I'll be visiting Ireland (from the US) for the first time in a few weeks, and I'm planning on attending sessions as often as I can while I'm there. I'm under the impression that in the recent past, there's been a trend for sessions to be in Eb rather than D. Is that still the case? To get more to the point, should I try to bring an Eb flute as well as my D? I'm trying to pack minimally, and my only Eb flute is carbon-fibre, with an odd color and profile...I fear it may get more attention from airport security than I'd like. We're going to be visiting Dublin, Cork, Dingle, Galway, and Westport, if geography is relevant to the question.
Don't worry about airport security and your flutes. I travel with several flutes a few times a year. Airport people might want you to open the cases but that's harmless. I seldom play in an Eb session, though I live in rural Co Clare. You'll be in more urban settings but even there I think Eb would be a pretty rare session key. You'll be fine with only the D flute.
Great, thanks for the feedback. I've got a whistle set that can do C and Eb (one interchangeable head)...I can fit it in my flute case, so I'll probably bring it along.
Just wrap 'em in your underpants in your checked baggage and stop worrying. My harmonica case X-rays like an al Qaeda ammo pack but all I ever get, if anything, is a good laugh at security.
At an airport a few years ago, a young TSA man called his supervisor over with a worried expression on his face. The supervisor looked at the xray image, smiled at me and said "Hohner?" I nodded, he smiled, and I went on about my business...
Last time I flew anywhere security weren't phased by the pipes but they were very suspicious of the weensie pliers I keep in the case with them. Had to have a discussion amongst themselves over whether the weensie pliers were allowed on the plane.
One of my friends, whose dad is a 747 pilot, has some mad stories about post 9/11 airport security measures. One time they tried to take his name badge because it has a pin on it, but this was a problem as he's not allowed to fly the plane without his ID. He was like, "I'm the pilot. I'm flying the plane!"
I meant mostly along with the music... I have fun every time I go out to play, there are so many young ones here now that could play you into the ground, and you would think a smile was a mortal sin. They just sit there with at least eleven finger's and a Stone Face. It should be ....
Good friends, Good music, Good Craic... And in that order.
Somewhat off topic but going with the flow none the less...
I bought a set of 'Cajun Spoons' in the Land of the Free. They are two desert spoon sized spoon things resin-ed into a wooden hand block- saves you having to do all that manual gymnastics you do when bothering cutlery in the traditional London/ European way. Anyway the bloke at the security check when coming back to civilization said that I couldn't have cutlery in my hand luggage. I said that it wasn't cutlery, it is a musical instrument (pushing it a bit I know calling a spoonish percussion object 'musical'). But he wouldn't let me take them. And since I only had hand luggage I had to bung 'em in the drummer's checked in stuff.
I travel with loads of instrument gear normally. The Sabian high hats caused confusion, maybe they thought they were ninja Frisbees...
I regularly have several sets of pipes and whistles. I always wonder about my low D, its a serious chunk of Aluminium and could well qualify as a dangerous weapon, but along with all the other whistles pipes , banjos mandolins etc i get away with it! but dont bring your nail clippers, or a childs spoon and fork!! FFS you what? the baby bottle? It might contain explosives?!? I mean get real, if I wanted to smuggle high explosives disguised as baby milk Id bring 2 bottles less than 100ml rather than 1 bottle of 200ml... duh doesnt take too much to figure that one out.
And look at all he police guys with submachine guns! I mean if they start shooting terrorist in a feckin airport how many bystanders are going to catch one ?!
Its all pointless theatrics designed for what? does it make anyone safer? do they have xrays in every substation and bus....Its all for show and creates a climate of fear, why? perhaps its so they can make new laws? hmmm lots of them about these days, jeez you never know whats going to be Illegal next........
I have to go to Germany next week,, Last time I took fiddle in case as hand luggage.. They took all my strings off me, thought maybe I'd garrotte the pilot of something.. Hope they did'nt think I was going to fly the Bl***y thing - lol.
But this time I think I'll just put it through with my other luggage Bag, and hope they wont break it..
I was flying Seattle-Salt Lake once, on a climbing trip, and had with me my mando and a carry-on pack with variosu climbing and camping gear in it. I was asked to play my mandolin at customs. The X-ray guy said "nice, always wanted an F-style."
They x-rayed my carry-on pack, and, once I got on the plane, I realised that I had a 10" cooking knife, a Swiss Army knife, and a super-light micro-knife all in my pack. Guess the mando distracted the x-ray guy.
Who are you flying with Jim, I dont,think its a good idea at all. It might not get smashed, if its in a hard case but the soundpost might get dislodged,
if your with ryan air and the flights are dirt cheap buy a 'comfort' seat, same price as your seat. and they dont weigh it at all. Handy if you carry lots of gear, I have a cello case , its amazing what you can fit in one of those
Also you can pay extra for an instrument but it still goes in the hold , you carry to gate and out by handler. ......
I think putting a fiddle on a 'plane by checking it in is very, very dangerous. Do it as hand luggage at any cost. The wonkers at heathrow managed to damage a nice old solid Vox bass. And that was a substantial lump of wood in a solid wooden case (though not a flight-case per se).
similar to Al Bowns story, I was flying out of Seattle one year after the annual over the water hurdy gurdy festival and the x-ray guy took a look and said, "cool, 3rd hurdy gurdy today...."
Another time was on my way to the North Hero Pipers Gathering and again the X-ray guys commented that there must be a pipe thing happening as that was the third box full of pipes he had seen in the last hour.
I have found the security guys are usually more curious than anything.
I got held up for nearly long enough to miss a connection at Schiphol by some idiot who wasn't willing to understand what my Deger electronic pipe chanter was. Though the most thorough check I ever got with it (including a request to play it) was actually... going in to a folk concert. It was in Istanbul, and the venue (the swish Cemal Resit Rey concert hall) was hosting a concert of Alevi bardic music. They were nervous enough about bombers that they had an airport-style X-ray machine at the entrance. They were good-humoured about it, though (unlike sh*thole).
One a trip back from Bosnia I was asked to play the Mathieu metal ocarina in my pocket by the security at Trieste airport (well, it is rather bullet-shaped). By the time I got to Gatwick, I'd rearranged things and had two 20mm machine gun shells in the same pocket (converted into ballpoint pens by the Sarajevo coppersmiths). The x-ray operator there didn't notice them.
trouble is, if your flying ruinair, its over size so if they see it, its an extra 30 at last count.. noticed how the credit card charge has leapt from 5, to 10 to 25! now!!
What ,y friends and I do is be very circumspect, if the chck in girl is on the left side , carry it on your right shoulder, sling a jacketr over it. Also with the 1 item rule it means you can ONLY take the fiddle. Tricky ... a rucksac with the case in t, over one shoulder sloped down, so it doesnt stand out.. but if your paying 30 40 for the ticket its well worth the peace o mind and extra luggage space to get another seat. AirLingus are much better in regarding fiddles..
Ive travelled a lot and I carried a guitar for many years , well over size, only one time did I get hassle, I just said yes Maam when she told me to carry it to the gate and pass it over... but I 'forgot' and carried it on! Whatever you do dont get visibly annoyed.
you see with ruinair the surcharges are where they make their money.
Look at the name change and how strict they are... Frank had trouble getting on cos it said francis on his passport! At least you CAN change the name if you made a mistake.. 100e+25 card fee.
offtopic maybe but when I was taking my uilleann pipes to Japan I had them in a very nice expensive aluminum gun case (exactly the right size for the pipes).
The latches worked in an odd way: you had to rotate them first, then pull them open.
So I'm going through security at LAX and the guy gruffy says "hand it over!"
I give him the case and say "it's not locked but those latches are tricky. Do you want me to open it for you?"
He gave me a dirty look and said "Stay right there and don't move!"
He took the case off to a side room.
When he brought it back the latches were broken. The idiot didn't know how to open them so he just smashed them open.
A nice fate for a brand new $150 case.
But in many years of travelling with instruments that's the only thing like that that's ever happened to me. Scottish pipes rarely get any comment, nor do whistles.
I was reading an artile the other day about how the Israelis do airport security and check in etc. If I remember correctly they focus on multiple layers of security i.e. you have to pass at least four or five pairs of eyes who have to be satisfied in their minds that you pose no threat. This apparently cuts down on time spent in ques and subsequent delays which the average travelling Israeli won't tolerate.
Quite how they treat musicians and their instruments I don't know but I'd be interested to find out.
Having heard so many tales of instrument destruction without recourse I don't take the fiddle by air anymore. One aquaintance of mine had his PA in a flight case and having boarded the plane could only watch in horror as the case was thrown on to the plane. Note I say thrown not lifted or passed by hand. Thrown. 'Course it was busted and cost a small fortune to repair. Compensation? Well, what do you think? ha ha.
Oh, BTW, last time I wanted to take the fiddle on Mickey Mouth Airways I enquired about a seat for the instrument - 80 pounds sterling! Me? I only cost about 30....so I borrowed a fiddle when I got to my destination.
Session key in Ireland
Session key in Ireland
I'll be visiting Ireland (from the US) for the first time in a few weeks, and I'm planning on attending sessions as often as I can while I'm there. I'm under the impression that in the recent past, there's been a trend for sessions to be in Eb rather than D. Is that still the case? To get more to the point, should I try to bring an Eb flute as well as my D? I'm trying to pack minimally, and my only Eb flute is carbon-fibre, with an odd color and profile...I fear it may get more attention from airport security than I'd like. We're going to be visiting Dublin, Cork, Dingle, Galway, and Westport, if geography is relevant to the question.
# Posted on May 26th 2011 by dereksmootz
Re: Session key in Ireland
Don't worry about airport security and your flutes. I travel with several flutes a few times a year. Airport people might want you to open the cases but that's harmless. I seldom play in an Eb session, though I live in rural Co Clare. You'll be in more urban settings but even there I think Eb would be a pretty rare session key. You'll be fine with only the D flute.
# Posted on May 26th 2011 by David Levine
Re: Session key in Ireland
D flute, and a few whistles for luck? Eb sessions are very rare, as are C sessions 1% at most id say
# Posted on May 26th 2011 by piobagusfidil
Re: Session key in Ireland
Great, thanks for the feedback. I've got a whistle set that can do C and Eb (one interchangeable head)...I can fit it in my flute case, so I'll probably bring it along.
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by dereksmootz
Re: Session key in Ireland
Just wrap 'em in your underpants in your checked baggage and stop worrying. My harmonica case X-rays like an al Qaeda ammo pack but all I ever get, if anything, is a good laugh at security.
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by Steve Shaw
Re: Session key in Ireland
Steve ,, lol.
dsmootz ,,
Best of Luck on your trip... Very Important , ' HAVE FUN '
jim,,,
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by FIDDLE4
Re: Session key in Ireland
DON'T have fun in Ireland. If you have fun it won't seem like Ireland.
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by David Levine
Re: Session key in Ireland
Like
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by Dragut Reis
Re: Session key in Ireland
At an airport a few years ago, a young TSA man called his supervisor over with a worried expression on his face. The supervisor looked at the xray image, smiled at me and said "Hohner?" I nodded, he smiled, and I went on about my business...
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by AlBrown
Re: Session key in Ireland
Last time I flew anywhere security weren't phased by the pipes but they were very suspicious of the weensie pliers I keep in the case with them. Had to have a discussion amongst themselves over whether the weensie pliers were allowed on the plane.
One of my friends, whose dad is a 747 pilot, has some mad stories about post 9/11 airport security measures. One time they tried to take his name badge because it has a pin on it, but this was a problem as he's not allowed to fly the plane without his ID. He was like, "I'm the pilot. I'm flying the plane!"
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by DrSilverSpear
Re: Session key in Ireland
David Levine -
I meant mostly along with the music... I have fun every time I go out to play, there are so many young ones here now that could play you into the ground, and you would think a smile was a mortal sin. They just sit there with at least eleven finger's and a Stone Face. It should be ....
Good friends, Good music, Good Craic... And in that order.
jim,,,
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by FIDDLE4
Somewhat off topic but going with the flow none the less...
I bought a set of 'Cajun Spoons' in the Land of the Free. They are two desert spoon sized spoon things resin-ed into a wooden hand block- saves you having to do all that manual gymnastics you do when bothering cutlery in the traditional London/ European way. Anyway the bloke at the security check when coming back to civilization said that I couldn't have cutlery in my hand luggage. I said that it wasn't cutlery, it is a musical instrument (pushing it a bit I know calling a spoonish percussion object 'musical'). But he wouldn't let me take them. And since I only had hand luggage I had to bung 'em in the drummer's checked in stuff.
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by yhaalhouse
Re: Session key in Ireland
I travel with loads of instrument gear normally. The Sabian high hats caused confusion, maybe they thought they were ninja Frisbees...
I regularly have several sets of pipes and whistles. I always wonder about my low D, its a serious chunk of Aluminium and could well qualify as a dangerous weapon, but along with all the other whistles pipes , banjos mandolins etc i get away with it! but dont bring your nail clippers, or a childs spoon and fork!! FFS you what? the baby bottle? It might contain explosives?!? I mean get real, if I wanted to smuggle high explosives disguised as baby milk Id bring 2 bottles less than 100ml rather than 1 bottle of 200ml... duh doesnt take too much to figure that one out.
And look at all he police guys with submachine guns! I mean if they start shooting terrorist in a feckin airport how many bystanders are going to catch one ?!
Its all pointless theatrics designed for what? does it make anyone safer? do they have xrays in every substation and bus....Its all for show and creates a climate of fear, why? perhaps its so they can make new laws? hmmm lots of them about these days, jeez you never know whats going to be Illegal next........
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by piobagusfidil
Re: Session key in Ireland
I have to go to Germany next week,, Last time I took fiddle in case as hand luggage.. They took all my strings off me, thought maybe I'd garrotte the pilot of something.. Hope they did'nt think I was going to fly the Bl***y thing - lol.
But this time I think I'll just put it through with my other luggage Bag, and hope they wont break it..
Do you think this a wise idea ???
jim,,,
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by FIDDLE4
Re: Session key in Ireland
I was flying Seattle-Salt Lake once, on a climbing trip, and had with me my mando and a carry-on pack with variosu climbing and camping gear in it. I was asked to play my mandolin at customs. The X-ray guy said "nice, always wanted an F-style."
They x-rayed my carry-on pack, and, once I got on the plane, I realised that I had a 10" cooking knife, a Swiss Army knife, and a super-light micro-knife all in my pack. Guess the mando distracted the x-ray guy.
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by chris stolz
Re: Session key in Ireland
Who are you flying with Jim, I dont,think its a good idea at all. It might not get smashed, if its in a hard case but the soundpost might get dislodged,
if your with ryan air and the flights are dirt cheap buy a 'comfort' seat, same price as your seat. and they dont weigh it at all. Handy if you carry lots of gear, I have a cello case , its amazing what you can fit in one of those
Also you can pay extra for an instrument but it still goes in the hold , you carry to gate and out by handler. ......
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by piobagusfidil
Re: Session key in Ireland
I think putting a fiddle on a 'plane by checking it in is very, very dangerous. Do it as hand luggage at any cost. The wonkers at heathrow managed to damage a nice old solid Vox bass. And that was a substantial lump of wood in a solid wooden case (though not a flight-case per se).
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by yhaalhouse
Re: Session key in Ireland
Friends of mine:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5YGc4zOqozo
This will give you some insight. Dont do it man!
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by celticturntable
Re: Session key in Ireland
similar to Al Bowns story, I was flying out of Seattle one year after the annual over the water hurdy gurdy festival and the x-ray guy took a look and said, "cool, 3rd hurdy gurdy today...."
Another time was on my way to the North Hero Pipers Gathering and again the X-ray guys commented that there must be a pipe thing happening as that was the third box full of pipes he had seen in the last hour.
I have found the security guys are usually more curious than anything.
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by thorsdog
Re: Session key in Ireland
I got held up for nearly long enough to miss a connection at Schiphol by some idiot who wasn't willing to understand what my Deger electronic pipe chanter was. Though the most thorough check I ever got with it (including a request to play it) was actually... going in to a folk concert. It was in Istanbul, and the venue (the swish Cemal Resit Rey concert hall) was hosting a concert of Alevi bardic music. They were nervous enough about bombers that they had an airport-style X-ray machine at the entrance. They were good-humoured about it, though (unlike sh*thole).
One a trip back from Bosnia I was asked to play the Mathieu metal ocarina in my pocket by the security at Trieste airport (well, it is rather bullet-shaped). By the time I got to Gatwick, I'd rearranged things and had two 20mm machine gun shells in the same pocket (converted into ballpoint pens by the Sarajevo coppersmiths). The x-ray operator there didn't notice them.
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by Jack Campin
Re: Session key in Ireland
Thank's Folk's
You have made me realise, Fiddle as hand luggage.
Would maybe be the Better idea.
jim,,,
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by FIDDLE4
Re: Session key in Ireland
trouble is, if your flying ruinair, its over size so if they see it, its an extra 30 at last count.. noticed how the credit card charge has leapt from 5, to 10 to 25! now!!
What ,y friends and I do is be very circumspect, if the chck in girl is on the left side , carry it on your right shoulder, sling a jacketr over it. Also with the 1 item rule it means you can ONLY take the fiddle. Tricky ... a rucksac with the case in t, over one shoulder sloped down, so it doesnt stand out.. but if your paying 30 40 for the ticket its well worth the peace o mind and extra luggage space to get another seat. AirLingus are much better in regarding fiddles..
Ive travelled a lot and I carried a guitar for many years , well over size, only one time did I get hassle, I just said yes Maam when she told me to carry it to the gate and pass it over... but I 'forgot' and carried it on! Whatever you do dont get visibly annoyed.
you see with ruinair the surcharges are where they make their money.
Look at the name change and how strict they are... Frank had trouble getting on cos it said francis on his passport! At least you CAN change the name if you made a mistake.. 100e+25 card fee.
# Posted on May 27th 2011 by piobagusfidil
Re: Session key in Ireland
offtopic maybe but when I was taking my uilleann pipes to Japan I had them in a very nice expensive aluminum gun case (exactly the right size for the pipes).
The latches worked in an odd way: you had to rotate them first, then pull them open.
So I'm going through security at LAX and the guy gruffy says "hand it over!"
I give him the case and say "it's not locked but those latches are tricky. Do you want me to open it for you?"
He gave me a dirty look and said "Stay right there and don't move!"
He took the case off to a side room.
When he brought it back the latches were broken. The idiot didn't know how to open them so he just smashed them open.
A nice fate for a brand new $150 case.
But in many years of travelling with instruments that's the only thing like that that's ever happened to me. Scottish pipes rarely get any comment, nor do whistles.
# Posted on May 28th 2011 by Richard D Cook
Re: Session key in Ireland
I was reading an artile the other day about how the Israelis do airport security and check in etc. If I remember correctly they focus on multiple layers of security i.e. you have to pass at least four or five pairs of eyes who have to be satisfied in their minds that you pose no threat. This apparently cuts down on time spent in ques and subsequent delays which the average travelling Israeli won't tolerate.
Quite how they treat musicians and their instruments I don't know but I'd be interested to find out.
Having heard so many tales of instrument destruction without recourse I don't take the fiddle by air anymore. One aquaintance of mine had his PA in a flight case and having boarded the plane could only watch in horror as the case was thrown on to the plane. Note I say thrown not lifted or passed by hand. Thrown. 'Course it was busted and cost a small fortune to repair. Compensation? Well, what do you think? ha ha.
# Posted on May 28th 2011 by john knoss
Re: Session key in Ireland
Oh, BTW, last time I wanted to take the fiddle on Mickey Mouth Airways I enquired about a seat for the instrument - 80 pounds sterling! Me? I only cost about 30....so I borrowed a fiddle when I got to my destination.
# Posted on May 28th 2011 by john knoss
Re: Session key in Ireland
I took a concertina through Liverpool airport and got the 'educated' response "It's another of those squeezy things".
# Posted on May 31st 2011 by geoffwright