[bari_sax_diva]

I'm about to take a trip to Europe on British Airways. I'm not carrying a sax, but was thinking of bringing a bari mouthpiece (sort of a long story--one of the bari greats is on this tour and I'll probably have plenty of opportunity to pick his brain), but I play a metal Berg on that horn, and I'm wondering whether the security folks are going to let me onto a plane with it. I mean, geez... I'm not sure *I* would let something like this through a checkpoint--that's a scary-looking piece of pointy metal.

Anyone have experiences you'd like to share? Checking it in my luggage is -NOT- an option--I have horrible luck with checked baggage on international trips.

Thanks...

 

[piwikiwi]

I would bring a reed and lig so you can show what it's for. I don't think it will be a big problem if you just explain it.

 

[windman53]

I put my stainless mouthpiece in my lagguage. If i am only bring it alone.

The only time, I have sucessfully bring the stainless mouthpiece onto the plane is to put it together with my saxophone.

last year, I was flying from England to Japan and then to USA. All fo the security did not really check on my saxophone ( did not even want to touch it, because tehy know it is expensive and tehy are afriad to dam it) only for scan only. so I did not knwo if this will help.

 

[Stephen Howard]

I've had no problems. Every so often I might get taken aside and asked to explain what's in my bag - but they're usually OK if you tell them what it is and why you're taking on as hand luggage (cue big speech....the mouthpiece is the heart of the horn...you can play on any horn, but you can't play on any mouthpiece...blah blah..).
The most hassle I had was over a Sony Pro Walkman...they didn't like the look of the battery cassette at all!

Regards,

 

[milandro]

I have brought metal mouthpieces together with a horn around Europe and had no problem and believe me you could stab someone with my Ponzol tenor (it is very sharp !).

Nobody can tell you with any degree of certainty what they would do in England or in the States because there are general norms but also many differences between checkpoints and different airports.

If you take reed and ligature it would be indeed more apparent what's the purpose of this implement.

 

[Kenny Garrick]

Any doubt ask at check-in British Airways can place it in a special envelope that is handed back to you at your destination if they are worried about it, but personally I don't think you will have any trouble as they wont sell them in duty free unlike lighters and bottles of drink.

 

[dogbert]

I brought mouthpieces many times on the plane. Once I took also the horn, and had to proove that it was really working....

 

[Koen88]

I have brought metal mouthpieces together with a horn around Europe and had no problem and believe me you could stab someone with my Ponzol tenor (it is very sharp !).

sharp as in flat (soundwise)? or sharp as in pointy, if it`s an pun then: :toothy7::notworth:

 

[milandro]

no it isn't sharp soundwise, but your comment certainly is sharp as in acute

 

[sugaki]

Should be fine, if you're really worried you can check the baggage in.

 

[milandro]

Should be fine, if you're really worried you can check the baggage in.

which is precisely what Bari_sax_diva said it wasn't an option.......

I Checking it in my luggage is -NOT- an option--I have horrible luck with checked baggage on international trips. .....

 

[magical pig]

The sad truth is it will depend on who processes you. There's no way to know for sure whether or not this will be a problem.

 

[sugaki]

which is precisely what Bari_sax_diva said it wasn't an option.......

Ah missed that part. Just came back from a trip from British Airways from Europe with checked baggage, had no problems...

Highly doubt they'd flag a mouthpiece. Maybe if the beak of the metal was sharp enough to be a weapon, heh.

 

[playatsax]

I've had more success just putting it in my pocket. When you clear your pockets and throw your wallet, phone, ipod, mouthpiece, candy bar and book in the box for xray all concerns are answered.

 

[Souportwenty]

I recently flew from Buffalo to NYC on "Jet Blue" and they would not allow me to bring a metal sax mouthpiece. I couldn't afford to take the chance they would take it at check in, so I opted not to bring it. I assumed telling them up front might help but they said it they would not guarantee I would be allowed to keep it. I could understand if it was a protractor or something, because that would be a weapon of math instruction. However, a mouthpiece... Oh well..

 

[cleger]

I've had more success just putting it in my pocket. When you clear your pockets and throw your wallet, phone, ipod, mouthpiece, candy bar and book in the box for xray all concerns are answered.

I remember the old days when I used to throw my jack-knife in the box and put it in my pocket before going on the plane. Seems now like a scene from mad men with people smoking in their offices which I have not so fond memories of.

 

[Thomas]

BSD...
Carry it in your jacket pocket, put it on the belt and let it go through the scan. If they want to look at it just let them and explain what it is. I have never not been allowed to carry a metal mpc on a plane and I fly tens of thousands of miles every year, domestic and internationally. Leave a lig and reed on it.

 

[dexdex]

..... Maybe if the beak of the metal was sharp enough to be a weapon, heh.

And what if your mouthpiece PLAYS sharp ?

 

[Bloo Dog]

BSD...
Carry it in your jacket pocket, put it on the belt and let it go through the scan. If they want to look at it just let them and explain what it is. I have never not been allowed to carry a metal mpc on a plane and I fly tens of thousands of miles every year, domestic and internationally. Leave a lig and reed on it.

This is probably the sanest way to deal with a possibly insane situation. The screeners are pretty good at spotting dangerous objects, but if you put it in a bin to to go through the carry-ons, you shouldn't have ANY problems, especially if there's a reed and a ligature attached. The worst case scenario would be for you to put it in your checked baggage only to find that TSA inspected your bag. They are nice enough to leave a leaflet telling you they've they've opened your bag, but they aren't always nice enough to leave things the h*ll alone. You might not find it in your bag when you get it a day after you arrive at your destination.

Until this year, I made a yearly trip to Sidi Bou Said (Tunisia) for vacation. You'd think that the inspectors could spot cous cous by now.

Nope. Somewhere between Gatwick airport and Atlanta, my home made cous cous was torn open, then thrown back into my suitcase.

Last year, I packed a wireless mouse and a 160 gb flash drive on a flight to Shanghai. Poof. Gone. In their place was a nice little note... "In our continuing effort to ensure your safety..."

So put your mouthpiece in a bin and let the scanners figure it out. The scanners are smarter than T&A.

 

[hakukani]

Yep. They stop me every time.

So, I started carrying my mouthpieces, reeds and ligatures in a clear plastic bag, and put them in the bin with my laptop. When I see the xray line stop and go back, I just start saying 'they're saxophone mouthpieces' to the TSA guys. I've taken them on flights to Japan, Europe, Canada, and all over the US--even Kansas! with no real problems.

When did JetBlue get their own security?