Chicago!

[Merlin]

Got an interesting call today. A contractor looking for woodwind players to play a touring production of Chicago...in Thunder Bay ON!

For those of you keeping track, it's a mere 884 miles from Stratford, where I live. (Still in the same province, though.)

Ed is actually 200 miles closer to the gig than I am.

If the gig comes through, it includes the round-trip flight from Toronto, and hotel. I'd fly in on a Thursday, rehearse Friday aft, shows Fri/Sat/Sun evenings, then fly back on the Monday morning.

[Helen]

Do your horns get to fly in their own seats? Or do they have to fly cargo? :-)

[Carl H.]

Good point. Which book?

[hakukani]

I've been to Thunder Bay!

ps. Carl, where you been. You've been missed.

[Merlin]

I can play any of the 3 books, so I told the guy I'd prefer the 1st book. Less to carry!

[Merlin]

Looks like the gig is on, and I'm playing the Reed 1 book - picc/clar/soprano/alto.

Band is onstage, and there's one rehearsal. No books in advance - so if anyone can hip me to the dangerous picc parts, I'd really appreciate it!

[SteveSklar]

Wow Merlin. That sounds great. In and Out fully paid gig !!

Thunderbay is just north if Michigan, over the water .... but Ed is still closer than me.

[Gandalfe]

So seriously, do you put the instruments in the luggage hold? I have to get a tenor to New Orleans for a gig in July and I'm dreading it. Suzy gets off easy with a clarinet.

[Merlin]

So seriously, do you put the instruments in the luggage hold? I have to get a tenor to New Orleans for a gig in July and I'm dreading it. Suzy gets off easy with a clarinet.

Depends on how big a plane it is.

I'm playing alto/soprano/clarinet/picc. I've never had a problem carrying on that stuff before. I'm inclined to use it as an excuse to get a Pro-tec triple case for the alto/clarinet/picc, and just have the sop in hand.

Alternately, I'd pack my clarinet and sop in a large suitcase, surrounded by my clothes.

[steen]

I have to get a tenor to New Orleans for a gig in July and I'm dreading it.
A VGV case is as compact as it gets with some protection. I have managed to travel to Europe and back several times without problems. Don't know about domestic.

[Gandalfe]

A VGV case is as compact as it gets with some protection. I have managed to travel to Europe and back several times without problems. Don't know about domestic.So you were able to carry the tenor sax on. I know, I should call the carrier.

[Ed Svoboda]

I think you might still be able to carry a tenor on.

[SOTSDO]

From my AFM feedback, it largely depends on the airline. Some will store a tenor in the "garment bag" area without a problem, but others will insist on the cargo hold or upon a second seat. You takes yer chances...

[Merlin]

From my AFM feedback, it largely depends on the airline. Some will store a tenor in the "garment bag" area without a problem, but others will insist on the cargo hold or upon a second seat. You takes yer chances...

Here's what Air Canada flies between Toronto and Thunder Bay:

http://www.crj.bombardier.com/CRJ/en/home.jsp

[hakukani]

I fly in one of these every time I go to Wichita. A yamaha sop case fits in the overhead. If you're lucky, they'll put your instruments in their closet, like they did with a fellow flyer's violin and my alto last Xmas.

Anything larger, and it's gate check.

[steen]

So you were able to carry the tenor sax on. I know, I should call the carrier.Pretty much any carrier to Europe other than British Airways (excellent in respects but not this one). I do fly mainly off-season, not on weekends, and international. All of which may contribute to not having had problems in the past but the airlines are obviously constantly changing (for the worse in the past several years). The reason I mentioned the VGV case (or something similar) is that is really does fake size contrary to Walt Johnson's and Hiscox's etc.

[Helen]

Here's what Air Canada flies between Toronto and Thunder Bay:

http://www.crj.bombardier.com/CRJ/en/home.jsp

Merlin, the CRJ's have very little room for storage. I've had problems with Air Canada at TO with my alto. (I didn't have other horns with me at the time.) I ended up having to do a gate check with it the last time I flew with the sax. Before then, I was able to convince them to put it in one of the upright storage closets.

With the straight soprano, if Air Canada wants to be picky, it too is too long, and won't meet the requirements of "carry on" baggage.

What applies in both of these cases, pardon the pun, is Air Canada's violin policy. You should go to an Air Canada office, and get them to look it up, and print up a copy for you. Also, ask them if there is a limit to the number of instruments you can carry on under this violin policy.

I have a copy from the last time I flew with my horn, so I'll have to dig it out. When I find it, I'll post the policy number here for you. That might help the AC staff look it up faster.

The trick is to have a copy of the policy with you, should you encounter an agent that is refusing to allow you to board with the instrument. I was told this by one very helpful Air Canada employee at the Fredericton Airport, who got to know me, and knew that I traveled with my horns extensively.

Just a thought...It might be easier, and less stressful, for you to leave your saxes in place once you get to Thunder Bay.

[Merlin]

Merlin, the CRJ's have very little room for storage. I've had problems with Air Canada at TO with my alto. (I didn't have other horns with me at the time.) I ended up having to do a gate check with it the last time I flew with the sax. Before then, I was able to convince them to put it in one of the upright storage closets.

With the straight soprano, if Air Canada wants to be picky, it too is too long, and won't meet the requirements of "carry on" baggage.

What applies in both of these cases, pardon the pun, is Air Canada's violin policy. You should go to an Air Canada office, and get them to look it up, and print up a copy for you. Also, ask them if there is a limit to the number of instruments you can carry on under this violin policy.

I have a copy from the last time I flew with my horn, so I'll have to dig it out. When I find it, I'll post the policy number here for you. That might help the AC staff look it up faster.

The trick is to have a copy of the policy with you, should you encounter an agent that is refusing to allow you to board with the instrument. I was told this by one very helpful Air Canada employee at the Fredericton Airport, who got to know me, and knew that I traveled with my horns extensively.

Just a thought...It might be easier, and less stressful, for you to leave your saxes in place once you get to Thunder Bay.

I'd have no problem with my horns going in the cargo hold - as long as I can walk them in there myself. I'm phoning AC tomorrow, and making sure that between talking to them and talking to the contractor that I get my stuff taken care of properly without being out of pocket.

[Gandalfe]

I'd have no problem with my horns going in the cargo hold - as long as I can walk them in there myself. I'm phoning AC tomorrow, and making sure that between talking to them and talking to the contractor that I get my stuff taken care of properly without being out of pocket.I feel the same way. I have a way sturdy Walt Johnson tenor case which as a consequence is gawd-awful heavy. But the way some baggage handlers treat luggage I don't think it'd be safe enough.

[Merlin]

When I flew to Europe a few years ago on Air Canada with a community band, they took the saxes in their hard cases, and wrapped the outside of the case with several layers of heavy bubble plastic. Seemed to work quite well.

[Helen]

Post 9-11 the world of flying with horns has become so different: Things are much more variable from flight to flight, depending on the counter check-in staff you get. I've found that you can talk to AC 4 different times, and get 4 different answers, depending on who you talk to. That's why I mention the violin policy. It is one of, if not the only, policies governing musical instruments on board aircraft.

I used to fly 5 to 6 times a year cross country with my sax. It was the CRJs that were problematic because of the lack of space. The Dash 8s, and the big planes that did the TO to Vancouver flights were generally fine. Security on the other hand, didn't really know what to make of the neck of my alto (looked like a gun they thought), or my Dukoff mouthpiece (looked suspicious because of the composition of the metal on the X-ray).

If the gig pays well enough, you might consider getting a proper airline case, like an Anvil, to hold everything. It wouldn't have to be very big (since you're not playing your big horns), and then at least you knew your stuff would be safe. Added bonus would be you would have it for the future.

Perhaps I'm sounding a bit over-the-top with regards to this stuff, but I've had Air Canada destroy and replace more pieces of my luggage than I can remember... So given my personal track record with them, I would never trust them with my horn. YMMV of course.

[Merlin]

I should have mentioned - all of the flying I've done with horns has been post-911.

The only thing I've ever checked was a bari in a large Anvil case. I've been able to carry on everything else.

When I went to Italy, I had my alto, flute, and soprano sax. I put everything in the overhead.

[SOTSDO]

I feel the same way. I have a way sturdy Walt Johnson tenor case which as a consequence is gawd-awful heavy. But the way some baggage handlers treat luggage I don't think it'd be safe enough.

You also need to keep in mind that a quality, professional grade saxophone can often be its own source of destruction, given the right circumstances.

The metal used is often soft enough to allow very small amounts of force, properly applied to the body of the horn, to cause it to "fold up" in some very creative ways. I've witnessed the demise of a Mark Vi tenor from a fall from a slowly collapsing three-leg collapsible sax stand, one where the instrument only fell six to eight inches once the stand completely collapsed. (It was bumped by a famous Hollywood "name" breezing through the orchestra "pit", located next to the stage in the wings.)

(Conversely, I've had a Selmer Series 9 clarinet literally fly down a very long flight of stairs, landing on a wooden floor, come through it all with nothing more than a single bent key. Go figure.)

Saxophones can deform from their own weight if not handled carefully. Particularly on a long horn like a baritone, bringing the bell to a stop (as in a carelessly set down gig bag, where the horn is not supported over its entire length) will allow the downcomer from the crook to continue moving and flexing for a very short distance. Any flexing combined with soft metal is a prescription for problems ranging from binding rods/posts to out-and-out misaligned pads and tone holes.

I've used a Yanigisawa horn that was usually kept in a gig bag and was "always out of adjustment" until I had it regulated and then returned to its original case (still in the instrument room of a local college). It remained tight and correct for the duration of my use, but the week that the usual user returned to his gig bag, the problems returned with a vengeance.

Gig bags may look cool, and they certainly are a lot lighter to carry around. However, I'd never use one on a bet.

Aftermarket cases may have more overall "protection" built into them, but if the instrument- and maker-specific horn cavity is not carefully fitted to the particular instrument that you are using, it may allow just enough "drop space" within that, combined with less-than-painstaking airline handling, may be all that it takes to damage a horn. And, the time to find out about this is not when you open your horn at the job.

If I ever had the need to fly anywhere with an instrument (and I generally drive distances up to a thousand miles, just to avoid all aspects of the flight experience for a number of reasons, so that's not very likely), the only way I would travel would be the extra seat route so familiar to 'cellists and double bass players. A tenor or a bass clarinet is right at the edge of "not cabin sized" 'luggage', and taking a chance with placing a large horn so easily damaged as a baritone sax into the hands of "ignorant" (i.e., I doubt that they would damage anything intentionally) baggage handlers would simply not be an option.