Caporegime
I've seen someone taking a (presumably expensive) guitar onto a long-haul flight as hand luggage in economy class before. If looks from his fellow passengers could kill...
Bringing a large bulky item back, on a plane.
- Thread starter Phate
- Start date
Fortunately this flight is only 2hrs and 35mins. Not a multi continent job with lots of transfers 
Associate
fishing rod holders especially for flying are drainpipe sized and 7 feet long, not too dissimilar from what you are proposing
http://www.basspro.com/Plano-Airliner-Telescoping-Rod-Case/product/44292/
http://www.basspro.com/Plano-Airliner-Telescoping-Rod-Case/product/44292/
Quick update on this one for anyone whos interested.. All went through fine, mostly.
Checking it in at Luton was no problems, they didn't bat an eyelid when I told them what was in it.
When it got to Lisbon I noticed a couple of things. The tape had been completely removed at the ends and the screen had definitely been removed from the pipe at least once. I don't know if the tape had broken and they had to repack it...but either way it had been out of the pipe at least once on its trip.
I'm not complaining though. No questions were raised with it at all. The screen is now in my apartment waiting to be fitted to the ceiling. It picked up one mark on the casing but nothing to make me think the screen itself is damaged.
Checking it in at Luton was no problems, they didn't bat an eyelid when I told them what was in it.
When it got to Lisbon I noticed a couple of things. The tape had been completely removed at the ends and the screen had definitely been removed from the pipe at least once. I don't know if the tape had broken and they had to repack it...but either way it had been out of the pipe at least once on its trip.
I'm not complaining though. No questions were raised with it at all. The screen is now in my apartment waiting to be fitted to the ceiling. It picked up one mark on the casing but nothing to make me think the screen itself is damaged.
Soldato
I've taken some massive things through. Normally they have a look (especially coming in to the US) but pretty good about it.
That's pretty much all you can do in prep. I called easyjet CS and asked them. The woman said on the phone that as long as it doesn't break the size limits set on their site, it's fine.
When I took it to the check in desk to get a baggage tag to then take it to oversized they asked what it was and they said no problem, only asked why it was set as "sports equipment" on the booking list. I explained that none of the categories really fitted the description but thought it would be similar to ski poles or something.
She said it was fine but changed it on their roster to just "luggage" and that was it.