Subject: RE: Traveling with Melodeons
From:
littlecharliemouse
Date: 01 May 03 - 08:44 AM
Airlines seem to vary hugely in the relationship between their policies and practice - whilst they seem to limit to a certain weight / number of items, I've found BA don't bat an eyelid at any hand luggage, whereas Airtours had me going so far as drinking a can of coke from my bag to decrease the weight to an acceptable level.
I flew a flew UK-USA mid-war this year with a mandolin in hand luggage, which no-one questioned, except a scanner-man between my connection and trans-atlantic home**
I'd get a flight case if you've got any chance of needing them in the hold though (which I guess is unlikely from what people said), as I saw an acoustic guitar in a gig bag come out onto the carousel in Newcastle this year. It had fragile stickers all over it. On its second round one of those gigantic cases came out and just missed it. I couldn't bear to watch any further, so removed it and left it obviously beside the nearest pillar. hope they found it.
** this conversation ran:
Q: Is this a real guitar
A: No, it's a real mandolin.
Q: Ah. Err, so it's not a guitar?
A: No.
Q: Is it a toy?
A: No, it's a real one. A mandolin. Like a guitar, but smaller. You play tunes on it - bit like a banjo (!)
Q: Ah. Do you press a button to get it to play?
A: No, errr... There's a small tuner in front of it which is in the front pocket - that's why there's batteries in it.
Q: Ah I see, errr, no hang on...
A: Here let me show you.
Sorry that was long for a first post.
|
sj
