I’m about a month out from hanging up my legal career in Salt Lake City and joining the State Department as a diplomat, moving to D.C. for training and language and then moving abroad. We will be flying to D.C., and the government will be shipping everything; due to government requirements and security concerns, the moving contractor both to D.C. and then abroad will be packing everything – we’re not allowed to box/pack anything (my wife loves this). Given that scenario, I plan on taking my two dozen-ish whistles with me on the plane as a carry-on in the move (I’ve had too many baggage issues in other travel to want to check them), and I would likely do the same when we go abroad. I’ve never taken a whistle on a domestic or international flight before, but I imagine many of you have – what are your experiences with this? Any recommendations on avoiding security issues, etc (I’m guessing carrying two dozen copper and aluminum tubes with plastic, delrin, and metal heads onto a flight may cause some problems for me in a post-9/11 world)? I’ll have a diplomatic passport abroad, which will help, but I’ll have to clear security on my way out and customs on my way in just like anyone else when I enter/exit other countries, U.S., etc. Your collective wisdom, insight, and suggestions would be appreciated.
It’s been a while since I travelled by air with an instrument … my only advice would be “Be prepared for an impromptu solo”.
My experience suggests that once “they’ve” seen you know how to play the thing, it’s far less of an issue, though if the metal tubes might be considered a weapon of some kind, (not impossible), you might be unlucky enough to have them confiscated with no come-back.
Best check, in writing, well in advance, or even pack them all very well and mail them to your new address at the last minute.
I’ve never had a problem, but I never tried to carry that many tubular objects. My suggestion would be to pack most of your whistles and just carry 2 or 3 and even then, you might want to mention them when you go through the x-ray machine. They’ll probably (maybe) make you take them out and show them. I had that happen with a flute and there were no difficulties.
Thanks for the info – we’ll see how it all goes, but I think I have to take them all with me to prevent damage/theft. Re postings, we don’t know where yet, Pat – the sign-up is for “worldwide availability based on the needs of the service.” We’re angling for SE Asia for the first tour and South America for the second, but we’ll see.
I never go anywhere without a couple of my old Generation whistles, almost always in a small carry-on day pack, and I’ve never had any problems in any airport or airplane.
When I lived in Northern Ireland from 1975-1977 it was a problem once - getting frisked by a British soldier and he was not chuffed to feel the metal tube of a D whistle in the breast pocket of my coat. Pulled it out and tossed it away on the ground. I was able to retrieve it after and still have it and play it to this day, albeit with a dent around the E hole.
I’ve had some amusing experiences at the airport. Since I have to fly to and from college on a quarterly basis, my instruments log a lot of miles. Every time at the MN airport I wait for my bag to go through the x-ray, and sure enough, the belt stops, the doofus at the screen calls his buddy over, and they sit scratching their heads for a while before they finally dig out my bag and pull out my smallpipes (I’m amazed the drones haven’t cracked yet from all the manhandling they’ve recieved). I try to explain without to much eye-rolling what it is, and that no, it’s not a threat to national security. Thus far I’ve been successful.
As a side note, once I was stopped because a security guard though the end of my flute was a firearm barrel. A demonstration was requested quite rudely, and it took some restraint not to administer said demonstration rectally.
Good luck with your new career! I have friends in the foreign service (the elder now retired, though has served in Philippines, Russia, Turkey and several other places, but still traveling as a consultant, the younger now stationed in South Korea). They’ve loved every minute of the adventure – hopefully you will as well! (And hopefully you’ll get to the Philippines!)
As for your whistles, while I’m sure a pile of miscellaneously sized metal tubes will not ultimately get you into trouble, I just hear too many goofy stories about TSA agents to not have some fear that you might end up sans whistles. Is there anyone you know (and trust!) in the DC area you could mail them to?
As for the whistle being mistaken for a weapon: a sufficiently large Overton / Goldie could probably punch a hole in the side of a plane, and could certainly be used to knock someone out, if well played – I mean wielded! Tis a pretty solid piece of plumbing, you know!!
Some times you do get lucky, though. Not whistles, but my uilleann pipes were subject to scrutiny at an airport. I was travelling to play at a relative’s wedding and had my pipes, broken completely down into my travel bag. As they went through the scanner I announced they were
a set of pipes. The Senior screener stepped over from the other other line and peered over the operator’s shoulder, and announced “Oh, I know what those are. . .they’re bagpipes.” A week before the regional Highland Games had been held in our city and over a hundred Scot’s pipers had come through. War-pipes, small-pipes, uilleanns, he’d been scanning them all!
I’ve had to travel a lot for work, and have never had trouble with my metal whistles. Recently I started keeping them out next to my liquids. That seems to have shortened the time through the xray machine.
I’ve traveled with 2-3 whistles regularly on domestic flights for years with no problems. Never been asked to play one either. Perhaps my reputation preceded me! I even carry the whistle in cases made from pvc pipe which several friends have told me look like pipe bombs but no trouble there either. The x-Ray TSA uses is apparently very sophisticated.
I travel internationally with a number of whistles packed in my carry-on case. Never had any issues with that. But then again it’s a large photo equipment case with tons of cameras, lenses, electronics, a big book, and all kind of gadgets. I’m sometimes asked to remove the big harddisk and send it through the machine again, but I never had any comments about the whistles. I had to play my traveler guitar once, but they ignored the whistles. BTW I keep each whistle in its own plastic carrier, the type that Bigwhistle sells.
I’ve flown many times both domestically and internationally and never had an issue with my highland pipes or whistles. The most interest you get if anything at all is a little closer scrutiny going through screening and may get a bag check. I found lately if my bag does get any attention it’s usually due to a new screener or senior one training a rookie. They have pretty much seen it all.
On another note…about ten years ago I was flying with a couple of expensive fly rods packed in their tubes as carry on. TSA said I had to check the tubes but could carry the rods. Now my fly rods were both carbon fiber and the butt sections were strong enough they could have been used like an epee sword…They had no problem with that. I guess they must of thought the rod tubes could have been quickly converted over to mortar tubes.
Is there anyone you know (and trust!) in the DC area you could mail them to?
I guess they must of thought the rod tubes could have been quickly converted over to mortar tubes. 