I recently returned from a month long Christmas vacation with 2 less flutes, 3 less whistles, one less camera, one less camcorder and one less cell phone. NEVER before had I had the “bravery” to pack my flutes in my checked baggage. I have always carried them on. I’ve never even had problems with security.
This time, however, I was travelling alone with 3 children, one of whom was an infant, and I thought that since I had never lost a bag, it was time to try checking all of these extra things in my baggage rather than carrying them all around the 3 layovers that I would have. Afterall, with security as it now is, how could they lose a bomb - I mean bag.
Anywho, I checked them. And 5 out of my 6 bags made it. The 5 with about $25 worth of clothes made it. The 1 with $5500 worth of stuff did not. My friends figure that there’s a fence in Chicago that is at this moment offloading my stuff to his friend in Atlanta.
Fortunately I took a picture of the contents before I left and brought the CF card with me on the plane. The airlines will cover $2800 and my homeowners will pick up the rest minus my $500 deductible. So financially I should eventually be covered (in 4-7 weeks).
But here’s what I lost. My Emerson silver flute that I’ve had for more than a decade and was my first quality solid silver flute, my new Martin Doyle blackwood flute that everyone that has played it, even professional players, has drooled over - it was so smooth. I bought it directly from Martin while in Ireland.
I lost my Overton F w/ purple anodizing that I bought while at Colin’s house in Germany. It had huge backpressure and really ripped.
I lost my own personal Tully Whistle as well as a mighty fine Sindt A.
Oh, and 2 harmonicas that my Grandfather had given me at Christmas. He played them when he was a youngin’ 60 years ago.
So count me 7 instruments lighter and perhaps a little wiser. Please consider flying your flags at half mast 
Erik
