip, they will probably want to take it all the way through to Detroit customs. Worse case scenario ... they lose it or break it, and I put in a claim for a new guitar.
Edited by bvince 2012-06-10 12:19 PM
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Location: Flahdaw | I would just rent a guitar over there. Why even hassle with it? |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Because after playing an Adamas, everything else just seems lame. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Well...I made it safely to Germany with no problems. Just did the gate-check thing. Spent the first day hiking with my kids and grandchildren at Clausen today. Now I wish I could live here. The countryside is so beautiful it is impossible to put into words- We met a group of seniors who had spent the morning hiking about ten miles. I've never seen so many older people so active and healthy. The weather has also been great. I'm looking forward to some great time just relaxing and enjoying this place. I think I had forgotten whatit was like to take a real vacation. |
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Location: Blue Ridge Mountains | I love a happy ending...congrats! We just returned from Belarus several weeks ago...no problems other than nited lost a bag and destroyed another one...we were reimbursed for the one and the other arrived later in the week...I left my guitars at home...had access to one there. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | I AM really glad I brought my guitar. My 6 year old grand daughter has begged me each day to give her a guitar lesson, and so far she has learned 4 on her First Act guitar. The only thing I DO regret, is not putting a new set of strings on mine before I left.
Bernie, I am so jealous of you living here. There are so many places to visit and things to see and do... Germany is amazing! |
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Location: Flahdaw | bvince - 2012-06-18 1:18 PM
Bernie, I am so jealous of you living here. There are so many places to visit and things to see and do... Germany is amazing!
Funny, we get SO many German tourists here in Florida. They probably say the same thing, "you are so lucky to live here".
No one's ever satisfied. Germany is beautiful, particularly Bavaria. But the US, from the Florida Keys to Glacier National to Big Sur is no slouch either. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | Some states do a lot of advertising in the Eropean magazines. Colorado is just starting to do this. Utah has been doing it for years. I've ridden motorcycles throughout the western states and the tour busses just appeared to be the most prevalent in Utah. Seems like there was one in every rest stop and scenic overlook. Then again, there is a lot to see in Utah. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | Nothing to do or see in Idaho. Just stay home and read a book. And crowded, you wouldn't believe. There were 4 other people on the beach Saturday and 2 other boats out on the lake. Had to slow down because of the wake. By August I may have to watch where I'm going or I might run into somebody. And the traffic. A car came by and scared the deer that were grazing next to the cabin. And it gets so hot I almost sweat playing golf yesterday. 85 degrees with 10% humidity. That's probably why no one else was on the golf course last evening. I was going to get in the pool and cool off, but decided the water was too cold. |
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Location: GATLINBURG TENNESSEE :) | Just returned from vacation. Priceless. |
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