[Harp-L] plane security skills

[jon kip <jonkip@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Good morning....

I used to have problems, taking oboes, flutes, or clarinets as carry  
on items, without having to open each one.......but now days most of  
the screeners are used to the X-ray  profiles of those horns....last  
time going from NYC to California with a couple of harmonicas in the  
mix, the lady asked what those things were and I told her that they  
weren't sharp objects , since they are set to around A=440 and  
suggested that she go talk to one of the violinists in a group  
nearby.....telling her that THAT was a sharp instrument....

I'm not sure if she got the joke, but it deflected a bit and didn't  
end  me up in the hoosegow ....but, had it, I'd probably not been the  
first guy playing lonely harmonica in a NYC jail....


Still, I'm pretty careful not to take reed knives and screwdrivers   
on board....they used to like to take them and put them in a giant  
box to be placed in the baggage compartment...and I hear that nowdays  
they don't even do that, they just take them and put them in some  
"special" place, never to be seen again except at government auction...


I remember making oboe reeds on a long flight to australia many years  
ago, but as we all know, things are different today....

For larger instruments, the AF of M has a deal worked out with most  
carriers.....see each month's issue for more info....


jon