[Harp-L] Travel restrictions...long post.

[William Jennings <will@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

The A.F. of M. did work out a 'travel carry on' waiver for musicians  
immediately following
the attacks of 9-11-01.  There used to be a pdf of a letter from both  
the Union and Homeland Security
that could be dl'd from one of their sites.  You might also consider  
contacting the AFofM Local 1000,
a nation-wide local that serves traveling musicians throughout the  
U.S. and Canada.

Immediate current events would clearly set aside past agreements, but  
my guess is that when
the situation ramps down a bit that we'll see a more clearly defined  
list of can and can't.
To ease matters, 'declutter' your carry on.  Make it simple for you  
and the security staff to
quickly separate and identify 'questionable' items.

4 years ago, they confiscated a small, wallet-sized ball point pen  
because it 'looked menacing'.
3 years ago, they were still taking people's tweezers and nail clippers.
2 years ago, they were only taking people's cigarette lighters.
Now, it appears, we will shipped naked, twitchy from lack of  
medication, and dehydrated.

The screening situation is often very random. I've been singled out  
for 'further, specific search'
routines both at the primary security entrance and at the flight  
boarding gate...and it wasn't
because of the 'menacing' x-ray appearance of my harps, pedals, mics,  
and iPod.
It was because, in each instance, I'd specifically requested or  
'changed' my seat location to an aisle seat.
The first time I did this was on a one-way flight.....big, big, red  
flag with that one.

If you think your harps and gear will NOT arrive safely (or too late  
or not at all) in checked baggage
(which is a very, very, distinct possibility in my experience), then  
consider calling the hotel
at your destination and ask their help (the concierge staff does this  
all of the time with biz folk)
in sending yourself an overnight FedEx box that will be there waiting  
for you when you arrive.
If FedEx loses your shit, they will do a lot more and do it a lot  
more quickly than any airline
I've ever flown.

If you are flying through a hub (O'Hare, Atlanta, etc) and using  
regional carriers affiliated with
the majors, then be prepared to a) miss your connection, b) get  
bumped and put on stand-by,
c) have your checked bags arrive before you do.   American Airlines  
has been very notorious
for this lately. They have stranded me overnight in ORD twice in the  
last  8 weeks.
They were pulling booked passengers off planes, who had been boarded,  
due to 'weight restrictions'.
50 seat planes were then flying with 12 seats empty.  People flying  
to Albany, NY were told
on a Sunday night they could fly Monday afternoon to Rochester, NY  
and find their own way home,
or pay their own expenses to stay in Chicago for the next open flight  
the following Wednesday....

I mention these things because the latest round of security concerns  
means longer lines,
more delays, more missed connections, and the greater likelihood of  
lost luggage. If the extreme
nature of carry on clamp down continues, then it will be 3-6 months  
before this gets sorted
and more clearly defined.

One last tip. If you fly on one carrier more often than others  
(American, say), and must connect in
places like Chicago, then look into 'joining' their VIP status group.  
If you're stranded in O'Hare,
airlines will do very, very little for you (no rooms, no food  
vouchers, etc.).  The 'Admiralty Club Lounge'
at O'Hare is profoundly more comfortable than 'central booking'...you  
can even fall asleep there.

-Will J