soccertxi

I have traveled with my FW a couple of times. Once she got swabbed for drugs (she was SO upset! She would NEVER take drugs!), on the way home on that trip, they didnt even open the bag (but the TSA agent manning the scanner looked over the top and said with a big grin on his face "thats a sewing machine , isnt' it??! um..ya think? lol) I was able to tuck her under the seat in front of me. I had less room for my feet, but then I didn't have to worry about conking someone in the head with it when I got her down. My mom still cannot believe I will not use the sewing machine she has in an unheated/uncooled walk in closet with scorpions. It has not been used in literally YEARS...and I hated it when I learned on it! Happy travels...

davis2se

I hope you find your answer. This summer I was traveling back to FL for a few weeks, and wanted to take aymy Janome 11000SE with me, as I have free maintenance on it from the dealer in FL. I called the airlines (Air Tran)several times and the answer I got was if it was withing certain size restrictions, and weighted less then 50 pounds, it SHOULD be okay to carry on. (No way was I going to check it). I wound up leaving it in MI and paying for maintenance rather then getting to the airport to find out it wasn't okay for carry on. Good luck.

rusty quilter

I would send it UPS ahead of myself so that it was there when I arrived. I find this the absolute best solution to my travel woes post 9/11. (Just wish I could ship myself that way LOL)

Silver Needle

I also would seriously consider packing it tightly inside with bubble wrap. Then find a slightly larger box and put the case in it after wrapping the case in bubble wrap. It should be packed tightly. Then ship it ahead of yourself.

alikat110

I would UPS it with insurance.

lalaland

I have flown with my machine on more than one airline. I put it in a bag that I paid less than $10 for at Walmart, it converts from a carry bag to a back pack. I take the needle out of the machine, put the presser foot down, wrap it in a piece of bubble wrap and put it in the bag. If I'm taking fabric with me, I will often put the fabric in the bag, around the machine, as well.

I have been asked a couple times to take the machine out of the bag but more often than not it goes through without a hitch.

I store it in the overhead compartment.

kristakz

I flew to Texas (from Canada) last year with my Kenmore. I bought the smallest size Tutto bag for it, because that was well within carry on sizes (the next size up claims to be carry on, but I was afraid it would be just that smidge too big if they were being testy about it). I had no trouble with the scanners - at least once I learned to take all the cables and pedal out of the bag before putting it through. It never fit overhead, but was fine under my feet in most cases. On one of the planes, it didn't fit at all and had to be gate checked (as someone mentioned, even this is dangerous as evidenced by Bonnie Hunter, but my machine made it through safe and sound).

I wouldn't check it. Even fragile stuff seems to be handled somewhat roughly. Although now that I think about it, I did check a sewing machine as fragile baggage years ago. And found it on the round-about at the other end (not in a separate, fragile, location)

quilt addict

As others have commented, it is not a problem. I have flown with one as carry on and have checked one. Although the one I checked was just a parts machine, it came through just fine wrapped in quilts and clothes. It was over weight so I had to remove some of the clothes that I had used for padding.

hperttula123

I would consider shipping it. That way, you don't have to deal with all the problems. My mom went to California and brought back an extra bag that had to be checked. It cost $50. It would probably cost less to ship it. I grew up in Kenosha, it's right next to Racine.

lakekids

I haven't done it since 9/11 but I flew with my sewing machine from Orlando, fl to Paducah, KY (by way of St. Louise, MO). I bought a rolling hardside sewing machine case that has foam padding inserts in it. I was using a Pfaff 7570. I checked my clothing suit case and carried on my sewing machine. When asked about that I told them i could easily buy more clothes but my sewing machine was worth more than my clothes. My machine fit in the overhead bin from Orlando to st. Louis. But the plane from St. louis to Paducah was a puddle jumper. My 'carry on' bag was wheeled to the plane (by me) and then placed in the belly of the plane because there were no overhead bins.

Unfortunately I do not know the name of the company that made my bag. But I feel pretty comfortable with it traveling in the case. Guy monitoring the scanner did have to call over someone else to verify the contents. But otherwise everything was fine.