OT: Traveler's flute causes airport evacuation

Bartleby · Post by **Bartleby** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 1:24 pm

Check out this article on CNN: http://www.cnn.com/2004/TRAVEL/01/14/ai ... index.html

Zubivka · Post by **Zubivka** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 1:33 pm

:roll:

If this is the reaction to a flute, just imagine what the same screener would make of... an Uillean pipe!

He'd probably ring the nuke alert

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 1:39 pm

I hope the gentleman got to keep his flute!

From the article, it sounds as though it may have been confiscated.

--James

antstastegood · Post by **antstastegood** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 1:45 pm

Guess I'll not try taking a whistle in a carryon bag.

How about this... Special permits for musicians to provide live entertainment on short commuter flights?

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 1:55 pm

Actually, I was under the impression that there is a specific law that requires that the airline allow you to bring your musical instrument onboard with you.

Can anyone confirm / deny / elaborate?

--James

JessieK · Post by **JessieK** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 2:02 pm

Ohmygod! That's terrible! Poor guy!!

chas · Post by **chas** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 2:04 pm

I don't sweat whistles, but the last few times I've brought a flute onto a plane, I have made sure that the flute's on top, and if they start looking in my bags, I tell them where and what it is, etc. A disassembled wooden flute probably looks an awful lot like three sticks of dynamite to a screener looking at the x-ray image. The only place they ever gave me a hard time about it was in Brussels, where, if you're en route to the US, the level of scrutiny is just incredible.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 2:14 pm

Bodhran players, on the other hand, are to be shot on sight!

I think this was one of the cases that people make out of large PVC tubes. They're cheap and very strong. Some Yahoo^H^H^H^H^H^Hpublic servant probably thought it was a pipe bomb. Another thing to remember not to carry when travelling, sigh.

This is wrong! This should be in the flute board.

lixnaw · Post by **lixnaw** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 2:14 pm

inside the u.s: you can use this. http://www.local1000.com/pdf/carryon.pdf

outsice the u.s: if you don't have a hardcase for your whistles,
you could notify the airport that you want to carry your whistles on board.

Pat Cannady · Post by **Pat Cannady** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 2:16 pm

Zubivka wrote::roll:

If this is the reaction to a flute, just imagine what the same screener would make of... an Uillean pipe!

He'd probably ring the nuke alert

I don't get hassled by airport screeners about my pipes. They usually ask "Is that a musical instrument?" and want to take a look, but that's about it.

csharpd · Post by **csharpd** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 2:16 pm

It turns out it wasn't a flute, it was an electronic bagpipe practice chanter. See http://www.pressherald.com/news/local/0 ... port.shtml for details and pictures.

--C#/D

bozemanhc · Post by **bozemanhc** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 2:16 pm

I heard a true story about a bluegrass band flying to a major festival. They had to buy a ticket for the base fiddle so it could ride in the passenger compartment. At first the base player didn't want to go because he didn't like to fly, but when he agreed at the last minute, a stand-by passenger had to be put off the plane to make room for the base.

glauber · Post by **glauber** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 2:17 pm

glauber wrote:I think this was one of the cases that people make out of large PVC tubes..

Like this: http://www.rickhellerflutes.com/20.html

Hmm, that electronic chanter looks a lot like a bomb anyway, wires, batteries, switches, etc.

peeplj · Post by **peeplj** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 2:24 pm

It looks like he got to keep his instrument, but elected not to take it on the flight with him. He left it in the trunk of his car.

I can see where an electronic practice chanter might look an awfully lot like a pipe bomb to a security inspector. (Wide part on each end, thin tube in the middle, and two wires.)

--James

fluter_d · Post by **fluter_d** » Wed Jan 14, 2004 3:47 pm

peeplj wrote:Actually, I was under the impression that there is a specific law that requires that the airline allow you to bring your musical instrument onboard with you.

Can anyone confirm / deny / elaborate?

--James

Have a look here:
http://www.folk.org/Advocacy/advocacy.htm

There's a printable document you can carry on, which is designed to explain to the security people what's allowed... :roll:

I've been flying a lot in the last 6 months, and I haven't had any real hassle. Sometimes the flute precipitates a search; sometimes I'm just picked at random

! I've been leaving my whistles in my checked luggage, though, because any metal tube-like things are almost guaranteed to cause a search, and I'm not a big fan of having someone go through all my belongings in public.
I'm glad I'm not the person who caused this article...
Deirdre

EDIT: Just tried the link from the Folk Alliance website to the printable letter, and it's not working. This appears to be the correct link:
http://www.local1000.com/pdf/carryon.pdf
D