Musical Instruments
may not allow the additional carry-on instruments are their livelihood. It is not
item on their aircraft. an exaggeration to say that a classically “...a classically trained
• Security officers must X-ray or trained musician has spent more time
physically screen your instrument alone in a room with their instrument musician has spent more
before it can be transported on an than they have with their friends or
aircraft. family. Most practice around two hours a time alone in a room with
• Security officers will handle musical day, give lessons and play concerts with
instruments very carefully and will their instrument in hand several times their instrument than they
allow you to be as involved as possible per week.
in any physical screening. The attachment goes beyond the have with their friends or
• Passengers may bring musical emotional; instruments are also very
instruments as checked baggage as expensive and cannot be easily replaced. family...”
long as they fit within the size and Each one is hand crafted, which means
weight limitations of the airline. there are differences is weight, size, open the case and asks other
• We encourage passengers to stay with varnish as well as other important employees to come help as opposed to
their instrument while security features that affect the sound. It’s true letting me do it. I ask him to please not
officers screen it to make sure it is that there are millions of violins in the touch the instrument and he responds
repacked properly. world but none are exactly like the ‘I’ll touch what I need to.’ He then asks
• Owners should be present when an musician’s current instrument. what I’m doing with the instrument and
instrument is removed from its case Should their instrument become I say I’m a violinist. He asks if I can
for screening. damaged, insurance will cover the cost of actually play it. I say yes. He says “Play
At British Airports Authority (BAA) repairs or replacement but it will never it then.” And so, in Atlanta airport, I
airports in the United Kingdom, the policy be the same. It may seem precious to be have to play the violin to prove it’s not a
is roughly equivalent. so sensitive about a nicely carved wood weapon of mass destruction.”
box but it really is almost like another Nearly every musician also has a
Why They Get So Cross child. If it came to a choice between the variation of the following scenario:
The current dynamic that exists between instrument going in the hold or a “I was sitting in my seat, watching the
airport personnel and musicians is far musician missing a flight, most wouldn’t baggage people unload while passengers
more adversarial than is strictly bat an eye - there are many other flights, were deplaning when I saw something go
necessary. Screeners may have noticed but only one instrument. flying through the air. I instantly felt sick.
that when a musician comes through the Here are a couple of common The item currently in flight was my French
security checkpoint they are often examples of airline horror stories: horn. It was in a hard case but no
grouchy. Believe it or not, musicians are “I was flying from Toronto to London with instrument case is designed to protect
not naturally cross but they have learned my French horn in a soft carrying case. It fully against full-on tossing. While I was
through experience that checking-in an fits easily in the overhead locker, so I waiting for the baggage to be put on the
instrument is usually a complete didn’t have too much trouble checking it carousel, I went through all my contacts
nightmare. Airlines change rules on a as carry-on. My problems started however to see if I could find someone in strange
whim and staff are usually not familiar when I was waiting for the security town that could fix my instrument before
with the regulations stated on airline screening. The instrument went through the concert the next day.”
websites so, at the very least a the X-ray and was then sent through again.
discussion, but more often an argument The officer asked what it was, so I
about carry-on baggage is expected. explained, but he was still confused.
Anna Hill, manager of classical guitarist Further explanation didn’t really get us
Robin Hill explains, “The security at all anywhere, so finally he told me I had to
airports is obviously essential, but for this play it or it would have to go in the hold.
particular travelling musician it does Faced with having my unprotected
cause a huge amount of stress. To know instrument crushed by suitcases in the
that you will have to go through the same hold, I took it out and played it in the
conversation, with many different people, middle of the security area. A rather
just to get your instrument on board, perplexing request but the security
doesn’t make for a relaxing start to your officer seemed satisfied and I was sent
journey. And when that journey can on my way.”
involve three or four flights, it all gets Another example, this time from a
rather tedious.” violinist:
Recounting airport nightmare stories is “A screener grabs the violin case from
almost an Olympic sport at parties, with the belt by the end of the case, not the
the recurring theme being airport handle, puts it upside down, wobbling on
personnel who were careless or ignorant the edge of a table. I lunge for it and he Robin Hill, a classical guitarist, who travels
of the instrument’s value. says ‘don’t touch the tennis racket’, upon frequently to perform and finds the screening of
Musicians can be a bit testy at the which I explain that it’s a “violin” and that his musical instrument an added stress.
baggage screening area because their it’s fragile, etc. He can’t figure out how to
Aviationsecurityinternational October 2009 www.asi-mag.com 17
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