ATA Road Cases

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May 5th, 2010 admin

ATA Road Cases
Best method to transport a guitar?

I am looking to take my electric guitar back with me to college but to get there I am taking a plane. I have a road runner hard case however I am not sure if it would be wise to check it or take it as carry on luggage in which case it would be stowed below the plane. I can't tell whether or not it is ATA approved... I don't think it is, but I'm not sure. Is there a high risk of transporting the guitar in a non-ata approved case?

I can guarantee you that your Road Runner case is not ATA approved.

To get the ATA 300 rating (the most common), the case has to withstand a certain number of impacts and drops without the latches or hinges failing, or anything punching through. The "300" means that the case is estimated to last 300 trips in the luggage compartment on a plane.

They're expensive (around $300 and up), and heavy (30 pound and up empty). If you travel a lot, they're worth the investment.

If you can take the guitar as carry-on, then do that. It's going to have to be able to stow in the overhead luggage rack (and people are going to throw things on it, so as long as you can to stow it).

If you've even thought about checking a guitar in a non-ATA case, then you might as well put it in your driveway and run over it twice...that's what you're going to get at the other end. And unless you sign extra paper work and pay extra for insurance, the airline is only going to give you about 60 cents a pound for damage!

If there's someone at your destination that can accept it, you're better off shipping it there. Take it in the case to the UPS store (or FedEx Kinkos), have them pack it, take out the insurance, and send it ahead.

Good luck.

Greetings from Austin, Tx

Ken