For my sins, I'm travelling with Ryanair later this week.
Taking my good mandolin is out of the question as I've left it too late to get a "cheap seat" for it. It would also cost £80 to put it in the hold which I wouldn't fancy risking.
However, I thought I might take my old "cheapo" mandolin which I could hide inside my holdall and protect it with my clothing.
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Surely you can put anything you like in your luggage as long as it's not prohibited. But damage would be at your own risk? Wouldn't be smuggling unless you were filling the mandolin with little white packets etc.!!
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
John (and TWH), after your use of the S word here in connection with air travel I'm sorry to say that your name is now irretrievably entered on any number of security databases throughout the world
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
I remember travelling out by plane to the Alps and Pyrenees in the 80's and we used to put all the heavy climbing hardware including ice axes in your cabin baggage!! To save weight in the sacks. Not quite the done thing these days but surely a mandolin in your 'checked in' baggage would be fine?
Unless the country has gone completely mad which by all accounts it has today with the proposal to criminalise those driving home with half a pint of beer in them. But sín sceal eile, as they say.
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Driving home with half a pint of beer? Oo-err, the British magistrates, on their present form, will certainly refer that case to the Crown Court, and their judges, again on present form, seem to thinking in terms of a custodial sentence of at least 3 years (+ driving ban, + extended driving test, + you name it).
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
I take my mandolin on Ryanair as hand luggage in a gig bag, one of the excellent ones made by the sadly-defunct "Tribal Planet" .
I can more or less fit it in the frame thing diagonally with the end folded over above the headstock but I've only been asked once. You can stuff a few undies and socks in there too.
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
55 x40x20 ... I have those numbers engraved in my mind. For example My B chanter just fits if I take the cap off and put it at an angle., same with the low D. 3/4 size fiddle ok, but the bow has to be half size, not ideal! How long is the mandolin?!
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
The following may well only apply in the U.S., I suspect. But I was getting a fret job a few months back and the luthier showed me an interesting document from the TSA (runs the security at US aiports). The document dated either 2002 or 2003 specifically addressed musical instruments on airplanes and said that airlines were to place no size restriction on carry-on instruments (as long as they fit in the overhead bins, of course) AND, the musical instrument could be carried on in addition to your one piece of carry-on luggage that would be also stowed in the overhead (the stow-at-your-feet was in addition to this two items). Very interesting. I suspect not all US airlines abide by this.
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Travelled on ryanair to fleadh ceoil this weekend. Put fiddle inside checked in holdall no problem. Re previous post-airlines impose their own rules for cabin baggage, see previous discussions.
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Thanks for all that.
I had never thought about fitting it in "diagonally". Actually, I have a very thin soft case which would do if I took the old mandolin. I'll have a wee think about it.
While they might not bother, the length of the mandolin in a hard case certainly exceeds the 55cm max length.
I used to take it on no bother in the old days...
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Do we still climb, TSS? Not really, family committments and all that. Hill walk fairly regularly.
Is climbing one of the reasons you went to Scotland? Must have been a good winter seaon there.
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Last month I took my harmonicas to Spain and back on Ryanair flights. On the way home they searched my hand luggage and the harmonica discovered therein was not a problem. On the way home our cabin bags were checked for both size and weight. You are not allowed to take extra stuff with you into the cabin on Ryanair flights, not even a handbag or camera. They have to be stuffed in your cabin bag until you are on board. Get this wrong and you will have to pay an arm and a leg to put it in the hold, and you especially don't want that with your mando when you have not packed or wrapped it up with that in mind, let alone pay the bill. If I were you I'd wrap it in bubble wrap, stick it in your hold bag and take fewer pairs of underpants.
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Steeve has the right of it in my experience with Ryanair. Did they work out how to exclude instruments? I have done what piobagusfidil suggests and at different times taken my Martin Backpacker mando or my Goldtone mandolin banjo. I use a soft rucksack that is larger than the mando which Ifit in diagonally then do not fill the rest of the sack. It looks so obviously under maximum size that the 3-4 cm over in the instruments length is not noticeable. Ihave on the way home from Dublin however been asked to remove the banjo mandolin for inspection after the x-ray.
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Hussar, I started climbing after I moved here, which is one of the daftest thing ever (and a source of much slagging) as I'm from Colorado. I should be better than I am.
I prefer summer trad climbing to winter routes above Grade I, as freezing on belay ledges in a snowstorm is really unappealing. I like easy snow gullies or easy ridges with crampons and a walking ax.
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
I thought freezing on belay ledges interspersed with scaring the sh*t out of yourself was the appeal! Agree though, lot to be said for keeping moving. Was only in Scotland once or twice during summer months and still itch a bit at the memory of all those midges - only the females bite, or so I'm told!
Donegal wouldn't be far off the same sort of terrain, they have a popular climbfest each summer and I think there still is a good few people who climb and are into a bit of trad music as well as trad climbing.
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Except the cargo hold isn't unpressurised.
The outside skin holds the pressure in, and it would dangerous and costly (in both ££ and weight) to have internal compartments of widely differing pressures. Not to mention rather nasty for pets. They usually have a heated area in the hold, the rest can get to -50C. That might be more of a worry, but then again, it's not as if nobody has ever carried instruments outside in Arctic conditions..
Either way, slackening the strings won't make a great deal of difference.
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Simple solution, mandolin in the hard case inside a suit case (fit quite well in mine). Ryanair staff hover like vultures to squeeze every penny from the unsuspecting passengers, so I'd bite the bullet and check in a sturdy suit case for the €20, with the mandolin safely tucked inside it's hard case within.
Came back from Lithuania yesterday with Ryanair and was reminded of how much of a scramble and scrummage free for all hand luggage stowage is on these flights, a mandolin in a soft case on such a flight would be extremely vulnerable to damage. Total lack of supervision by the flight staff and a totally dim witted selfish attitude on the part of most of the folks traveling. I actually had to stop a bloke removing my wee travel bag to fit his own. Unbelievable :~)
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
People are getting extremely selfish on aircraft, and generally too.
But as to smuggling instruments - why ?
Are they contraband ?
Except there's this item over on the CBOM ( Citterns, Bouzoukis, and Octave Mandolins ) Forum about US Customs and Federal officers being nasty about components in instruments made with illegal or endangered materials, ie rare woods, ivory, etc.
It's a bit worrying,but the reasonable response is not to carry instruments on planes anyway. Not that I've done anything logical like buy an instrument and leave it with the out-laws in NY.
Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
For my sins, I'm travelling with Ryanair later this week.
Taking my good mandolin is out of the question as I've left it too late to get a "cheap seat" for it. It would also cost £80 to put it in the hold which I wouldn't fancy risking.
However, I thought I might take my old "cheapo" mandolin which I could hide inside my holdall and protect it with my clothing.
Would they object to this, I wonder?
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by Johnny Jay
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Do you mean taking the holdall on as hand luggage?
If so I can't see any problem.
Do Ryanair have hand luggage?!
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by yhaalhouse
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
No, it's not possible to take it on as hand luggage as it would be too big.
I was going to put it in the hold but inside a large enough holdall.
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by Johnny Jay
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Surely you can put anything you like in your luggage as long as it's not prohibited. But damage would be at your own risk? Wouldn't be smuggling unless you were filling the mandolin with little white packets etc.!!
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by the wounded hussar
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Your mandolin would be too big for hand luggage?? Ryanair aren't that restrictive.
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by No Cause For Alarm
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
John (and TWH), after your use of the S word here in connection with air travel I'm sorry to say that your name is now irretrievably entered on any number of security databases throughout the world
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
I remember travelling out by plane to the Alps and Pyrenees in the 80's and we used to put all the heavy climbing hardware including ice axes in your cabin baggage!! To save weight in the sacks. Not quite the done thing these days but surely a mandolin in your 'checked in' baggage would be fine?
Unless the country has gone completely mad which by all accounts it has today with the proposal to criminalise those driving home with half a pint of beer in them. But sín sceal eile, as they say.
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by the wounded hussar
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
That's fine by me, Trevor. Keeps someone in a job
Keeping an eye on all us subversive, terrorist musicians. Any more key words, you might suggest?
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by the wounded hussar
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
I meant "irrevocably", not "irretrievably"
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Driving home with half a pint of beer? Oo-err, the British magistrates, on their present form, will certainly refer that case to the Crown Court, and their judges, again on present form, seem to thinking in terms of a custodial sentence of at least 3 years (+ driving ban, + extended driving test, + you name it).
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
I do Ryan air all the time, dont show them. your mandolin might fit in the 55cm at an angle anyhow.
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by piobagusfidil
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
TWH, I'm not going to suggest any more key words, seeing that they are on a Restricted (at least) List.
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by Trevor Jennings
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
What about the machine heads, tailpece, strings etc.,
Would not these be picked up by the metal detectors?
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by Mix O'Lydian
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
I take my mandolin on Ryanair as hand luggage in a gig bag, one of the excellent ones made by the sadly-defunct "Tribal Planet" .
I can more or less fit it in the frame thing diagonally with the end folded over above the headstock but I've only been asked once. You can stuff a few undies and socks in there too.
You might still find some around:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Shipping-TRIBAL-PLANET-MANDOLIN-UKULELE/dp/B000K24NNS but the owner passed away in 2009 leaving the rights to his daughter ... I don't know if she's taken it up
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by Bren
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
How in earth is a mandolin too big for hand luggage?
I think it's really fantastic that there was a time when you could take ice axes as hand luggage. Do you still climb now, TWH?
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by DrSilverSpear
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
55 x40x20 ... I have those numbers engraved in my mind. For example My B chanter just fits if I take the cap off and put it at an angle., same with the low D. 3/4 size fiddle ok, but the bow has to be half size, not ideal! How long is the mandolin?!
# Posted on August 23rd 2011 by piobagusfidil
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
The following may well only apply in the U.S., I suspect. But I was getting a fret job a few months back and the luthier showed me an interesting document from the TSA (runs the security at US aiports). The document dated either 2002 or 2003 specifically addressed musical instruments on airplanes and said that airlines were to place no size restriction on carry-on instruments (as long as they fit in the overhead bins, of course) AND, the musical instrument could be carried on in addition to your one piece of carry-on luggage that would be also stowed in the overhead (the stow-at-your-feet was in addition to this two items). Very interesting. I suspect not all US airlines abide by this.
# Posted on August 24th 2011 by ayedbl
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
I had no trouble in the USA in 2009 and 2010 with a fiddle plus
hand luggage plus small backpack -- on United Airlines.
# Posted on August 24th 2011 by Hup
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Travelled on ryanair to fleadh ceoil this weekend. Put fiddle inside checked in holdall no problem. Re previous post-airlines impose their own rules for cabin baggage, see previous discussions.
# Posted on August 24th 2011 by stoneboy2
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Thanks for all that.
I had never thought about fitting it in "diagonally". Actually, I have a very thin soft case which would do if I took the old mandolin. I'll have a wee think about it.
While they might not bother, the length of the mandolin in a hard case certainly exceeds the 55cm max length.
I used to take it on no bother in the old days...
# Posted on August 24th 2011 by Johnny Jay
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Do we still climb, TSS? Not really, family committments and all that. Hill walk fairly regularly.
Is climbing one of the reasons you went to Scotland? Must have been a good winter seaon there.
# Posted on August 24th 2011 by the wounded hussar
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Last month I took my harmonicas to Spain and back on Ryanair flights. On the way home they searched my hand luggage and the harmonica discovered therein was not a problem. On the way home our cabin bags were checked for both size and weight. You are not allowed to take extra stuff with you into the cabin on Ryanair flights, not even a handbag or camera. They have to be stuffed in your cabin bag until you are on board. Get this wrong and you will have to pay an arm and a leg to put it in the hold, and you especially don't want that with your mando when you have not packed or wrapped it up with that in mind, let alone pay the bill. If I were you I'd wrap it in bubble wrap, stick it in your hold bag and take fewer pairs of underpants.
# Posted on August 24th 2011 by Steve Shaw
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Steeve has the right of it in my experience with Ryanair. Did they work out how to exclude instruments? I have done what piobagusfidil suggests and at different times taken my Martin Backpacker mando or my Goldtone mandolin banjo. I use a soft rucksack that is larger than the mando which Ifit in diagonally then do not fill the rest of the sack. It looks so obviously under maximum size that the 3-4 cm over in the instruments length is not noticeable. Ihave on the way home from Dublin however been asked to remove the banjo mandolin for inspection after the x-ray.
# Posted on August 24th 2011 by wodeninjun
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Hussar, I started climbing after I moved here, which is one of the daftest thing ever (and a source of much slagging) as I'm from Colorado. I should be better than I am.
I prefer summer trad climbing to winter routes above Grade I, as freezing on belay ledges in a snowstorm is really unappealing. I like easy snow gullies or easy ridges with crampons and a walking ax.
# Posted on August 24th 2011 by DrSilverSpear
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
I thought freezing on belay ledges interspersed with scaring the sh*t out of yourself was the appeal! Agree though, lot to be said for keeping moving. Was only in Scotland once or twice during summer months and still itch a bit at the memory of all those midges - only the females bite, or so I'm told!
Donegal wouldn't be far off the same sort of terrain, they have a popular climbfest each summer and I think there still is a good few people who climb and are into a bit of trad music as well as trad climbing.
# Posted on August 24th 2011 by the wounded hussar
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Remember the most important thing when placing a stringed instrument into the unpressurized cargo hold: Slacken the strings!
# Posted on August 28th 2011 by michaelr
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Except the cargo hold isn't unpressurised.
The outside skin holds the pressure in, and it would dangerous and costly (in both ££ and weight) to have internal compartments of widely differing pressures. Not to mention rather nasty for pets. They usually have a heated area in the hold, the rest can get to -50C. That might be more of a worry, but then again, it's not as if nobody has ever carried instruments outside in Arctic conditions..
Either way, slackening the strings won't make a great deal of difference.
# Posted on August 29th 2011 by Bren
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
Simple solution, mandolin in the hard case inside a suit case (fit quite well in mine). Ryanair staff hover like vultures to squeeze every penny from the unsuspecting passengers, so I'd bite the bullet and check in a sturdy suit case for the €20, with the mandolin safely tucked inside it's hard case within.
Came back from Lithuania yesterday with Ryanair and was reminded of how much of a scramble and scrummage free for all hand luggage stowage is on these flights, a mandolin in a soft case on such a flight would be extremely vulnerable to damage. Total lack of supervision by the flight staff and a totally dim witted selfish attitude on the part of most of the folks traveling. I actually had to stop a bloke removing my wee travel bag to fit his own. Unbelievable :~)
# Posted on August 29th 2011 by Solidmahog
Re: Smuggling a musical instrument..is this possible?
People are getting extremely selfish on aircraft, and generally too.
But as to smuggling instruments - why ?
Are they contraband ?
Except there's this item over on the CBOM ( Citterns, Bouzoukis, and Octave Mandolins ) Forum about US Customs and Federal officers being nasty about components in instruments made with illegal or endangered materials, ie rare woods, ivory, etc.
It's a bit worrying,but the reasonable response is not to carry instruments on planes anyway. Not that I've done anything logical like buy an instrument and leave it with the out-laws in NY.
# Posted on September 1st 2011 by Guernsey Pete