Flying with Instruments

[Wally Malone]

This information made possible through a

collaboration of the American Federation of

Musicians; Department for Professional

Employees - AFL-CIO; American Society of

Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP);

American Symphony Orchestra League; MENC:

The National Association for Music Education;

Recording Industry Association of America, and

more than twenty national members of the

Coalition in Support of Musical Instruments as

Carry-On Baggage.

 

TIPS FOR TRAVELING

SAFELY WITH MUSICAL

INSTRUMENTS

December 21, 2001

Heightened security measures at U.S. airports

have impacted the ability of musicians to carry

their instruments in-cabin. Below is important

information to help you and your instrument

safely reach your destination.

 

CHOOSING AN AIRLINE AND

MAKING YOUR RESERVATION:

1. Know airline policy. Each airline may

adopt unique restrictions regarding carry-on

items. When selecting an air carrier, call to

confirm whether the dimensions of your

instrument meet the airlines requirements

for carry-on items, and note the name of the

agent you have called. Some airlines also

make their policies available online. Carry a

copy of the policy with you.

2. When making your reservation, request a

seat assignment at the back of the plane.

During the boarding process, passengers

seated in the rear of the aircraft are boarded

immediately after first class and special

needs passengers. As one of the first on-board,

you will have more time to stow your

instrument, and more space options.

3. Notify reservation agents of oversized

items. Many airlines have a limit on the

number of oversized items allowed in-cabin.

Even if you have paid an additional fee or

book an extra seat for your instrument,

request that the reservation agent record that

you are traveling with an oversized item that

is a musical instrument.

 

PACKING AND CARRYING YOUR

INSTRUMENT:

1. Remove all extraneous items from the

case. All tools and other items should be

checked or carried separately to simplify the

screening process. What are completely

familiar items to you - cleaning fluids and

tools, valve oil, end pins, reed knives, mutes,

tuners, metronomes - may seem mysterious

to screening personnel.

2. Limit the number of carry-on items. In

addition to your instrument, carry only one,

small item.

3. Arrive early. You may hear that check-in

and screening takes only minutes THIS

MAY NOT BE TRUE FOR MUSICIANS.

Arriving early will allow for the time you

may need to work with security and flight

crews to make sure your instrument gets

safely on board. Bear in mind that problems

may take some time to correct. Therefore, it

is imperative that you arrive AT THE GATE

at least one hour before boarding time.

DEALING CALMLY WITH LAST-MINUTE

PROBLEMS:

It is crucial that as a traveling musician you

recognized several important facts.

1. The most important responsibility of

airport and transportation officials is

security.

2. The most important responsibility of gate

attendants and flight attendants is safety.

3. The most important responsibility of the

captain is safety AND security.

Your instrument represents an unusual item that

could very well be unexpected. Gate and flight

crews that have a very short period of time to

seat passengers in an aircraft try their best to

deal with the unexpected concisely and quickly.

You (and your instrument) are only one of many

passengers that will likely have special needs.

Therefore, dont take it personally when a gate

agent or flight crew member seem indifferent to

your concerns. Their time is limited.

 

However, you have the backing of the airline to

travel with your instrument onboard if the airline

permits it. Therefore, it is recommended that

you remain calm and polite. In many cases, the

problem may be resolved. Consider this:

1. If you are stopped by a flight attendant,

calmly and quickly explain the precautions

you have taken to prepare your instrument to

safely travel in-cabin.

2. Be accommodating by suggesting placing

the instrument in the rear of the aircraft, or

securing the instrument with cords or ties

(bring your own).

3. If necessary, immediately ask to deplane so

that you can resolve this matter with

airline supervisors. Remember, you have

fifteen minutes at most to resolve this issue

before the plane backs away from the gate.

4. DO NOT block the way of boarding

passengers.

Finally, prepare yourself for the possibility that

you may not be able to travel with your

instrument in-cabin even if you have followed

all possible procedures. What will you do? Are

you willing to send your instrument by air

courier? Is it packed well enough to withstand

transportation in the cargo hold? Should you, or

can you, travel by train or car?

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

YOU SHOULD KNOW:

For years, professional and student musicians

traveling by air have carried musical instruments

on board as carry on baggage. In doing so, they

have often faced numerous uncertainties when

using commercial passenger aircraft. Many

have been stopped at the last minute and refused

boarding. Musicians have been turned away

from flights and those trying to make connecting

flights have often had to settle for greater

inconveniences in order to complete their

journey. In some cases, musicians have had to

make the choice between stowing rare,

expensive and often irreplaceable musical

instruments in the cargo hold or having their

travel plans interrupted, delayed and even

cancelled.

The Coalition in Support of Musical Instruments

as Carry on Baggage led by the American

Federation of Musicians has petitioned the

Congress to address this issue. Section 135 of S.

1447, the Aviation and Transportation Security

Act of 2001 outlines the will of the United States

House of Representatives that the new Under

Secretary of Transportation for Aviation

Security develop new regulations as a remedy to

inconsistent treatment of musicians and their

instruments. This important provision of the act

reads as follows:

S. 1447 Aviation and Transportation Security Act

of 2001, Relating to Public Law 107-71

Page 41, Section 135

SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF

REPRESENTATIVES

It is a sense of the House of Representatives that

(1) the Under Secretary of Transportation for

Security should develop security procedures to

allow passengers transporting a musical

instrument on a flight of an air carrier to

transport the instrument in the passenger

cabin of the aircraft, notwithstanding any

size or other restriction on carry-on baggage

but subject to such other reasonable terms and

conditions as may be established by the Under

Secretary or the air carrier, including imposing

additional charges by the air carrier.

Though this language does not give musicians

the specific right to carry any musical

instrument onboard, it does provide the

Coalition with the tools it needs to encourage the

Department of Transportation and the Federal

Aviation Administration (FAA) to develop a

lasting solution through the federal rulemaking

process.

The AFM and the Coalition have forwarded

relevant information to the FAA rulemaking

office to assist them in their deliberations. The

agency is now reviewing procedures that it will

adopt. Whatever final rules are put into place to

facilitate the in-cabin transportation of musical

instruments, these new procedures will have to

be observed by all musicians. It is anticipated

that each airline that agrees to transport musical

instruments will have to comply with these new

security procedures as well.

Until these new regulations are in place,

musicians are asked to work cooperatively with

ticket agents, airport security personnel, gate

attendants and flight crews to resolve any

difficulties encountered with regard to the

transportation of musical instruments.

[Carl1266]

My wife is a flight attendant and I would like to second most of the advice. Some people don't realize that this job is pretty tough. Espasially when you fly international.

 

Let the crew ASAP know that you have an instrument. Sometimes you can see them arrive at the gate when they switch crews. I don't know for sure but I am very positive that there is enough space in the cabin on every plane for an instrument. But no matter what: be polite. Not just because the pilot and the head flight attendant have the last word about your instrument getting on that flight (no matter WHAT the company policy is saying) but they also deserve it.