In a message dated 5/27/04 10:37:50 AM Eastern Daylight Time, [EMAIL PROTECTED] writes:
> With the imminent convergence of lutes on Cleveland, I was wondering > what the current practices were for flying with lutes--especially if > anyone has been on Continental Airlines. With Cleveland being one of Continental's hub airports, I tend to fly Continental more than any other airline, plus I ALWAYS travel with a lute, even when traveling for work. I have never had trouble convincing airline officials to let me carry my six course lute with me on board (Kingham case with a soft cover). Usually they know that a musical instrument is a special case, even if it doesn't fit the maximum carry-on measurements restriction. It is extremely helpful to be upfront and to courteous at the ticket counter to ask for your lute to travel on board. Open up the case and show the lute to them if necessary. The same goes for when you are on board and trying to stow it. Flight attendants have been helpful and also very curious about the lute when I've flown! I have never even tried to take two lutes as carry-on luggage. Instead, I put my efforts in doing a careful packing job for the second, larger lute (see below). For those on this list, this is an excerpt of some practical information I have sent to the registered attendees of the Lute Festival: TIPS FOR FLYING WITH YOUR LUTE(s): Carry on baggage is limited to one smaller lute that fits in the overhead and a laptop or very small handbag. Otherwise, you can check two items in. If the flight is crowded, I recommend reserving a seat towards the rear so you can board earlier and get a better chance of finding overhead compartment space before it gets filled up. If you must check your lute, remove any contents from the case that might arouse security suspicion, then pack it very snugly within the case so there is no movement of the lute when jolted. Especially pack the body tightly in the case and be sure that the pegs and pegbox cannot bang against the inside of the case. Then add some foam rubber blocks 2 inches in thickness as bumpers to the most vulnerable outside surfaces of the case: the bottom side and the front especially. Wrap the case with heavy plastic and tape it up firmly, leaving the lute's handle exposed for the baggage tag (cut out the plastic to expose the handle). This more or less assures that the lute will be in one orientation through most of it's transit. The bumpers help reduce shock if or when the lutecase is knocked about, Mars Rover style! You may wish to print up your own FRAGILE signs to tape to the plastic. BE SURE to arrive early enough so you can have the lute clear security (talk to an airline official if necessary) on the departure concourse level BEFORE it descends to the behind the scenes security. This more or less guarantees that the case and wrapping do not get reopened by airport security once the lute is pre-cleared. Note: all airlines except Southwest Airlines restrict you to two checked items. Southwest allows you to exceed that number. For those connecting to or taking commuter/small planes: this is GOOD. You can carry your lute to the gate and give it to the baggage handlers who stow it onboard. Just after you exit the plane upon arrival, your lute is handed back to you before you enter the arrivals terminal! Note: I usually leave my lutes at normal string tension during flights, but it isn't a bad idea to slacken the strings either. Kenneth Be Cleveland, Ohio --
