[Harp-L] Travel restrictions...long post.



The A.F. of M. did work out a 'travel carry on' waiver for musicians immediately following
the attacks of 9-11-01. There used to be a pdf of a letter from both the Union and Homeland Security
that could be dl'd from one of their sites. You might also consider contacting the AFofM Local 1000,
a nation-wide local that serves traveling musicians throughout the U.S. and Canada.


Immediate current events would clearly set aside past agreements, but my guess is that when
the situation ramps down a bit that we'll see a more clearly defined list of can and can't.
To ease matters, 'declutter' your carry on. Make it simple for you and the security staff to
quickly separate and identify 'questionable' items.


4 years ago, they confiscated a small, wallet-sized ball point pen because it 'looked menacing'.
3 years ago, they were still taking people's tweezers and nail clippers.
2 years ago, they were only taking people's cigarette lighters.
Now, it appears, we will shipped naked, twitchy from lack of medication, and dehydrated.


The screening situation is often very random. I've been singled out for 'further, specific search'
routines both at the primary security entrance and at the flight boarding gate...and it wasn't
because of the 'menacing' x-ray appearance of my harps, pedals, mics, and iPod.
It was because, in each instance, I'd specifically requested or 'changed' my seat location to an aisle seat.
The first time I did this was on a one-way flight.....big, big, red flag with that one.


If you think your harps and gear will NOT arrive safely (or too late or not at all) in checked baggage
(which is a very, very, distinct possibility in my experience), then consider calling the hotel
at your destination and ask their help (the concierge staff does this all of the time with biz folk)
in sending yourself an overnight FedEx box that will be there waiting for you when you arrive.
If FedEx loses your shit, they will do a lot more and do it a lot more quickly than any airline
I've ever flown.


If you are flying through a hub (O'Hare, Atlanta, etc) and using regional carriers affiliated with
the majors, then be prepared to a) miss your connection, b) get bumped and put on stand-by,
c) have your checked bags arrive before you do. American Airlines has been very notorious
for this lately. They have stranded me overnight in ORD twice in the last 8 weeks.
They were pulling booked passengers off planes, who had been boarded, due to 'weight restrictions'.
50 seat planes were then flying with 12 seats empty. People flying to Albany, NY were told
on a Sunday night they could fly Monday afternoon to Rochester, NY and find their own way home,
or pay their own expenses to stay in Chicago for the next open flight the following Wednesday....


I mention these things because the latest round of security concerns means longer lines,
more delays, more missed connections, and the greater likelihood of lost luggage. If the extreme
nature of carry on clamp down continues, then it will be 3-6 months before this gets sorted
and more clearly defined.


One last tip. If you fly on one carrier more often than others (American, say), and must connect in
places like Chicago, then look into 'joining' their VIP status group. If you're stranded in O'Hare,
airlines will do very, very little for you (no rooms, no food vouchers, etc.). The 'Admiralty Club Lounge'
at O'Hare is profoundly more comfortable than 'central booking'...you can even fall asleep there.


-Will J





This archive was generated by a fusion of Pipermail 0.09 (Mailman edition) and MHonArc 2.6.8.