Klarinet Archive - Posting 000650.txt from 1998/12

From: "Benjamin A. Maas" <bmaas@-----.net>
Subj: Re: [kl] Bass clarinet airline carry-on
Date: Thu, 17 Dec 1998 18:17:14 -0500

I make it known that under no uncertain terms will my bass ever go in a
cargo hold. On a 12-seat plane, I *might* let it go on if I bring it to the
plane, but I can still tell many horror stories of instruments getting
destroyed on such planes even when the luggage handlers are warned...

In the past, I have flown United and they seem to be pretty good to deal
with. I will usually tell them that the case of this instrument is not a
flite case, and therefore not really safe in a baggage hold. If they can
guarantee the safety of the instrument by giving me the full $6000 it would
cost to replace it if their luggage goons destroy it (before it goes down),
I will let it down below. Otherwise, they will have to find a place on the
plane to put it. Sometimes it is not right by my seat, but when everything
is explained in a rather calm manner to the attendants, they can be
reasonable. And yes, even in the busy holiday traffic, there is still room
(I used to fly home from Eastman--Rochester, NY to Los Angeles on December
22 or so with 2 clarinets, a backpack, and a bass clarinet)

If worst comes to worst, do what the cellists and tubists do and guarantee
safety by purchasing an extra seat for your instrument.

--Ben

Benjamin Maas
Clarinetist and Digital Recording Engineer
Student, University of Southern California
Executive Director, Digital Renaissance Consort
bmaas@-----.net
bmaas@-----.edu
-----Original Message-----
From: Martin Pergler <pergler@-----.edu>
Date: Wednesday, December 16, 1998 8:34 PM
Subject: [kl] Bass clarinet airline carry-on

>
>Once again, I will be flying with my (borrowed) bass clarinet. In
>the past, agents at the check-in counter (mainly Air Canada) have
>made no objections to me carrying through a large bass clarinet case
>in one hand, and Bb/A case with laptop computer in music pocket in
>the other hand all the way to the airplane. When it was a tiny
>plane, there would be a cart for oversize luggage right by the door;
>I'd put the bass clar on it, the ground crew would put it (gently)
>into the cargo hold within sight of the passengers, and bring it
>back to the door on landing---a reasonable compromise. When it was a
>large plane, I'd carry everything on.
>
>Now I hear all sorts of horror stories about strict enforcement of
>carry-on guidelines. Should I expect to have to check the bass,
>along with the risk of it falling of a luggage cart somewhere or
>being sent to Timbuktu?
>
>More succintly, anyone have *recent* experiences flying with a bass
>clarinet as carry-on?
>
>Thanks, Martin
>
>--
>Martin Pergler pergler@-----.edu
>Grad student, Mathematics http://www.math.uchicago.edu/~pergler
>Univ. of Chicago
>
>
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