I agree with everyone else here, if it is an expensive machine I would not take it on the plane but get or use a smaller less expensive one in case something bad happened to it.

Sorry - I guess I wasn't clear about Bonnie's intentions. The bottom line is the machine somehow ended up in the belly of the plane and was destroyed.

If you have a small enough machine, you can put it in the overhead or under the seat in front of you.

you're a nut ;-)

I haven't travel much so I don't know what the current rules are. I would call your airline to get the exact size of underneath your seat. I never had a problem with my old Singer but that was back in the 70s and the 80s when there was a lot more room.

I think this is the best option so far.

I take mine all the time on Southwest. I have a rolling bag that fits under the seat.

Maybe your sister needs a sewing machine for Christmas.

I have taken my featherweight many times with no issue. I have laid it on it's side and at the time it fit under the seat. I am thinking it still would but would double check.

I've taken my 12 pound Janome Jem to Hawaii twice. I saved all the original packaging, repacked the machine and put it, along with a bunch of fabric, into a piece of luggage that I checked. I figured if it came from Asia originally in that packaging, it would survive a trip to Hawaii. I've had no trouble. I couldn't take it as a carry-on because I had a computer to take along too.

I flew with my little Elna Lotus down to Florida last October as DH was going to a class and I was stuck in the hotel room with no car all week. It's small enough to fit under the seat so I just packed it into a carryon bag, well padded. I had to take it out when going through security, but no issues. I also took a quilt that was already cut out, a cutting mat (18" x 24" fits flat in carryon) and the other necessary items. We shared one checked bag so my sharp stuff (rotary cutter, scissors, ect.) went in there. I got a lot done on it as well as had pool time when the sun was out.