Flight Cases

[MedicineMan]

I may have to take a tuba on a flight, and quite frankly the thought really scares me. I’ve heard the horror stories, and I’d be devastated (and my wallet would too) if this pretty horn got busted up.

I’ve been taking a look at Wiseman and Accord flight cases. Very spendy, but if they’re as strong as they’re purported to be then I think it’d be worth it. Any thoughts on either of these, or any other flight cases you’d trust your favorite horn with?

Thanks for your input.

[bloke]

Personally, I would figure out some sort of workaround…perhaps buying some Jinbao thing from Laabs, and having it shipped to where I was flying, and then selling it from the same place through some cooperative colleague...or buying some King B-flat off of eBay, and having it shipped there.
Were it actually that I was physically tortured into agreeing to put one of my own instruments underneath an airliner, I would pack it as if I was shipping it on a common carrier (truck line), in a heavy carton - like the ones Miraphone ships their tubas in - and with plenty of carefully-placed air bubble packing.
I would be no more interested in having a $2000 “flight case“ torn up by an airline than I would be having a $20,000 tuba torn up by an airline.
I personally view “flight cases“ as things to sell, and not really things to use.
full disclosure:
I own two Walt Johnson cases, but only use them to put my instruments under buses and in the backs of vans for out-of-town jazz band gigs and orchestra run-outs.
A full-time orchestra friend (former student) owns one of those that you mentioned. The bottom was smashed to bits by an airline and the instrument was damaged. Even things that are touted to be “bulletproof“ are actually only bullet resistant.

[Furguson11]

You could just call the airline to see if you can buy it a seat, that's what I did when I went to tuba Christmas a few years ago in Chicago. I had it in a soft case and seat belted the horn in. It was a hoot.

[Doc]

Are there any local players who might loan you an instrument?

[Rick Denney]

Call up Clarion Insurance and buy insurance for your instruments. If you are in the union, or if you a member of Chamber Music America, you'll get about 50% off their regular rates. I pay under $300 a year for about $40,000 in coverage. This is so-called "inland marine" coverage, and covers all eventualities except rot and termites. Yes, it covers theft, airline damage, a house fire, falling over your front steps, car wrecks, clumsy bandmates, even misplacement (although that's sort-of hard to imagine with a tuba), shipping--you name it.

Even when I have shipped a tuba to a buyer, I kept the insurance in force until the tuba was safely in the destination hands and definitely not coming back.

Rick "risk mitigation, not risk elimination" Denney