 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: LaurieBell
Date: 2015-06-30 13:54
Has anyone taken their clarinet with them on an airplane? I haven't traveled for a while so I don't know all the rules.
I plan on taking my clarinet on the plane as my "one piece of baggage." I'll send my screw driver and reed knife with my hubby, who is driving up earlier. Is it OK to take my reeds, or will they be seen as some type of weapon.
Is there anything special I need to do before playing my clarinet when I arrive? (I'll start in Georgia and end up in Maine.)
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Author: clarinetist04
Date: 2015-06-30 15:04
You'll be fine. When I travel with my instrument I often take a backpack (with my laptop in it) and my instrument in a second small bag (I use an Altieri) and have never had a problem.
As they say, just "relax and enjoy the flight!"
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Author: BflatNH
Date: 2015-06-30 16:55
Recently I made several cross-country trips, each with plane changes, with both a double clarinet case (as my underseat bag) and a Bass Cl as the overhead 'bag', and checked a separate luggage bag. I used a case jacket to hold other personal and music articles (WWBW 'Allora' was on sale). I tried to get on early to find an overhead bin (paid extra for 'early bird' boarding on SWA). I put an extra strap around the Bass case (and ID tag) in case the connecting flight was too small and had to check almost all larger carryons (once), and often I announced to the TSA at security what they would find, and had no trouble.
I did keep my reeds and some music in case I was stranded at a connecting airport.
I think on a past post somewhere are references to the current law re carrying instruments that (I think) requires the airline to carry most instruments (they are listed) *if there is space*.
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Author: WhitePlainsDave
Date: 2015-06-30 17:18
There have been some interesting threads on on-board air travel with instruments on the bboard you may want to check.
Maybe needless to say, but remove all from your clarinet case (e.g. reed knives) that could even remotely be seen as a potential weapon by the TSA, and move it to below cabin luggage.
Be patient with the TSA. Resist every urge to get in the way of their, often with ignorance, not malintent, handling of your "delicate baby" without care. Comments to them like, "wait, let me take the pieces of the instrument out and show you," don't tend to go over well with them, as they need to be in control. Appreciate their position and how they're the first ones investigators will point fingers at should an in-flight incident result from their missing something.
Instead, offer, in the form of a query: "may I help you examine my clarinet or answer any questions for you?" Your politeness will make you appear less suspicious, and the showing of such regard for these workers often goes a long way....but if it doesn't, politely obey their orders, even if born of ignorance or unfairness. Where these officers may be lacking in manners sometimes needs to be counterbalanced with their well intent to make us all safer.
I once saw a fellow musician politely say, with complete respect and a smile, "with no disrespect intended sir [maam], I'd be glad to play the instrument to show you that it's nothing more than just that, and I nothing more than a traveling musician."
The TSA officer politely declined the offer, smiled, and sent this person through.
I say all of this with no disrespect intended towards those with legitimate horror stories regarding their instruments and the TSA.
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Author: Dan Oberlin ★2017
Date: 2015-06-30 18:10
Just be sure it's in tune. They don't allow you to take sharp instruments on board.
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Author: fskelley
Date: 2015-06-30 19:08
If your plane got stuck on the tarmac for 12 hours, as sometimes happens, you could pull out your horn and entertain your fellow inmates. Right. (And maybe end up on the no fly list.)
Stan in Orlando
EWI 4000S with modifications
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Author: Paul Aviles
Date: 2015-07-01 00:23
TSA is definitely NOT all knowing. When things first got hairy years ago, my wife was held up for a half hour in going back and forth about the "scissors" in her bag. The TSA would not (I have no idea why) go into the bag, nor show my wife what they were looking at on the x-ray. They just keep saying something to the affect,"Ma'am, just tell us where you have the scissors." It turned out to be an eye-lash curler.
On the clarinet front, I've travelled with my single case a bunch of times completely oblivious to the screw drivers and x-acto blades in the storage compartment........and TSA was oblivious as well. Go figure.
Though I'd NEVER recommend trying this on purpose! TSA always takes my key fob swiss Army knife (I've had at least four taken from me so far).
..............Paul Aviles
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Author: as9934
Date: 2015-07-01 00:43
I have had no problems taking my clarinet on flights with me. I just pack it in my rugged yamaha student horn case and put it in my checked bag and pad it with clothes or carry it with me onto the plane. Just as long as you keep it in a good case it shouldn't be a problem.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Wind Ensemble
Buffet E11 clarinet , Vandoren Masters CL6 13 series mouthpiece w/ Pewter M/O Ligature, Vandoren V12 3.5
Yamaha 200ad clarinet, Vandoren B45 mouthpiece, Rovner ligature
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Author: locke9342
Date: 2015-07-01 03:11
I recently traveled across the the country with my clarinet in my backpack and had no trouble at all regarding the clarinet...Although my backpack was a bit bulky.It seems that TSA has loosened security measures a lot. (Pro tip try to get a line with a dog sniffer, then you can skip a few steps)
Post Edited (2015-07-01 03:12)
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Author: blazian
Date: 2015-07-01 03:32
In a few weeks I'll be moving to California, and guess what's definitely NOT going on the 100°+ moving van.
I managed to fit my normal Bb and A and Eb in my Protec (the older style with the middle slot) which will be my larger carry-on and then I put my full Boehm Bb and backup Bb in a pochette (with a case cover) as my personal item. There are some accessories thrown in here and there, so hopefully the TSA will overlook anything too sharp.
I haven't had any mentionable experiences before. There were plenty of flights where my single clarinet sat nicely in my backpack with no incidents, reed knife and all. When taking my clarinet out to play after traveling, I let it sit with the case open for a little while to adjust to the humidity and temperature.
- Martin
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Author: RAL
Date: 2015-07-01 05:48
I fly a lot and bought a plastic Jupiter clarinet to take with me. Carry on, this is why I chose Jupiter (small box that fits in my laptop bag).
Clarinet, reeds, swab, are OK. Nothing that looks like a knive is. Sometimes it will just pass (TSA guys are not that accurate).
If you are putting it in checked baggage (being a multi-million mile frequent flyer I know better and I would NEVER do that...) you can take a full arsenal of knives, sharp screwdrivers, etc...
If you really need to take sharp tools, check these and carry on your clarinet.
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Author: Caroline Smale
Date: 2015-07-01 23:34
Always taken my clarinets as carry on with no problems.
Only once has the Xray scanner operator even requested opening of the bag.
But yes I once had a nice swiss army knife confiscated, had totally forgotten it was in a side pocket and had previous unwittingly carried it on at least 6 earlier flights!
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