michaelhooper
Feb-10-2004, 6:05pm
Hi all,
I recently flew from Australia to Boston via LA.
I have a gilchrist mando in one of those aluminium flight cases. I checked it in at Sydney and it arrived in LA no problems. I have flown qantas domestically before, always checked the mandolin in with no problems. (They have never let me take it on board and I have never worried - that's what flight cases are for - right???).
Then I checked it in American Airlines at LA, told them it was fragile etc... and when I arrived in Boston, one of the locks had been broken open. Now, I always lock the case (so it doesn't fall open and so noone can play it), and tape down the latches (so they don't get damaged). The case had a pink 'inspected' sticker on it. Is this normal that they would break a lock to try to open a case??? And why then would they not break both to actually check the thing??? Is this an American Airlines thing (I have never been to the US before)?
What do people normally do? Lock the case? I am really worried about the return trip next week as the case is only held shut by one latch. If I don't lock it, the case could easily fall open if the latch is bumped.
Thanks in advance for any advice people might have...
Michael
I recently flew from Australia to Boston via LA.
I have a gilchrist mando in one of those aluminium flight cases. I checked it in at Sydney and it arrived in LA no problems. I have flown qantas domestically before, always checked the mandolin in with no problems. (They have never let me take it on board and I have never worried - that's what flight cases are for - right???).
Then I checked it in American Airlines at LA, told them it was fragile etc... and when I arrived in Boston, one of the locks had been broken open. Now, I always lock the case (so it doesn't fall open and so noone can play it), and tape down the latches (so they don't get damaged). The case had a pink 'inspected' sticker on it. Is this normal that they would break a lock to try to open a case??? And why then would they not break both to actually check the thing??? Is this an American Airlines thing (I have never been to the US before)?
What do people normally do? Lock the case? I am really worried about the return trip next week as the case is only held shut by one latch. If I don't lock it, the case could easily fall open if the latch is bumped.
Thanks in advance for any advice people might have...
Michael