[Dixielandjazz] Air travel and axes

[Elazar Brandt]

Say, has anyone traveled by plane with a tuba or Sousaphone? I've done it only
with the ones I've bought in Prague, and taken them back to Israel. No problem
on those flights, but then I made a special point of getting permission in
advance from the airline (Czech Air, which has been very good about letting me
carry multiple large instruments that I bought there--but only one tuba per
trip!).

Now my partner and I are considering a hop to somewhere in Europe to do some
street music for a week or so. What do you need to do to carry a Sousaphone with
you? (And I do not have a hard shell case for it.)

Also note, the airlines seem to be cracking down on weight of checked baggage. I
just had a royal fight with KLM from Delhi to Amsterdam and again from Amsterdam
to Tel Aviv. I was traveling with two relatively normal bags, total 41 kilos, or
88 pounds. In Delhi they told me I'm allowed only 20 kilos, and they demanded
$18 per kilo, yes friends, nearly $400!, for the excess weight. After a major
knock-down drag out fight, and my taking what I could throw away out of my
luggage, I got them down under $200, which I grudgingly paid so I could get on
the plane with my stuff, and now I'm fighting with them to get that back.

Part of the weight in my baggage was 2 horns I bought in India cheap -- well,
they WERE cheap until I had to pay the extra $200 for excess baggage.

KLM in Amsterdam informed me that in a few more weeks they will no longer give
any grace for bags over 20 kilos. On this trip they knocked 5 more kilos off my
overweight tally before the fight. But they say they will not be allowed to
anymore. So musicians traveling with a tuba in a hard case as checked luggage
may have to get by with the clothes they're wearing for the duration of their
trips!

Anybody know anything current about this development?

Elazar