Travel

[Woody]

Hand-luggage restrictions relaxed

========================

The UK has lowered the security level meaning that one piece of hand-luggage is permissible, but no liquids or pastes - see here for details.

 

Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, and Southampton Airports (all the ones run by BAA) still have the full restrictions in place (i.e. only a few items in a clear plastic bag - no other hand-luggage) until they phase in the latest changes - possibly in place tomorrow.

 

Interesting to note that the permissible dimensions of this item - must not exceed a maximum length of 45cm, width of 35cm and depth of 16cm (17.7"×13.7"×6.2" approx) including wheels, handles, side pockets etc. - means that a lot (most?) Concertina hard cases are too big (due to depth measurement) to count as hand luggage, should it be strictly enforced.

 

 

- W

 

 

Edited to add dimensions bit

Edited to add more airport info

Edited August 14, 2006 by Woody

[JimLucas]

Interesting to note that the permissible dimensions of this item - must not exceed a maximum length of 45cm, width of 35cm and depth of 16cm (17.7"×13.7"×6.2" approx) including wheels, handles, side pockets etc. - means that a lot (most?) Concertina hard cases are too big (due to depth measurement) to count as hand luggage, should it be strictly enforced.

Has the market value of miniatures just gone up? Without the case, a standard 6-sided concertina barely meets the 16 cm restriction. My Edeophone treble English is 17 cm across the flats, but the measurement parallel to the bellows movement would squeak in at just 16 cm if I removed the thumbstrap assemblies for the duration of the travel.

[Woody]

Interesting to note that the permissible dimensions of this item - must not exceed a maximum length of 45cm, width of 35cm and depth of 16cm (17.7"×13.7"×6.2" approx) including wheels, handles, side pockets etc. - means that a lot (most?) Concertina hard cases are too big (due to depth measurement) to count as hand luggage, should it be strictly enforced.

Has the market value of miniatures just gone up? Without the case, a standard 6-sided concertina barely meets the 16 cm restriction. My Edeophone treble English is 17 cm across the flats, but the measurement parallel to the bellows movement would squeak in at just 16 cm if I removed the thumbstrap assemblies for the duration of the travel.

 

Maybe you could dismantle your Concertina into all it's constituent parts and reassemble it at the other end?

[JimLucas]

Without the case, a standard 6-sided concertina barely meets the 16 cm restriction. My Edeophone treble English is 17 cm across the flats, but the measurement parallel to the bellows movement would squeak in at just 16 cm if I removed the thumbstrap assemblies for the duration of the travel.

Maybe you could dismantle your Concertina into all it's constituent parts and reassemble it at the other end?

Depends on your definition of "all". (Not to be confused with a definition of" concertina". )

 

I could separate the end assemblies from the bellows reasonably enough. Not sure there'd be much point in removing the reed pans from the bellows ends, much less the reed assemblies from the reed pans, and removing the reed tongues from their frames would not only be of little help, but very difficult to reverse.

 

And of course, I'd have to depend on them not losing my checked bag which contains the little screwdriver I'd need for reassembly.

[Woody]

Maybe a new market is opening up for Concertina makers. You could have one designed to be dismantled and packed or folded really small - possibly with wing nuts to join the bits together so solving the screwdriver paradox?

[Chris Timson]

Maybe a new market is opening up for Concertina makers. You could have one designed to be dismantled and packed or folded really small - possibly with wing nuts to join the bits together so solving the screwdriver paradox?

Just so long as it isn't in liquid form ...

 

Chris

[RatFace]

Maybe a new market is opening up for Concertina makers. You could have one designed to be dismantled and packed or folded really small - possibly with wing nuts to join the bits together so solving the screwdriver paradox?

 

Alternatively, check it in to the hold on the way out, then when you arrive/come back it will be just a bag of bits that will easily fit into a clear plastic bag.

[JimLucas]

Maybe a new market is opening up for Concertina makers. You could have one designed to be dismantled and packed or folded really small - possibly with wing nuts to join the bits together so solving the screwdriver paradox?

Not velcro?

[Woody]

Alternatively, check it in to the hold on the way out, then when you arrive/come back it will be just a bag of bits that will easily fit into a clear plastic bag.

[DavidFR]

And maybe I'll move to Spain someday...it's become too cold here in the winter...but I have to be able to take my dog and all that, so....might be a slow boat ride, for me!

Good luck with that.

 

My mom took some of the last boats over to England for her study abroad trips. This was back in the 70's. I don't think there are any more transatlantic passenger ships in operation these days.

 

Something that I think was lost, by the way, but with insufficient interest, what can you do.

[John Wild]

Maybe a new market is opening up for Concertina makers. You could have one designed to be dismantled and packed or folded really small - possibly with wing nuts to join the bits together so solving the screwdriver paradox?

 

Or maybe an increased market in concertina rentals - travel minus concertina and have a hire model awaiting you at the airport. I would not be 'as good as' your own favourite, but it could be serviceable enough for a short stay, and both the hired instrument and your own would avoid the risk of travel.

 

If only the logistics could be worked out.

 

- John Wild

 

edited to correct typing error - thank you Jim! and Woody!

Edited August 15, 2006 by John Wild

[Leo]

All:

 

If anyone contemplates shipping an expensive concertina for personal travel, I would forgo the available ones suggested by the instrument manufactures. I believe they are mostly for esthetics, and not built for the riggors of being bounced around an aircraft cargo hold. I have three of these used for holding my telescope eyepieces, and one night after cleanup, I forgot it was behind my truck and I ran over it. My collection of TeleVue Eyepieces were undamaged ($2500 worth) in one case. They can be built to order and I think a good one can be had for a guess of about $100 range. (Guess based on my briefcase sized ones at $98 each). I think they are well worth the effort to consider seriously, since they are made to order and sized to almost any specification, including padding and color. For a price computer generated graphics on the outside would be awesome (embedded in the case material). Maybe we can get permission to use the Net Logo. These comply with ATA specifications for reuseable shipping containers on airplanes, and they don't look too bad. Just because it's labled flight case doesn't make it suitable.

 

http://www.anvilcase.com/

 

Just another suggestion

Thanks

Leo

Edited August 15, 2006 by Leo

[Alex]

Allison, you won't have any problem with knitting needles if they're wooden. My wife travels to Seattle with them several times each year.

[Rod Thompson]

A question - is the cargo hold pressurised on a 747? and what is the effect on bellows of exposure to low pressure (should we strap down the air button)? (Or strap down a note and let it play a tune).

 

If we ever do get to take instruments as hand luggage again, there is the issue of having a screwdriver with you - damned if you do - damned if you don't (and someone demands you open the instrument to see what is inside).

I have taken to carrying the screwdriver bit from a cordless drill. It is only 1cm long with a screwdriver end and hex on the other. Not easy to use, but I can get the screws out using it if needed. Certainly not much use as a weapon.

 

The irony of "security measures" is that they only seem able to think of one risk at a time. Travelling through LAX some years ago, the delays at security were so bad that we missed our flight (delayed by a passenger before us in the line having nail scissors in her hand bag). BUT our bags didn't - they went on our scheduled flight and were waiting for us when we got there. Now that makes me feel secure!!

[Michael Reid]

If we ever do get to take instruments as hand luggage again, there is the issue of having a screwdriver with you - damned if you do - damned if you don't (and someone demands you open the instrument to see what is inside).

I have taken to carrying the screwdriver bit from a cordless drill. It is only 1cm long with a screwdriver end and hex on the other. Not easy to use, but I can get the screws out using it if needed. Certainly not much use as a weapon.

In the U.S., the list of prohibited/permitted items was revised last year, and as a result screwdrivers 7 inches or less in length are allowed in carry-on luggage. You can read the details in this TSA document.

[malcolm clapp]

Certainly not much use as a weapon.

 

 

 

Oh, I don't know, Rod. You could possibly choke somebody by forcing them to swallow it...

 

MC

[Leo]

A question - is the cargo hold pressurised on a 747? and what is the effect on bellows of exposure to low pressure (should we strap down the air button)? (Or strap down a note and let it play a tune).

 

If we ever do get to take instruments as hand luggage again, there is the issue of having a screwdriver with you - damned if you do - damned if you don't (and someone demands you open the instrument to see what is inside).

I have taken to carrying the screwdriver bit from a cordless drill. It is only 1cm long with a screwdriver end and hex on the other. Not easy to use, but I can get the screws out using it if needed. Certainly not much use as a weapon.

 

The irony of "security measures" is that they only seem able to think of one risk at a time. Travelling through LAX some years ago, the delays at security were so bad that we missed our flight (delayed by a passenger before us in the line having nail scissors in her hand bag). BUT our bags didn't - they went on our scheduled flight and were waiting for us when we got there. Now that makes me feel secure!!

 

Rod:

Yes; and heated too. It's the same as the cabin altitude and heat. The maximum altitude inside the airplane is 8000 ft. from ground level to cruise altitude at a rate of change about what an elevator does. (300 to 500 Ft per minit maximum). It's not necessary to open the air valve, although it wouldn't hurt either. Kind of neutral either way. If there is a great pressure change, climbing it would overpower the springs for a calibrated relief valve leak type of idea. It would go to the weakest spring. Descending there are probably enough leaks to compensate the pressure difference. There is not a lot of volume in the inside to create that much pressure.(would be interesting to hear it play by itself IF that happens, again not enough volume). It would probably play better than me. Your ears are more sealed than that.

 

See the references in post #26 of this thread for the "Official" allowed and not allowed things on an airplane. It's the TSA website(official USA info, don't know about Australia). Small tools, and knitting neeles are allowed. However under the circumstances, they might be changing rapidly.

 

Lucky you One of the first times I've heard of the baggage getting to the destination, and the passengers getting lost. What a switch.

 

I don't think they would know what they are looking at to ask for you to disassemble an instrument. I wouldn't volunteer that you can, however you might be asked to play a tune or two, or offer to play one for them. Put the tools in the checked baggage, and separate them from the instrument. Less questionable that way. The instrument is the important thing to keep close.

 

Don't be surprised if they also ask you to turn it on. I've seen it happen.

 

Look at the links here post #26:

http://www.concertina.net/forums/index.php...ost&p=43850

 

Thank

Leo

Edited August 15, 2006 by Leo

[JimLucas]

...it could be servceable enough for a shirt stay,...

And far better than being collared by the security guards for carrying that dreaded "concertina"-whatever-it-is.