Traveling with a violin can require a bit of planning ahead, depending on where you are headed and how you're getting there. It's generally less work than trying to find a hotel that accepts pets, though!
The inconveniences of air travel is something we all have had to think about since Sept 11, and for a time after that it was a little trickier to travel by plane with a musical instrument. Luckily, the hysteria of those days have cooled off, and you can now safely travel on planes with violins, violas, and cellos.
Here is the text of a letter from 2003 that not only outlines the US Transportation Security Administration policy on violins and violas, but makes it clear that you are allowed to have a musical instrument IN ADDITION to your one carry-on bag on an airplane flight.
Mr. Thomas Lee President American Federation of Musicians 1501 Broadway Street Suite 800 New York. NY 1003&5501
Dear Mr. Lee:
As a follow-up to our earlier meeting with Mr. Hal Ponder of the American Federation of Musicians, following are the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) revised policy and procedures regarding the screening and carriage of. musical instruments through security checkpoints at our nation's airports and transport of musical instruments aboard aircraft.
• On December 20, 2002, TSA instructed aircraft operators that effective immediately, they are to allow musical instruments as carry-on baggage in addition to the limit of one bag and one personal item per person as carry-on baggage on an aircraft.
• Additionally these revised procedures were communicated to our TSA screeners at the passenger screening checkpoints throughout the country. Should your membership experience problems at the security screening checkpoints, please advise them to request to speak to a screening supervisor for resolution.
If I can provide further assistance, please feel free to give me a call.
Sincerely yours,
Thomas R. Blank Assistant Administrator for Security Regulations and Policy
One thing you should do when you are going by air is to get in the cabin at the earliest opportunity. A violin takes up more over head cargo hold area than most things, and so if the flight is full, you may have trouble if you are last in line.
One good option if you find yourself without a place is that most times the flight attendant will understand your inability to check your instrument in the cargo hold. If you ever are requested to do that, DON'T LET THEM CHECK IT IN THE BAGAGE HOLD! Instead, normally they'll offer you a place to put it in the special crew baggage closet. If they somehow insanely insist that you must check your bag, don't take that flight. Take a later one.
Cellos are a special case when traveling by commercial airlines. Most times you will need to buy a ticket for your cello, just as if it were a regular person. However, you should always call to tell them it's a cello, not a person, because cellos DO NOT have to pay some of the special fees that passengers pay as part of the ticket price! When you are booking the ticket, they normally designate it as "Cello Smith", for example if your name is Smith.
Generally, traveling with your violin in a car is simple, right? You just throw it in and go!
Well, just remember this:
There are many stories of even famous violinists who have accidentally left there violin ON TOP OF THE CAR, and DRIVEN AWAY! That's right. Priceless instruments have been thrown at top speed down the highway when their absent-minded owner was not paying attention to the task at hand.
In a related story, violinists are most likely to forget their child at the store! :) Just kidding about that one, but please don't ever put your violin on top of the car like that cup of Starbucks that we've all seen on somebody's car roof driving around town.
Another believe it or not place for accidents to happen is RUNNING OVER your instrument with the car. Yes, you can also forget your instrument by placing it BESIDE the car and driving away. I'm embarrassed to admit it, but I've actually done this. Once when I was in college, I drove away and left my viola on the sidewalk. Returning to look for it hours later, it was miraculously still there, even after it had gotten dark. There was a note attached: This piece of **** doesn't play in tune. Please let me know when you're neglecting an instrument that's easier to play. OK, I made that last part up, but I really did forget the viola. :)
The other thing you should never ever ever do, of course, is to leave your violin in a car that is even somewhat hot or cold. Even if you are just going into a restaurant to eat, and the sun is shining on it, the car temperature is going to get hotter than the actual outside temperature. Not to mention the change in humidity, which is going to kill the violin as well. Really, it's best to get in the habit of taking the violin into the building and have it with you at all times.
The best way to protect your instrument while traveling is with a suspension case. This is really the only case you should ever have unless you don't care if you break your instrument.
Suspension cases have actually saved some of those violins that people carelessly forgot on top of their car! Believe it or not, these cases can save your skin if something careless happens.
Suspension cases work by taking all the force off of the weakest parts of the instrument (the back, and at the bridge), where your violin would normally take the biggest hit in a normal case, and moves it to the strong parts of the instrument (the ribs and the place where the fingerboard attaches to the upper bouts).
I can't say enough about how important that is! Make sure the instrument is not resting on the bottom of the case, and that there is also a pad that comes down from the lid to hold the instrument secure.
Humidity changes can be also a factor when traveling. Sometimes it's unavoidable, but it's a good idea to keep a barometer in your case, and a DampIt or similar device in working order.
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