traveling with tuning tools

[philromano@attglobal.net]

Hi Tom,

In the past year and a half, I have travelled all over the states, Europe
and Brazil with my complete tool kit checked in as luggage. True, I am
somewhat nervous that they might be lost given the track record of most
airlines, but the fact remains that they simply won't let you take them on
board. I've been stopped in the past trying to get on board with a Swiss
army knife! I always carry an extra hammer and mutes in my main suitcase
just in case. So far, I've been very lucky. Still, I'd recommend that you
carry tool insurance (offered through the Guild) and keep a complete
inventory of what is in your kit while flying.

Have a great time in Reno!

Phil Romano
Myrtle Beach, SC

----- Original Message -----
From: <Tvak@AOL.COM>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 11, 2001 12:28 AM
Subject: traveling with tuning tools


> I'm off to Reno tomorrow, and just to be safe, I called United Airlines to
> inquire if I would have any trouble taking my tuning kit on the airplane.
> The woman at United asked me what kind of tools was I planning to take on
the
> airplane?  I told her I had screwdrivers, pliers, a tuning hammer...  She
> interrupted, "How many screwdrivers?"  OK... "I have two big ones, a
phillips
> head and a standard, and two small ones, also a phillips and a standard."
I
> was put on hold until she could talk to a supervisor.  She came back a
minute
> or two later and said she wanted a complete list of all the tools that I
> wanted to take on the plane.  However, if I wanted to stow the tools in my
> baggage, it was fine.
>
> I told her I would just take my hammer, mutes and tuning fork, and stow
them
> in my luggage.
>
> That's all I'll really need in Reno, but what if I was taking the
technical
> test and I needed my tools?  I guess I'd just have to stow them in with
the
> baggage.
>
> Anyone else ever experience any difficulties traveling with your tools?
> Never having flown anywhere with my tools before, I was just lucky that I
had
> the sudden impulse to call the airline and check.
>
> Tom S.