Traveling with Two

July 6, 2004 at 04:54 AM · Are you traveling alone? If someone else travelled with you they could take one of the instruments. Or you could get a double case for the two, but that might be kinda big. See if you could make prior arrangements w/ the airline company. Or, if all else fails, beg the person next to you to carry one of your instruments.

July 6, 2004 at 05:01 AM · I found a site with a letter from the "Transportation Security Administration" from the "United States Department of Transportation" that was printable for musicians to use to show that they're allowed to carry-on instruments as baggage.

This was in the year 2002 so I don't know if it's changed since then.. if anyone knows anything about this let me know. You could get in contact with someone probably, about this.

I don't have the site anymore but I have the .doc file if anyone would like to read it, just email me. I'll see if I can post it on here:

United States Department of' Transportation

TRANSPORTATION SECURITY ADMINISTRATION

400 Seventh Street S.W.

Washington D.C. 20590

Mr. Thomas Lee

President

American Federation of Musicians

1501 Broadway Street Suite 800

New York. NY 1003&5501

Dear Mr. Lee:

As a follow-up to our earlier meeting with Mr. Hal Ponder of the American Federation of Musicians, following are the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) revised policy and procedures regarding the screening and carriage of. musical instruments through security checkpoints at our nation's airports and transport of musical instruments aboard aircraft.

· On December 20, 2002, TSA instructed aircraft operators that effective immediately, they are to allow musical instruments as carry-on baggage in addition to the limit of one bag and one personal item per person as carry-on baggage on an aircraft.

· Additionally these revised procedures were communicated to our TSA screeners at the passenger screening checkpoints throughout the country. Should your membership experience problems at the security screening checkpoints, please advise them to request to speak to a screening supervisor for resolution.

If I can provide further assistance, please feel free to give me a call.

cc:

Mr. Hal Ponder

American Federation of Musicians

1741 K Street Suite 500

Washington DC 20036

July 6, 2004 at 05:47 AM · Rachel, the letter Rowell posted should be a clincher should any officious oaf offer obstruction (HA!). But is there no double viola case you can get your hands on? You could protect the violin in the viola case by merely swaddling it in cloths which would brace its sides against the sides of the compartment in the case. I just flew with a double case (admittedly for violins, but still...) and all I got was a curious stewardess asking me if I had two Strads in there. She claimed, you see, that someone had just flown with her airline the week before and had CHECKED a Strad. Into luggage. In the plane's belly.

I politely told her that such people ought to be shot for their own good.

July 6, 2004 at 05:53 PM · They checked a strad into the luggage/belly of a plane??? I wouldn't even check my $1500 violin in the luggage compartment. ::runs away at the horror of it::

July 6, 2004 at 06:52 PM · ""Or, if all else fails, beg the person next to you to carry one of your instruments.""

Don't do the above, it agains airport/FAA regulations, you can get in trouble.

Get a double violin/viola case if you can.

Peter

July 6, 2004 at 08:02 PM · i sincerely hope they were lying

July 6, 2004 at 10:19 PM · You can get a decent knock-off of a name-brand case from a guy in Houston who sells on ebay. I think he sells under the name "maestrocase," and it should be around 90 dollars US, plus shipping. I have enjoyed my viola/violin double case from him for 2 or 3 years, no problems whatsoever. If you can't find it on ebay, let me know--I have his phone number somewhere.

July 6, 2004 at 10:58 PM · they should be on ebay, ive seen them

July 7, 2004 at 03:05 AM · I suppose at this point you've already bought your tickets, but I thought I'd mention that when I flew back home to buy a viola, I looked at the "carryon restrictions" and found that different airlines have different requirements.

I ended up flying Frontier, which had a bigger carryon restriction - 41 inches (length + width + depth), even though other airlines could have flown me with no stops.

So, even if your double case is bigger than what the airline technically allows, I figured that those with a bigger carryon restriction would be less likely to fuss.

I have also read that "shipping cases" for violins and violas are smaller (no space for bows in these), but that probably wouldnt' help much...

July 7, 2004 at 08:34 AM · Well, just my own little experience with carrying a double violin viola case with Singapore Airline...

I brought the case from the above mentioned Maestrocase (very fast delivery, btw, thank you, Maestrocase) and when I was checking in my luggage, the guy basically told me that the case was oversized and since the flight is full I will have to check it in. Showing them the letter was a waste of time - letter or no letter they don't care and insist that it's oversized and have to check it in. What they offered me were:

a) the guy personally put the case on top of all the ther luggages so that it won't be squished, or

b)let me carry to the plane and see if there is space. If there turns out to be no room, I will then have to check it in last minute (but of course either way they won't be responsible if they brake).

In the end I carried it into the plane and the case fits perfectly with it standing on its side, it doesn't use up a lot of room actually.

On my return trip with my former school orchestra on a little USA music tour trip, the guy at the check-in counter give me a orange tag (a tag in Hong Kong which permits the instrument on deck), but when I came out from the check-in area, a rather unpleasant lady came to me, snatch away my tag, and told me that the flight is full and there's no room. To make a long story short I made a very rash and idiotic decision of checking my instruments in after hearing her explain...and in the end I my wrap my case with those plastic bubble wrappers and a lot of red "Fragile" stickers and hoped that I won't regret. After the flight, both the violin and viola was luckily still in one piece, although both neck strap things detached itselfs from the glue.

All I can offer is this - whatever the airline people say, whether the flight is full or whatnot, do not listen to their crap and just bring the case with you to the plane and say if there turns out to be no room, you'll check it in last minute. What I suspect is that there rarely will be the instance where you can't fit in a case. A double case actually don't use up a lot of room and the flight attendents can always help you rearrange the luggages and fit your case in the overhead compartment.

Overall my experinece with a double case isn't pleasant, it's heavy, large, and difficult to handle with in the airport. All those times I whispered to myself: it's still better then a cello :)

Er, does anyone have any experience with carry two separate cases? Is it possible?

July 7, 2004 at 09:02 AM · Ouch, this sounds like my worst nightmare, all this putting instruments on aeroplanes!

When I flew to Israel, I was with my parents, who divided up my stuff so that it was all fine and dandy according to the airlines.

Unfortunately, now on my way back (minus parents who have returned) I have to take my violin on board, plus my backpack, which I really don't think would be a good idea to put in the hold (I can't lock it and it's soft). So I want to put both on the aircraft. Luckily, They don't really measure the baggage and if you kinda stick it on the floor behind you they generally don't take much notice of it! In fact, El Al didn't even weigh our hand-luggage on the way in! So hopefully it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Another suggestion. If there is another passenger with less then maximum handluggage (i.e. maybe he's a businessman with one little briefcase) you could go to them and say you're together and that on average it's like having the legal required amount. This works for many people who are over the 20kg limit on El Al for luggage in the hold. They just team up with a lightweight, say they are "together", and presto, no problems! I hope that might help/give you some ideas.