has anyone here been harassed for taking a keyless flute (with slide)
on the plane lately?
not an international flight.
thanks, e.
I had a little bit of trouble with a whistle, so after the first bit of trouble I would take it out of my purse and put it in my shoe.
I put my flute in a cardboard tube in a sturdy suitcase and checked it on.
I’ve only ever had someone take my flute out of my carry-on twice. Once was a flight from Belgium to the US in maybe 2003, and they took out everything in the carry on. The second was last year. I told the TSA guy that I was really glad to see that he’d done it, as a wooden flute looks not unlike a stick of dynamite in an x-ray scanner. I think he was glad to come across someone who was pleasant and cooperative, he had a good chuckle and sent me on my way.
I’ve flown at least two dozen times since 2001, and these are the only two times anyone’s looked at my flute, so I wouldn’t sweat it.
You shouldn’t have a problem. I put my flute in my carry-on and have never been questioned about it. In the past year I’ve taken my flute to Tokyo, Germany, Ireland, and several domestic (USA) locations.
I have this fantasy that someday a TSA guy will harass me about my flute and insist that I play it, to prove it’s a real instrument. Then I crank out this blazing set of reels. Ideally this would happen when I’m on my way to Ireland.
I took a Hammy practice flute to Haiti recently.
They were very suspicious. Made me play a jig at the metal detector.
Doc
Unlikely you’ll have trouble inside the usa
I had an issue with a security person at a Theme Park!
My company outing last summer was at a Six Flags, and they have a pavillion/picnic area for large groups. I had a backpack filled with blankets, snacks, drinks, and, of course, my fife, which is in a small case which resembles a handgun soft case.
If you’re carrying any bag, purse, etc. you go in a special line to the screener. I opened my bag for the screener, and the girl was rifling through my bag, and found my fife, and said with alarm, “What’s That?!”. I replied, “It’s a fife.” (what else was I gonna say, “An IED”?) “Open it,” she demands. So I do. She still looked scared and confused, not letting me touch it now, so I proceeded to educate her as to what fife is, i.e. a “musical instrument”, “it’s like a flute”, “high and squealy”. “Want me to take it out and play it?”. More alarm … Called the supervisor over. At this point, a backlog in the screening line has developed, and the curious onlookers are getting worried. Finally, I tell the supervisor what it is, and he waves me through.
I’m tired of this nation of paranoiacs, where I feel like a criminal in every line I’m in - even though I’m not doing anything wrong.
Never had a prob at the airport though, and that surprises me.
I’m hoping that’s because the TSA is more highly trained than the security at Six Flags!
You are very right about feeling like a criminal, though. I think the USA is the worst for that (and Philidelphia airport the worst I’ve experienced). Security in many of the foreign countries I’ve traveled to has been much more pleasant. Very professional and thorough, but not rude.
Ditto the Philly Airport comment. That was the last TSA screening I’ve been through, and was one of the deciding factors for making me choose to drive to Florida last month (1500 miles) instead of flying. Rudest security ever. And to top it off, due to construction, we had to re-screen in Philly, which you normally wouldn’t have to do when catching a connecting flight.
Hi Eilam,
Not to worry - I’ve traveled with flutes, whistles and pipes (last time in Oct.), many times, and they’ve only looked in the pipe case once.
So, be sure and bring ALL your lovely flutes so we can try them out while you’re here.
See you soon,
Mark
Elliam, if you have to go through Las Vegas they made us go out and back through security again to get from one terminal to the other. We almost missed our connecting flight. That’s when I decided to take my musical instruments out and put them in my shoe. I didn’t want to be late.
flying from boston to chicago last year with multiple flutes and whistles (all in one bag) they didn’t go through it, but went straight for my extra headjoint and swabbed it and then put the swab thing in some sort of machine to test it before they let me go… I found it rather odd, but whatever. the nonsensical qualities of airlines and airport security never cease to amaze me.
good luck
ya’d think a Boehm headjoint would make a better pipe
I’ve carried on a plastic M&E (with a tuning slide) and security (Oakland and Midway) didn’t blink an eye.
I was flying out last year and when they saw the flute they had me play it to prove it wasn’t dangerous.
After I played it they thought it really was dangerous and they wouldn’t let me on the plane.
Was it the flute or the playing they thought dangerous? Could the queue of rats following you have been a clue?
“…the queue of rats…”
Those are jealous people from a different thread.
The rat-race.
Maybe not the rats, but their fleas! 
Or maybe it was the (whisper it!) kids lined up behind the rats…? That would be seriously scary!
I’ve taken my Jon C. delrin R & R along on every trip since I got it. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve gone through airport security with it. At least 15 or so trips, both international and domestic.
I’ve had to take it out so they could examine it exactly once, at JFK last fall. And that was because it was sitting in my carry-on bag next to my bundle of international electrical adapters - I had to admit that it did look kind of suspicious on the X-Ray. As soon as the flute sections came out of the travel pouch they waved me through - I didn’t even need to assemble and play it.
The only time I’ve actually had to play an instrument was my fault - about 3 years ago I forgot to pack my Chieftain A in my checked bag coming back from Tokyo. The security guy at Narita looked at it, asked my what it was, and waved me through with a smile as soon as he heard me play a tune.
I’ve got the random full-dress “let’s go through his bag with swabs” treatment several times, but they’ve never even taken the flute out its travel roll.