A couple of blog posts related to airline travel with musical instruments have caught my eye so far this week:

Saxophonist Greg Vail had a bad experience checking his horn. Yes, he did check it—sent it to be stowed in the airplane’s cargo hold rather than carrying it on himself. But it wasn’t the baggage handlers who caused a problem. It was security inspectors who opened the strong custom flight case, damaged the key clamps, broke some reeds, and couldn’t get everything packed up properly again.

I know I need to carry this case because they have done this before, but the real question is why?? I feel like these goofballs would riffle thru my medicine cabinet given the chance just because they are noisy and idiots, but I digress.

Matthew Amster-Burton, a Mint.com blogger (and not, to my knowledge, a musician), opined that fees for carry-on bags are a good idea. Nobody wants to pay extra fees, but I have to admit it might be worth it to me to guarantee a spot in the overhead bins for my instruments.

When I wheel my suitcase onto a plane, I’ve learned to take the first overhead spot I see that is anywhere near my seat. The last thing I want is to be holding the bag when the announcement goes out that the overhead bins are full and we’re going to have to check any remaining bags if you want this flight to leave today. In other words, price controls—for example, offering discounted or free items or services—cause shortages.
…
Economically speaking, this is nuts. The right way to allocate overhead bin space is the same way we allocate most things: put a price on it.

Check out my previous posts on airline travel with musical instruments, and travel safe.

The American Federation of Musicians, the world’s largest organization promoting the interests of professional musicians, has put its support behind the U.S. Senate’s version of the FAA Reauthorization Bill (S.1451). This bill seeks to overhaul many aspects of air travel, and the official summary includes this text:

(Sec. 713)

Requires an air carrier to permit an air passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument on a passenger aircraft without charge if it can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft or under a passenger seat. Sets forth requirements for the carriage of musical instruments as checked baggage or as occupants of a purchased seat.

The AFM is calling for “all musicians” to sign a petition in support of including the relevant text from the Senate version in the final version of the bill. You can sign the petition at the AFM’s website.

The AFM famously struck an agreement with TSA several years ago, ensuring that musical instruments be allowed to pass through airport security. This was widely misinterpreted by musicians to mean that airlines would be required to allow instruments as carry-on; unfortunately this was not the case. This legislation specifically addresses musicians’ need to keep their delicate and valuable instruments in their own care on board the airplane.

Your to-do list:

1. Sign the petition (you don’t have to be an AFM member).
2. Read some of my previous articles for a better explanation of the problem, including the notorious AFM/TSA agreement.
3. Get general information about the bill at OpenCongress.org, or, if you’re feeling saucy, dive right into the full text of the bill.
4. Drum up support for this legislation by posting about it on your own blog, Facebook page, etc. If you like, you can use my handy “share” buttons (to the left) to point people right here via email, Twitter or Facebook (or other social media outlets via AddThis).

Happy flying!

• Helen at Bassic Sax shares a bad experience flying with a tenor saxophone.
• Patty at oboeinsight shares the United Breaks Guitars video, and, rightly, shares an additional video that helps to balance the story a little.

I think it’s also worth sharing the musical instrument policies of a few of the major (US) airlines:

• American (scroll down)
• Continental (scroll down)
• Delta
• Frontier (scroll down)
• JetBlue
• Northwest [update: Northwest is now part of Delta]
• Southwest
• US Airways (scroll down)
• and, yes, United

Travel safely.

Going through airport security

• In most cases, your plan should be to carry your instrument(s) onto the plane with you. That means taking the instrument through airport security, and sending it on the conveyor belt through the x-ray scanner. In my experience, security personnel are generally very good about recognizing musical instruments as such, and sending them on through without raising an eyebrow.
• Security personnel may, however, wish to open instrument cases for closer inspection. In my experience, inspectors are uniformly courteous and respectful about this, and usually notify me before they begin. Earlier this week I had a security officer let me know that he needed to open my oboe case, which I had sent  through the x-ray within a larger carry-on bag. I asked politely if he would let me open the case for him, and he was more than happy to allow this. I recommend taking this approach, since security personnel may not know which side is “up.” If you open the case yourself, you won’t have to worry about instrument parts rolling out onto the airport floor.
• I also like to lock any carry-on instruments cases that can be locked, and, of course, make sure I keep the keys handy. This ensures that security personnel can’t open the case without me while I’m still trying to get my shoes back on. Besides, airports and planes can be crowded, and I like to be sure that my cases won’t pop open if jostled or bumped.
• There is an agreement between the TSA, which runs airport security in US airports, and the AFM, the musicians’ union, which allows for instruments to pass through security screening checkpoints. A letter regarding this has been widely circulated on the web. Be advised that, despite some wording in the letter that seems to suggest otherwise, the agreement does not require the airline to let you carry your instrument onto the plane itself.  A number of sources recommend bringing a copy of the letter with you through security; it may not hurt, but I have to doubt that waving a letter around, telling the TSA officers how to do their job, will do much good if there’s a problem.
• You should also keep in mind that accessories may not be allowed through security: reed knives, sharp little screwdrivers, water in humidifiers or reed-soaking containers, and so on. Water can be emptied out, and knives, etc., can be packed in your checked bag without a problem.
• One last tip, which hopefully goes without saying: if you are polite and friendly, security staff are far more likely to get you through to your terminal quickly and easily.

Once you are through security, smaller instruments shouldn’t be a problem. All but the bulkiest of flute, oboe, and clarinet cases fit well within standard carry-on dimensions. Bassoons and saxophones as large as tenor can often be carried on, as well, but be aware that it’s a gray area and that even your best efforts are not guaranteed to get your horn into the airplane’s cabin. I can tell you, however, that I’ve never been denied bringing even a bassoon or a tenor aboard. Here is my approach:

At the gate

• Don’t unnecessarily call attention to the instrument by approaching the airline staff to ask questions about bringing it on board.
• Especially with smaller planes, an airline staffer may wish to tag your instrument case for gate checking. Accept the tag graciously. Don’t make a stink.
• As the gate attendant takes your boarding pass, look him or her in the eye and smile, and say something friendly and polite if appropriate. Don’t look down at your instrument. If your case hasn’t been pre-tagged for gate checking, this may be the gate personnel’s last chance to decide that your instrument is too large to carry on. Hold the instrument in the hand farthest away, with your body casually blocking their view of it. It’s not a secret that you’re holding a case, you just don’t want it to look any larger than it is. If the case has a handle on one end that allows the case to be held in a vertical orientation (taller rather than wider), use that one.

Boarding the plane

• As you head down the jetway or onto the tarmac, discreetly remove and pocket the gate-check tag, or, since it’s usually attached to the case’s handle, just make sure the tag is inside your hand. If the flight attendants know the gate personnel have pre-tagged carry-ons for gate check, they are likely to go along with the gate personnel’s decisions. Don’t let them know that yours has already been deemed too large. On a recent trip, I politely allowed my alto case to be tagged in the terminal, and carried it easily on board with the tag hidden inside my hand. But due to a minor mix-up, the flight attendant at the plane’s entrance needed to see my boarding pass, and I let go of my case to retrieve the pass. The flight attendant immediately noticed the neon-pink tag, and insisted that the case—which had been no problem until that moment—would have to go beneath the plane. Read on to the next tip to find out how I averted the crisis.
• If a flight attendant on the plane balks at letting the instrument on, don’t get bogged down in arguing or explaining. The flight attendant wants the problem solved as quickly and agreeably as possible, especially since there may be a hundred or more people still in line behind you. I like to give my best smile and make a very direct and polite request: “This is a musical instrument. May I keep it here in the cabin?” This is not a time to deliver a lecture about the instrument’s value or fragility, or otherwise to suggest that you deserve special treatment. I find that when I ask simply and politely, the flight crew are usually willing to allow the instrument on board “for now” or “if there is enough room.” From that point, I have always been totally in the clear.

If you have to gate-check your instrument

Sometimes this may be unavoidable. I’ve luckily never had it happen, but I do like to be prepared.

• Even if you’re not a traveler, a good solid case and a good insurance policy (deal with a company that specializes in musical instruments!) are your instrument’s best friends. I lock my cases while traveling, if possible, to avoid them coming open accidentally. My bassoon case is solid but it doesn’t lock and I’m not sure how much I can trust the latches, so I bring a couple of bungee cords along in case I have to strap it closed for gate checking.

If you have to check-check your instrument

Sometimes you know in advance that an instrument isn’t going to make it onto the plane in your hand.

• If at all possible, I like to pack the instrument in its case, inside a larger suitcase with my clothes around it for extra padding. Sometimes I have to do this because I’m bringing multiple instruments and can’t carry all of them on. I usually choose to put my metal instruments into the suitcase because they won’t crack like wooden ones might in the non-climate-controlled cargo bay.
• I also highly recommend taping a friendly note onto the case, in the event that your suitcase is inspected, and your case opened by security personnel:
  

  Turn the other side up before opening, please!

• …or politely and succinctly give any other vital written instructions that will help them handle your instrument properly.

Have a nice trip!