Re: Guitars and Airplanes

[Joel Siegel <jdsiegel...>]

I, too, have traveled fairly far, wide and often w/my guitars (a bit more
recently) and I think your comments are excellent (and funny, depending!).
A couple of comments to your comments...

> Dear folks, 
>       For 3 1/2 years as an HUC student I flew every other weekend to a
> student pulpit, usually with my guitar. It's been 14 years since I did
> that, and I know the airline industry has changed, but I have
> suggestions for those who are flying and have to bring their guitars. 
>       1) Try to bring it as far as possible with you.Much depends on the size
> of the plane. Get on the plane as early as possible, so as to use a
> closet or bin. If there's no room, you're apt to loose control over it. 
> If they let it on the plane, great. If not, at least hand it to the gate
> attendant who will put a late check-in/fragile tag and hand carry it
> down for loading. Have a fit, but don't ever threaten!!!  GET the carbon
> of that tag. 

This strategy has worked very well for me, and it's the first thing I try.
Bigger planes, of course, have bigger overheads on average, and sometimes
they can stick the guitar in a coat closet as well.  Also, newer airplanes
tend to have larger overheads, on average.  You may want to check with your
ticketing people regarding the equipment you will be flying, bearing in
mind that that kind of stuff is almost *always* "subject to change without
notice", as they say in lawyer talk.

*Most*, but not all, airline staff have been very friendly and
accommodating to my guitar's needs.  Midwest Express and Alaska are
great.  TWA is mixed.  El Al was fine. Southwest doesn't have room, but
they will gate check your guitar.  (If you gate check your guitar, see if
you can "Claim At Gate" as well; that means you wait at the gate, *not*
baggage claim, to pick up your axe.  Claim At Gate tends to get the
gentlest, least-automated treatment, and the stuff often goes into a
separate area of the luggage compartment.)

Needless to say, have a very good hard shell case, and loosen your
strings.  There, I said it anyway.  Be prepared to buy new hard shell cases
periodically.  It's worth it.  That's what they're for.

>       2) Hide it. Don't let the ticket agent/bag checker see it. Wear a
> flowing rain coat. Have somebody wait with it way from the check in
> area, then you can get it beyond security to the gate.

I've never managed to *hide* anything quite so large, though I do just
nonchalantly carry it over to the gate and then say "Oh, you mean you don't
think it'll fit?  Here, let me try..."  Sometimes they let you.
Occasionally they say, "It won't fit.  Trust me."  Often, they are right.

>       3) "Ani Lo m'daber Anglit." [I don't speak English]. Don't try this in
> Spanish, since the airlines will undoubtedly have someone on hand. Or,
> see my book on Conversational Aramaic, called "Baba Di-lan: Our Gate to
> Conversational Aramaic."

Never tried this one!  Careful which language you pick or they might detain
you for a while..... :)

>       4) Listen to Tom Paxton's song "Thank you, Republic Airlines, for
> breaking the neck of my guitar."  [I think he wrote that just before he
> got the M-38]. 

If you have time in the concourse before loosening your strings, you may
want to take the guitar out and *play* the song.  Be careful not to 
antagonize the staff (see "Threatening", above.... )   :)

>       5) Take up the mandolin. Or harmonica.
>       6) Get one of those funny looking plastic guitars. 

Yeah, but they sound *awful*....  The plastic guitars, that is.  Of course,
if you heard me play the harmonica, you'd probably prefer the plastic
guitar.  Dying bovines are no fun to listen to.

>       7) Just bring your picks, and bum someone else's guitar.
> `     8) Loosen your strings.
>       9) Have insurance. I have a rider on my homeowners which lists 
> the years and model numbers of my guitar, mandolin, and banjoes. Take
> photos, save saleslips, get appraisals. 

Damn smart!  Never thought of it.  Absolutely, absolutely, have insurance
and keep the docs.  It's one thing I've learned in law school....

>       10) Drive, or take the train or bus. 
>       I hope this information proves useful.
 
                Don Cashman
 
Take care, y'all, have a great Hava Nashira conference, and pity me
studying for the bar.....

Joel


-- 
Joel Siegel <jdsiegel (at) 
ucdavis(dot)edu>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
"I myself have never been able to find out precisely what feminism is:     +
I only know that I am called a feminist whenever I express sentiments      +
that differentiate me from a doormat." -Rebecca West, 1913                 +
"We'll add creationism to science textbooks just as soon as you add Darwin +
to the Bible." -Author unknown                                             +
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++