Flying tubas

[Mary Ann]

I have questions about this; I know it's been done successfully, remember the picture of LeMark with his NStar on the plane. And someone mentioned it recently. Of course you have your own fare as well as that for the tuba, but you'd have to be going wherever it is anyway; not like a seller can buy a seat for a tuba to fly it to you.

What would worry me is being denied a seat for the tuba, even when paid for, to allow a "real person" to fly who otherwise wouuld not get a seat, and well, it's only a tuba and it can go in the hold. I'm sure this has happened, and that there are those who chose not to fly rather than allow the tuba to go in the hold.

Stories and experiences? For me, paying to ship it on a pallet is cheaper (for one I'm willing to buy unseen) than a round trip ticket for me and a one-way for the tuba, given the usual cost of flying. Maybe I'll just buy my own plane.

(Its a bird! No, it's a plane! -- it's a TUBA!)

[1 Ton Tommy]

There are times when buying an extra seat is worth the price. Besides, what's the freight upcharge for a tuba in a symphony case? My experience is the weight limit for baggage is 53 lbs, above which you pay $$. Delta (and others) charges you anyway if you admit to it being a bicycle. I once said bicycle parts and avoided the upcharge.

In late February Ten Thing, the 10-piece women's brass group from Norway, arrived for a gig in Seattle from Medford, Ore... without the tuba. Presumably it had gone in the hold in its stout case. Band leader, Tine, had played with the symphony last fall and had just the right connection with them. The Seattle Symphony tuba player lent the group his tuba on hour's or maybe minutes notice. Tine did a nice shout out from the stage about that. He was in the audience. I spoke with the tubist after the concert and she said it had caught up with them and arrived during the concert.

Shortly after 9-11 when TSA was at their most officious, they made me take my carry-on trumpet out of its case and play it. I played the intro to "In the Mood" with a bunch of high Bs in the second bar. The people behind me were most amused. TSA was not. For a tuba what would I play? The first 8 bars of "Hall of the Mountain King?" the first few bars of "Night on Bald Mountain?" Either would prove it wasn't clogged with plastique explosive I suppose. Make sure you dump all the water out of it first. I was hassled at Heathrow for a few drops of water about 5 years ago.

[donn]

To seat another passenger -- I very much doubt they would do that, or even could. But the flight crew has the last word, and if they think it's a potential hazard in any way, they can say no. As I understand it.

[dp]

For the tuba, I'd play "If I Only Had a Brain."

[daktx2]

I've done it a half dozen times, and had no trouble. Most airlines require you to be against a bulkhead (either all the way at the front or back of the plane) with the tuba in a window seat.

I've had the easiest time flying Southwest. I get there early, and announce myself to the gate agent as soon as possible to request boarding in the "needs extra time" group and let them know that their policy is for me to be seated by a bulkhead. Request a seatbelt extension from the crew once you're seated. Expect a lot of questions, gawking, and "does that thing eat a lot of peanuts" jokes.

Do be prepared to walk away from the flight if the tuba is denied entry though! I usually have a print out of the airline's policy on hand just in case, though crew is granted discretion to deny your boarding. Policies for all major airlines can be found here:
https://www.afm.org/what-we-are-doing/t ... ravel-kit/

[tofu]

I’d also add - try to fly off hours. Red Eye flights tend to be less frantic, less likely to be at max capacity and flight crews tend to be less stressed and more flexible.

You could also get a giant yellow reflective vest to wrap around tuba with the words Emotional Support Tuba on it in high visibility coloring and inform them that without your tuba by your side on board you might suffer a meltdown in flight.


The bizarre animals I’ve seen that people have been allowed to bring on board is nuts. Just an abuse of the law meant for folks with true service animals. They are finally starting to crack down on this abuse by the self entitled to bring their pet with them where they don’t belong. It unfortunately impacts the people with true service dogs like my dad who had gone blind and had a seeing eye guide dog.

[Sousaswag]

Southwest was REALLY good when I flew with my previous Tuono. Security let me handle it so they could check it out and all that, I got priority boarding, a bunch of questions, etc.

I would certainly not fly if they told me to check it, and I would be that person to make a big fuss at the gate if it came to that. Luckily, it hasn’t.

Just make sure you have a ticket for the horn and let them all know up front, and nobody should have reason to give you a hard time.