Why British cellists may no longer fly to New York

Christian Science Monitor ^ | 09/12/06

[ml/nj]

We are at war.

Yeah, but not with world class musicians.

ML/NJ

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

What is this...about .0000001% of the population?!?!?!

Musicians travel a lot to put on performances. They bring their instruments with them as carry-on luggage and even pay for an extra seat in the case of cellos. They do so out of necessity because, the luggage handlers would lose or destroy their delicate, expensive instruments. The whole world now is upside down because we allow Muslims to disrupt travel in the West. The simple solution is to contain Islam to where it is. Return them to their Muslim Hellholes. Otherwise, we in the west will see a steady erosion of personal freedoms for the whole of Western populations.

Maybe you like being groped bare foot at the air terminal gate. Maybe you like having your bag searched to ride public transit in New York. Maybe you like having your children taught to respect Islam in public schools.

[presidio9]

Unless you bought junior a Stradivarius, I would think regualar baggage should suffice. You CAN contact the airline and say you are traveling with baggage that requires special care. The WILL accomadate you. I have done this in the past with artwork.

[50sDad]

Oh, crud! You can talk about civil rights, inconvenience and potential terror-beheadings, but this is the real cost of the War on Terror! We have to live without British cellists! Oh, the huge manatee!

[DBrow]

Not quite- even 40 proof will burn. The old proof system involved wetting blackpowder with the liquor, and lighting it on fire. If the powder ignited, that was proof of its strength. If it was below proof the evaporating water would keep the powder cool, and eventually the flame would go out.

[sitetest]

Dear ecurbh,

Thanks for the ping!

This is the second article in the last few days we've had on this topic.

Classical Music Ping List ping!

Let me know if you want on or off this list via FR e-mail.

Thanks,


sitetest

[tcrlaf]

The part they AREN'T telling you, of course, is that paying for a SEAT is often MUCH CHEAPER than properly shipping the Item as Air Cargo.....

[antiRepublicrat]

Kirshbaum says that the restrictions are not so much about enhanced security as about ensuring that staff are not overwhelmed by passengers with awkward baggage

Oh yeah, there are loads of people on each flight who book extra seats for their priceless instruments.

[ecurbh]

But cellists, violinists, and French horn players are loath to consign their instruments, often antiquities worth millions of dollars...

Strange, I've never known a French horn player to use an antique instrument worth millions. Didn't know such a thing existed.

All the brass players I've ever known use modern instruments, often custom designed and configured specifically for their needs.

[GOP_1900AD]

The whole card based small fractional leasing of biz jets is taking off (no pun intended). Of course, the airlines have their own operations doing this.

[DBrow]

No, not with British cellists. The Powers That Be, though, want no more air crashes and have decided that large parcels are not to be carried on passenger craft because of recent attempts to smuggle explosives aboard.

That's part of the war effort.

Did you know that in 1952, the production of the new color TV was cut back because of the Korean War effort? The PTB decided that we needed the industrial capacity for the war effort. There were no riots in the street and no civil unrest over this, and that happened here in the USA. We intended to win the Korean War!

[xjcsa]

I think they actually were musicians.........

Yes, they were musicians. And Ayman al-Zawahiri is a doctor. There is nothing stopping any of them from also being terrorists.

[theDentist]

Well, there's always Carnival Cruises.... :-)

[dfwgator]

We intended to win the Korean War!

Looks more like we intended on getting a cease fire.

[EveningStar]

Ping to the misc ping list

[rabidralph]

The performers, who shuttle around the world to concerts, rehearsals, and festivals with ancient instruments in tow, are warning that their performances - and even livelihoods - are in jeopardy because the new rules make international travel almost impossible.

Have they not heard of streaming video over the Internet? LOL

[GreenLanternCorps]

This is a rule in the United Kingdom, not here. It only applies to individuals flying from British airports. It does not apply to people flying out of the US.

[antiRepublicrat]

Until we get the technology to reliably screen out questionable material we'll have to put up with forcing some people to change their habits

An instrument is easy to scan. A laptop with a second battery bay, the lithium-ion having been replaced with C4, isn't so easy to spot.

I've seen guitar cases, but no cello, oboe, bassoon, viola cases, or basses either.

That's because there are very few people in the world who own these priceless instruments and therefore always keep them close.

[Still Thinking]

Interesting, I didn't know that. I almost added to my previous post that this test was performed by the "shire reef" from which we get "sheriff", but there is a (slight) limit to my nerdiness.

[rightwingcrazy]

Sea travel used to be the standard. Not good enough for them?