 The Oboe BBoard
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Author: MDunn
Date: 2008-08-13 20:06
Hi-
Has anybody travelled with their oboe on a plane recently? I'm going to Nicaragua on a mission trip on Saturday, to a small village. I'm considering taking my old "clunker" oboe and would appreciate any tips on going through security(American Airlines) especially.
MDunn
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Author: rgombine
Date: 2008-08-13 20:52
I travel w/ my oboe on domestic flights all the time. The worse problem I had was when the security guy thought my reeds looked like shell casings! That was just one time though, and it didn't even prompt a special screen -- I just showed him the reed case and we all had a good laugh.
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Author: mschmidt
Date: 2008-08-13 21:52
I've also had no problem, although I think one inexperienced TSA screen-watcher needed some "help" from an older employee in understanding what she was seeing. The only bad thing is that the reed tools have to go in checked baggage.
Mike
Still an Amateur, but not really middle-aged anymore
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-08-14 00:23
I've taken my oboe onboard as hand luggage (in a Pro-Tec shoulder bag) with no problem, but all my reed tools, screwdrivers, etc. went in my main luggage so they wouldn't get confiscated.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: JRJINSA
Date: 2008-08-14 12:55
Put your oboe *only* in its case and in your carry on. Leave *everything else (including the reeds)* in the luggage you check in. I guarantee you'll get through fine without even an inspection. I live in the states and it's been this way for me five or six times in the last two years. You'll be fine, no fears.
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Author: oboemoboe
Date: 2008-08-14 13:25
I've been on tour for the past 2 years, and never really had any big problems. Everyone on this BBoard has given good advice so far, but i'll add this: Leave your cigerette paper at home and make sure you don't have any left over in your case. If security finds any while searching you, they'll see D R U G S! (and send you in a tiny room, and search all your stuff, and ask many questions). This happened to someone i know, but I took her advice and usually breeze through security!
Have a nice trip!
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-08-14 14:14
You should be fine with keeping your best reeds in with your oboe, but put everything else (prohibited items) in your main luggage to go in the hold.
The risk of putting your best reeds in your main luggage is that if you have to make a connecting flight and your flight gets delayed (making you miss your connecting flight), your luggage may not meet you at your destination, along with your reeds. And if you have a concert or a rehearsal within the first few days and you haven't yet been reunited with your suitcase, there's not a lot you can do without any reeds.
Fortunately I've only been stopped going through the metal detector for wearing steel toe-cap boots, metal zips and small metal belt buckles. My oboe has gone through the X-ray (reeds and all) with no trouble.
Only last month while out in Malta when I realised I still had my wallet on me while in the hotel pool. I took everything out of it and laid them all out to dry when I realised I was carrying a load of needle springs pinned to a folded up piece of paper. These went through airport security without being detected, and I had them in there when I flew out to Washington the year before!
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: MDunn
Date: 2008-08-14 17:11
Thanks everyone! I don't have a concert or anything-I just thought I'd entertain the villagers. Also I don't want to lose my lip as I'm hoping to audition for a local orchestra this fall.
I was just remembering several years ago after one of the terrorist scares that an orchestra was unable to travel with their instruments and had quite a problem- think that was in England. Don't remember which one, though.
Now I feel more secure traveling with my oboe.
MDunn
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Author: mschmidt
Date: 2008-08-14 22:05
Well, Delta was pissing off a lot of musicians a few years ago with their actions against musicians...
http://majikthise.typepad.com/majikthise_/2006/06/musicianss_unio.html
...but I haven't heard anything of this lately, so presumably they're acting more reasonably now.
Mike
Still an Amateur, but not really middle-aged anymore
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Author: jennyoboe
Date: 2008-08-15 05:58
Be sure to take at least a WET reed or two on board with your oboe--on one of my tours some of the musicians were randomly picked and asked to play our instruments to prove that we were not some kind of terrorists or fake musicians--in Hungary and in London; both within the past year. It was easy enough for the trumpet and flute players but if you don't have an oboe reed handy and you are too nervous to produce enough saliva to get it wet you may end up staying behind while the rest of the orchestra boards the plane!
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Author: vboboe
Date: 2008-08-15 06:52
... have the rules changed so you're not allowed to take a bottle of drinking water on board with your carry-on luggage any more?
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-08-15 09:59
I think the bottled water rule may have been relaxed, but check your airline to be sure. Airports should have plenty of signs around showing you what you can and can't take on board.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: JRJINSA
Date: 2008-08-15 13:29
You can take bottled water onto the plane that is purchased *after* security check in. Hey, it's big bucks for them! Prices are inflated x10 of course. ;d
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Author: sylvangale
Date: 2008-08-18 00:08
Yamaha makes cigarette paper which they call cleaning paper, so it wouldn't raise any red flags. It's also VERY much more absorbent than regular cigarette paper too.
It looks like this is the cheapest you can find it online:
Yamaha Cleaning Paper
You can also try http://froogle.google.com to find other places.
♫ Stephen K.
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Author: MDunn
Date: 2008-08-25 14:32
Hello all-
Thanks for all the tips on traveling with my oboe. I had absolutely no problems. I made sure to take the case out of my backpack before I put it through security, just like a laptop. As I went through security in Managua, the older of the two guys doing the scanning looked at the x-ray, made playing motions to the younger one, took it back through and showed him, then sent it through. So it was an education for him!
The only problems I had playing it was that it had been so long since I had picked up this particular oboe that the c didn't play but by the next day it had loosened up.
Waiting in the airport in Miami I sat across from a guy playing on his trombone mouthpiece so we had a nice musical discussion. He was going to Peru so had only brought his mouthpiece to keep his lip in shape. i'm glad I play a small instrument!
MDunn
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Author: FrankM
Date: 2008-08-28 22:57
I recently heard Eddie Daniels, a great jazz clarinet and sax player. I found out later he was playing on a borrowed tenor, rather than fly with his own from New Mexico to NY....flying must be quite a pain with larger instruments.
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Author: Chris P
Date: 2008-08-29 11:29
... not to mention the damage that can happen to them when baggage handlers throw them around like they do.
Last time I flew I saw then chucking instruments onto the conveyor belt taking them onto the plane, most cases landing on their lids, and on arrival there were three seriously damaged instruments. Seems the 'fragile' sticker is an invitation to abuse.
Far more devastating if it's a classic instrument (eg. Selmer SBA or MkVI) that's near impossible to replace like-for-like should it get trashed.
Former oboe finisher
Howarth of London
1998 - 2010
The opinions I express are my own.
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Author: EaubeauHorn
Date: 2008-08-29 22:08
If I had to travel within the country with an instrument that I could not carry on, I'd pack it "gorilla proof" and send it Fed Ex or DHL. With an oboe, you could send it Prioity Mail, insured.
I bought a bin-fitting case for my horn and put it under the seat ahead of me; there is no competition for that space.
EBH
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