Re: [Harp-L] This ever happen to travelling harp players?

[Garry <harp@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Rob Paparozzi wrote (slightly rearranged):

> UNITED AIRLINES doesn't get it and O'HARE in Chicago in general 
employs help
> with MAJOR attitudes!...

the timing of this video was interesting, as i just returned from 
springfield, IL,
traveling through o'hare.  my daughter wanted to bring her guitar for 
the week,
but i was afraid it wouldn't survive the trip.  so we just called a 
local music store
when we arrived, and arranged to rent one for the week.  it cost about 
what i would
have paid to check it one way.  so she got a guitar to play, i saved 
some money, and
the music store made a few bucks renting a guitar that would've just sat 
on the shelf.
win/win/win.

> Harp Players may get hassled alot at Aiport Security but at least we 
can take
> our instruments ON the plane with us without TONS of hassles about 
placing
> it in the overhead etc!

my practice hars were in my checked luggage this time, but i had my 
pocket harp,
as always.  i make it a point to place it on the conveyor with its case 
open, so everyone
can see what it is.  this time, as it passed through the scanner, the 
operator started
laughing.  he called over the other security folks and said "if you 
didn't know what that
was, what would it look like?"  they all started laughing. 

i asked, "the harmonica, right?"

and he said, "yes, it looks exactly like a 9mm clip".

this was just what i had thought, and why i do it that way.  but it was 
interesting
to have that confirmed.