Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Harmonicas and Airport Security...

[EGS1217@xxxxxxx]

No!...Never, never, never check them....  (that's for me, anyway..your  
mileage may vary ...)
 
... because of one horrible trip to a Convention when the plane was a  lot 
smaller than I'd realized (I didn't make the reservation)..was forced to  climb 
up from the tarmac and couldn't because the bag was just too heavy to  
maneuver. They insisted it be checked.  I hadn't packed my harp  'bag' (have a 
sturdier case now) very carefully within the  carry-on at that time, assuming it 
would be with me... so had to  watch from the plane as they FLUNG my carry on 
with the harps onto a cart  and then into the plane.  None of them played 
properly at that  convention...reeds misaligned or windsavers curled on almost every  
chromatic.  I won't make that mistake twice.
 
No matter how heavy my small harp case is, it goes into my carry-on luggage  
and up into the overhead bin. I might carry an 'extra' chromatic..usually my 
260  or even the Super 64 in my one purse/bag which stays at my feet..it's  
usually a good 'hint' to the checkers that the ones in the bags they're  
screening  are indeed, harmonicas. 
 
 I further pre-empt any problem ...as soon as my things are   on the conveyor 
belt...by calling over to the first checker 'case of harmonicas  coming 
through'.  It usually sparks some interest..and I've even had them  call to each 
other down the line, once: "harmonicas coming  through!"....that was funny.   I 
wear a small silver harp on a chain  around my neck...have two stickers on my 
carry-on bag:  "Support  the Arts: Kiss a harmonica player" and "Harmonicas 
Rock"   - all  designed to get the point across.  It's worked so far..
 
They have occasionally opened my harp case to take a look (it's two-layered  
so they want to see the bottom row), but it's quick and they've zippered  
everything back up for me, while I'm gathering my stuff together.   Haven't yet 
required playing of any.
 
Everything else goes into the checked bag...including my harp  
cleaning/tweaking kit with a small bottle of rubbing alcohol, MAAS metal  cleaner, tools, 
picks, etc...it has a clear plastic front..face up...with a  label 'harmonica 
cleaning kit', so they don't think it's anything untoward. My  checked luggage 
has been searched only once.... found clothing I hadn't yet worn  with oil 
stains (presumably from being dumped on the ground, or somewhere else I  can't 
fathom)....figured it was the cleaning kit which prompted the  search.  The last 
couple of trips have been uneventful, now that I  have a working system.  
 
Today they're more focused on those carrying electronic equipment on board:  
videocameras need to be out of their cases to be shown, laptops opened up, 
etc.  The camera is more of a pain than the harps.
 
Elizabeth
 
Message: 4
Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 08:32:52 -0700 (PDT)
From: Isaac  Ullah <iiullah@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [Harp-L] Harmonicas and Airport  Security...
To: harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:  <7309.10717.qm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type: text/plain;  charset=iso-8859-1

Hi all...     I regularly travel with a  leather case of six harmonicas in my 
carry-on luggage. I've never had any issues  with airport security (although 
an x-ray guy in denver DID recognize them as  harmonicas, and asked me if I 
played). However, I was recently pulled  aside at Chicago O'Hare for a bag check 
and an "additional screening". Turns out  it was because of the harmonicas! 
Of all places where you think they might  recognize a harmonica in an x-ray 
scanner, you would think it would be in  Chicago!!! Has anyone else run into 
problems at the airport recently with their  harmonca case? Should I chance 
putting them in (*gulp!*) my check-in bags?Rock  on,Isaac

*********
 
Message: 11
Date: Sat, 19 Jul 2008 15:28:26 -0400 (EDT)
From:  <venkyr@xxxxxxx>
Subject: Re: [Harp-L] Harmonicas and Airport  Security...
To: iiullah@xxxxxxxxx, harp-l@xxxxxxxxxx
Message-ID:  <20080719152826.AYU43120@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Chances are they'll have screened your bag  and left a note saying "Your bag 
was searched and items confiscated. To claim  your items contact your local 
airport authority" or some such.
Elizabeth on  this list has experience.

Venky
***************






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