 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: beejay
Date: 2001-09-18 20:06
With the new restrictions at airports, I wonder if anyone has had any experience with trying to take a clarinet aboard an aircraft as cabin baggage. Would putting a valuable instrument in the hold damage it (i.e. depressurization or temperature variations)? I need to know since I have to go on a long trip shortly, and don't want to be separated from my horn.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-09-18 20:24
When my daughter used to go to her Dad's for the summer, I always packed her clarinet in her suitcase and it traveled as normal checked baggage (i.e. in the baggage hold). There were no problems of any kind. This instrument was a wooden G. Pruefer from approximately 1940. I just made sure it was well padded inside the case and that the case was secure inside her suitcase.
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Author: Anonymous
Date: 2001-09-18 20:53
I do not think a clarinet would pose a problem as part of a carry on. However, if you have a reed knife, or other blade like accessory, remember to REMOVE it from your case prior to departure. I would not recommend putting the instrument in cargo hold. I am not sure on how the pressurazation would affect things, but I would presume the temperature difference would not be good for the instrument. In addition, after hearing some stories about some baggage workers having fun with packages and playing basketball with them, and one of my friends having his baggage lost on three consecutive flights, I would not trust my clarinet to airline personnel.
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Author: Laurie
Date: 2001-09-18 21:39
I've never brought my clarinet with me on vacation and such, but I have brought my flute time to time. I just stuck it in my carry on bag - I took it out and had it hand inspected going through security. ( I didn't like the ideal of it goign through the x-ray maching.. can radiation have any effect on it ? ) Just take out reed knives and such, and i think you'll be fine.
Laur
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Author: Douglas
Date: 2001-09-18 21:56
The last time I flew to Europe was about 3 years ago to perform in Holland with a woodwind quintet. I took a light weight double case with both Bb and A clarinets on board as carry on luggage. The case was a sturdy but light Pro Pac case which had room in the top section for reading material. Clarinets as carry on worked without any problem, although at Frankfort they checked the case over very carefully. I later found out that that airport was the likely place where the bomb which blew up the flight over Lockerby had been smuggled on board so the Frankfort security had become very, very suspicious of everyone.
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Author: Anji
Date: 2001-09-18 22:55
Speculation about what will and will not be acceptable as carry-on baggage, at this point borders on the irresponsible.
This is a question to ask the Airline carriers.
Do NOT fool around with this.
You should aniticipate an uprecedented level of security and increased competence at the airports.
The model of European screening is much more likely, with multiple checks on any item entering the cabin.
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Author: dan powell
Date: 2001-09-18 23:08
if any one is interested i have a anvil flight approved clarinet case that i will sell .you have to see it to beleive it ! not for the weak or faint of heart
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Author: mw
Date: 2001-09-19 00:30
I believe there will be no contemplated change with small carry-on cases (laptop, luggables, briefcases, etc). if the clarinet case is no larger, you can carry it on. however, you will be limited as to number of pieces of "carry-on". BUT, let's forget that for a sec --- I agree we'll be hearing-learning definitive info for ALL airlines.
(( after all, Uncle is gonna bail them out & when they do Uncle will make sure they impose SOME control or create rules, right?)
I always place a dampit, or one of my home-made humidifiers -- a wet sponge placed inside a small prescription-med container with an aerated cap, or a baggie with a wet wadded-up bounty paper towel --- inside my travelling clarinet case.
MAKE SURE THAT WATER will not come into contact with wood or metal of the clarinet [place the "humidifier" inside my clarinet case in such a way that depending on the POSITION (upright, on it's side, etc.) of the case, water will NOT come into contact with the instrument].
it's called the 6 P's .....
(P)roper (P)lanning (P)revents (P)xxx (P)oor (P)erformance
mw
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-09-19 01:00
I have to travel with my clarinets all the time on airplanes--overseas and domestic. It's not a problem. I have a small softside bag with wheels and I put my clarinets ( An A, Bb and C) inside it with some toiletry items (just in case of lost luggage) and it fits under the seat in front of me in coach. I never put it overhead and never let it out of my sight. I've been through lots and lots of serious security checks (14 times at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion) and have never had a problem with my instruments, although I had to show proof I was a legitimate member of an orchestra (with letters, etc.) that had a legitimate schedule to perform in Jerusalem. As mentioned above, knives of all sorts are off limits. But if you are cooperative and don't violate any of the rules, there is no reason not to travel with your instrument.
Never, never, never under any circumstances should you check it and let it go into the baggage compartment and out of your sight. Theft is a big problem, as is mishandling. Small lightweight bags can be obtained to help with bulk, if that's a problem. I have a couple of the Bam cases--great protection and very lightweight.
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Author: L. Omar Henderson
Date: 2001-09-19 01:50
Just got back from an awful trip overseas - finally with the help of the military. As mw suggests, what just worked for me - I never check my clarinet in baggage but carry it on - may not work once all the security precautions are ironed out and standardized among carriers both domestic and international (if this standardization ever takes place rather than piecemeal rules). I think that our naive ideas about travel and security will drastically be changed, including banning most carryon items. I would think that professional players - might, could, should, be allowed to carry on their instruments given a little prior homework and the proper documents. If I am not allowed to carry on my horn I will have to settle for a backup instrument packed in luggage that I do not care about losing. I now carry my laptop and horn in the "tank" hardshell backpack and it got through at least 10 checks coming back home. Glad to be back in America!
The Doctor
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Author: Luanne
Date: 2001-09-19 02:19
Hi,
I have carried my clarinets many times overseas as carryon luggage. I would NOT recommend putting them into baggage hold. A friend of mine flew to Japan with a Loree oboe that was only a few years old and the lower joint cracked so badly that there was no way to pull the crack together so it was filled in with epoxy but even so, there is a very noticable hole from the crack. Just be honest when going through security and let them check out everything and by the way, besides the reed knives, be careful about reed trimmers too. :o)
Luanne
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Author: Ken
Date: 2001-09-19 03:29
I've routinely flown in and out of major airports in over 40 countries worldwide for the past 20 years with my horns on the plane (that includes airports in the Mediterranean, Middle East, Western Europe and East Bloc, Far East, Spain, Brazil, Canada. Australia and New Zealand). I've only been detained and had my double case physically searched just "once" in all that time (Athens, Greece). I've also alwyas traveled with my trusty "reed knife" in my accessories pouch and it made it through airport scanners never questioned. Be not afraid, but of course as of Sept. 11 be prepared for the rack and thumb screws treatment and be certain to pack that reed knife in checked luggage unless you enjoy carpet burns on your nose.
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2001-09-19 03:58
Re: X-ray:
The fluoroscopes they use can not possibly harm an instrument. Do not hesitate to let them x-ray your horn, it makes them happy and less likely to give you a hard time.
The radiation can only harm materials sensitive to that portion of the electromagnetic spectrum. Things like film and photo sensitive transducers. I sometimes do some professional quality photography and do not let them x-ray my film as it will be slightly fogged (the personnel will say that can't happen and then proceede to try Mine is medium format stuff, the little 35 mm and Advantics stuff will not be harmed noticibly unless you are using ASA 800 or greater. Also I ask them to hand inspect my digital camera. I have no information if the transducer is prone to damage from X-ray... the company which made it (Kodak) didn't know either when I asked them. I fear I may not have the luxury of asking for and getting hand inspection in the future. The personel who do the inspections make it abundantly clear they haven't the slightest idea what they are doing... this too may change.
I am sure the routine all of us have come to know is about to be seriously changed so it is tough for any of us to predict what the new rules on carry-on baggage will be. If the past is any indication the new rules will be made independant of any common sense or thought process.
Just IMHO, Terry
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Author: Laurie
Date: 2001-09-19 05:45
Hi Terry ! Thanks for your post - They didn't have a problem hand inspecting my flute.. Actually they were very kind about it ! And they say New Yorkers are heartless.. lol I was uneasy about it - it was brand new and i'm very overprotective. - Thanks for clearing it up though -
Laur
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Author: Terry Horlick
Date: 2001-09-19 06:56
(the personnel will say that can't happen and then proceede to try Mine is medium format stuff
Goofed there, sorry. I meant to say the personnel "proceede to try and look through the wrong side of the camera". They seem to think by looking through a viewfinder in a digital camera they can tell it is a real camera and not a bomb. They don't seem to realize you have to turn a digital on to confirm it is a camera! I have had them look into a SLR camera and not remove the lens cap. They thn knowingly nod their heads thinking they have confirmed it is indeed a camera when they really have done nothing. The airports which know their stuff will take a cloth pad and wipe down th camera and then run it through their mass spectrometer looking for explosives. This takes about a minute.
I have heard that a friend was told to assemble her clarinet and play a note... right there in line at the airport. I assume the inspector could tell it was a clarinet and wanted to be sure it wasn't packed with drugs. I guess musicians are suspect!
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Author: anon
Date: 2001-09-19 07:59
If you are just looking for a clarinet to practice with, try renting an instrument at your destination. I recently took a two week business trip and the local music store was happy to rent a very nice clarinet to practice with. It even came with a swab and corkgrease. I took my own mouthpiece and music.
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Author: Peter
Date: 2001-09-20 02:43
Never check a clarinet. Always carry it on.
Cargo cabins are neither pressurized nor temperature controlled and at 33,000" altitude everything in the cargo hold tends to nealy freeze and/or outright freeze, if the flight is long enough, only to warm up and/or "defrost" quickly when it hits a warm temprature, depending on where you are going.
But even if you are headed for a cold climate, when the baggage is brought inside at the airport, the temperature shock could, conceivably cause damage to the instrument.
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-09-20 11:23
Peter wrote:
>
> Never check a clarinet. Always carry it on.
>
> Cargo cabins are neither pressurized nor temperature controlled
> and at 33,000" altitude everything in the cargo hold tends to
> nealy freeze and/or outright freeze, if the flight is long
> enough, only to warm up and/or "defrost" quickly when it hits a
> warm temprature, depending on where you are going.
>
> But even if you are headed for a cold climate, when the baggage
> is brought inside at the airport, the temperature shock could,
> conceivably cause damage to the instrument.
I think you are incorrect about the cargo bay conditions. Pets are routinely transported in cargo holds and if it were not pressurized, they would die as the air at 33,000 feet is much too thin to survive. Also the passenger cabin floor would probably collapse. Being flat and loaded with seats, they haven't the strength to handle the pressure differential between the passenger cabin and cargo compartment. If you will think back (if you are old enough), the DC-10 for a while had problems with the cargo door coming open in flight and depressurizing the cargo bay. The floor in the passenger cabin would collapse and buckle when this happened.
The temperatures at 33,000 feet are also too cold for the pets mentioned above to survive a flight. Also if it were this cold in the cargo cabin, you would find the inside of your luggage still cold when you unpacked it even if it were several hours later.
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Author: Pat Parkin
Date: 2001-09-20 13:53
Dee,
You are mostly correct. Cargo bays are all pressurized, but not all of them are actively ventilated or have temperature controls, especially smaller craft such as the 737. The 737 cargo bays are not designed for (live) animal transport and have no active temperature control, so the temperature can vary considerably.
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Author: Ed
Date: 2001-09-20 16:02
I would like to pose a question. There are many good thoughts here regarding travelling with clarinets. Most seem opposed to letting them go in the cargo area. How does Buffet or Yamaha ship them to the US from the factories? Do they go in the cargo area and are there any precautions taken for temperature, air, etc.?
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Author: Dee
Date: 2001-09-20 20:49
I imagine it would depend on whether the case exceeds the size limits for a carryon.
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Author: beejay
Date: 2001-09-21 05:17
I guess three things spring to mind after reading the above thread?
1. Check with the airline first to find out if your instrument can be carried in the cabin.
2. Make sure you have a reed in the case in case the screener asks for a demonstration.
3. Put gadget bag with reed knife or trimmer in your checked-in luggage.
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Author: Peter
Date: 2001-09-22 02:02
Hey Dee:
I guess it makes sense that the cargo holds should be pressurized, and since you mentioned it, I guess I do remember something to the effect of the DC-10 problems with the cargo holds not having been pressurized, but I also remember problems with shipments due to lack of climate control in those cargo holds.
Many years ago I tried ordering photographic film and dark room materials, in bulk, from California, due to the dramatically reduced cost of doing so. I soon quit doing so, because much of the film and paper arrived "reticulated."
Uncontrolled freezing and defrosting in the cargo hold of a jet liner flying at 33,000 feet altitude caused cracks in the chemical surfaces of the materials which produced photograps which were textured as if shot through a marbled screen.
Great for some artistic purposes, but not for most of the photographs I would take.
I've had other problems with it as well, but that was probably the best graphic example of them all.
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