Klarinet Archive - Posting 000185.txt from 2003/05
From: "Keith" <100012.1302@-----.com>
Subj: [kl] Transporting instruments by air
Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 17:22:30 -0400
Matthew
I had exactly this problem in returning from living in the USA; with
bass to C, Bb, A, basset joint and Eb and will be doing the same on a
trip to the USA this summer only with my basset horn as well.
My solution was indeed the Wiseman cases, which are tough enough to
protect the instrument in the hold if you have to put them there. I got
a bass case to hold the bass, Eb and basset joint, and a quad clarinet
case to hold the A, Bb and basset horn.
Both cases are too large to pass the standard hand luggage measurement
test. So you do rely on the cooperation of the gate agent, and you could
have a problem on a small plane. But the USA Federal Transport
Commission explicitly allows musical instruments to be carried on as
hand luggage (apart from things like cellos which need another seat.
compartment. There's a statement somewhere on their web site. When I
have travelled with the quad case in the USA, which I did recently, I
had no trouble in getting it on as hand luggage in addition to a
computer. But when I was returning with two Wisemans, I could only take
one as hand luggage. So I had prepared a large "gear bag" which took
both Wiseman cases in case they had to go in the hold. In this instance
the bass case went in the hold for the Denver-London-Prague flights. No
problems at all. Later, both cases had to go in the hold for
Prague-London, again no problems (and yes they are quality instruments
too). Wiseman cases are fine for vibration/bump/crush protection. The
only technical problem that concerns me is temperature changes, hence
the use of a gear bag with lightweight insulating packing (eg bubble
wrap) round the cases.
The main airline problem with shipping this lot in the hold is the
weight limit - it can be over 50 lb, which is United's limit on a single
case. And you may well get charged a lot of excess baggage on some
airlines - $100s. So it is best to check with the airlines.
I have several times shipped clarinets via UPS with good packaging, with
no problems. I've also shipped soprano clarinets in the lightweight BAM
cases, packed inside checked luggage.
I don't have experience of hand carrying Wiseman cases on airlines
outside the USA but no doubt others do.
Note that you should remove the spike (peg) from a bass or basset horn
and pack it separately in your checked luggage. Apparently the cellist
Julian Lloyd Webber was carrying his cello onto one plane and the gate
agent made him remove his spike, despite him saying that it had not been
taken off for 200 years! (image of professional player attacking the
pilot with cello rampant ...)
Keith
------------------------------
>>Date: Thu, 8 May 2003 21:12:29 +0100
"Bass Clarinet" <bass-clarinet@-----.com>
From: "Matthew Lloyd" <Matthew@-----.uk>
Subject: Transporting instruments by air
Message-ID: <000001c3159e$2b0c2c60$c8219fd4@Notebook>
>I'm faced with the possibility of taking several clarinets on a plane
flight.
>I am in the process of ordering a Wiseman case for Bass, Bb and Eb.
That, as I understand it, counts as "hand luggage" although I guess it
would be well over the 5kg limit.
>But if I needed a couple more I'd be well over my hand luggage
allowance. Has anyone sent a clarinet in the hold and, if so, did it
live to tell the tale.
>I'm talking about relatively new top quality instruments. Would love
the opinions of some of you professionals or otherwise well travelled
people.
>Matthew
------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Klarinet is supported by Woodwind.Org, http://www.woodwind.org/
