I made this years and years ago...
This is how my cue was returned to me. It was packed first in the hard case and second, with my clothes, in the larger travel bag.
I made my first work of art out of the finished product.
When I opened the cue case to put it back in the rack it came out in the two pieces you see here. It appears to be deliberately broken.
Wow, what a shame. That's a gorgeous cue! It could possibly have succumbed to the problem that caused me to not choose to carry my cue in a large suitcase.
Someone had one time suggested that if you have a large bag with your cue packed inside, the suitcase would likely end up on the bottom of the pile with a smaller bag on it and topped off by who knows how many other heavier bags. A cue might be relatively easy to snap or break under those conditions.
So the first time I had to fly with my cue after they made the STUPID rule that you could not carry your cues in their case as carry-on luggage, I built a cue case carrier to carry my cheap 2x2 out of huge PVC pipe 6". You can stuff other items in with the case, and you might want to due to the pop rivets that stick into the tube a little that hold the dog collars, but it wasn't difficult to make and I never had any trouble. I didn't put a lock on it because I figured they'd always want to have a look. The duct tape wrapping was added later once I learned how quickly and easily it got scuffed, and the duct tape pieces on the lid were to hold the chain down during transport so as to not muck up the machinery or the chain. This is not my original carrying strap which was metal and leather, but when you check the tube, you remove the carrying strap and add it to your carry-on.
The only time I almost had trouble was when I waited for it at the carousel and it never came. Turns out it was hanging out with the golf clubs in a separate collection area.
Just putting it out there and maybe it will cause someone to brainstorm an even better idea!
My second favorite was an aluminum rifle case, as mentioned here already. The least favorite was the soft sided case made specifically to carry your cue case. That would be good if your case is truly unbendable, then the soft case protects the finish of the case. And by unbendable, picture the case supported on each end with something very heavy in the middle. The soft case also had a LOT of room in it for additional clothing and such.
I don't fly with my cues any more, and have no need for this tube, but I don't think anyone else would want it either. So I still have it trying to figure out what else to use it for...
Sorry that Max is a spoiled rotten attention whore.