TromboneChat

Hi All. I have a flight coming up and I've never flown with my bass trombone before. I have a Shires Q in the Shires case that it came with, and I know that thing isn't making it aboard as a carry on. I'm looking into get a Marcus Bonna for peace of mind. Last thing I need before an audition is wondering if my horn will survive a flight. For those that have flown with one, which specific model has had the best luck with being taken aboard as a carry on? There's so many different models and I'm not sure which route is best. I don't have a screw bell so would have to be a regular case.

Any of them, really.

This is the standard one, and it should fit your Q with no problem: https://mbcases.com/portfolio/cases/tro ... s-trombone

You might want to get this one if you have axial valves: https://mbcases.com/portfolio/cases/tro ... trombone-f It's a little less compact, but will still fit in most overheads.

One of the important features of these is the velcro straps that keep the components from moving around inside the case. If you have no choice but to gate check, your instrument will still be protected.

Don't buy one of the cases that is half hard and half soft. I have one and use it daily, but I would not use it for air travel.

I haven't done as much flying as most pros so take this with a grain of salt, but if I were flying, I'd use a Chronkhite flight case that separates --- smallest I can get for the horn I'm carrying --- and buy a first class ticket / priority boarding. OR travel by train even if it takes longer, if feasible. E.g. I did a flight from NYC to Boston recently but if I had my horn I'd have moved my schedule around to take the train. I'd also even drive extra to go to a bigger airport to avoid layovers. E.g. I live in WV but I'd drive to DC to do direct even though Pittsburgh is closer, assuming Pit didn't have a direct flight. I wouldn't necessarily take the train from Pittsburgh to LA though.

I was once booked in a plane so small that my 2-piece Cronkhite bag bell section did not fit in the overhead. I had to do a lot of wrangling with the flight crew, and it was very stressful.

I have successfully gate-checked a Bonna case numerous times and fit it in overheads more than that. It's really the best option IMO.