advice for taking gear on airplane..

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-- advice for taking gear on airplane..

Posted by pixyjunket on Mar-10-2002 01:05:

advice for taking gear on airplane..

hey everybody.. just wondering if anybody has any experience taking thier equipment with them on a plane. i am taking a week off of work in may to go out somewhere where i will be doing a set. i was going to drive there but it's like a 20 hour drive, and i can get plane tickets for $200 round trip so that coupled with the price of gas and mantience on my car and the boredom of a 40 drive by myself, PLUS if i fly i get about 2 extra days to spend with a certain chickie i'll be meeting there problem is: i gots to bring mah stuff with me.. and well.. i've always been paranoid about my shit on a plane, let alone expensive dj gear.. any advice? err.. or something..

Posted by Scorchio on Mar-10-2002 13:51:

Simply get a Flight Case.

Posted by Xavier on Mar-10-2002 20:44:

Label the luggage your equipment is in, with your name, address and phone number. Also in bold print you should have your luggage labeled as 'FRAGILE' and 'THIS SIDE UP' so your equipment won't be damaged.

Posted by El~ZaPo on Mar-10-2002 21:14:

Tip the luggage handler.

Posted by j_spot on Mar-10-2002 22:56:

Do you have flight cases? If so it shouldnt be a problem (other than potential weight restrictions) Label it with fragile, and your name addy, etc, Id also suggest getting insurance on it.(for your decks mixer) With your vinyl, you can probly use as your carry on. Depending on your case, it might be the right size. I know that the Oddessy case is small enuf to be carry on for Air Canada, so that works, you get to keep an eye on all your vinyl. But be prepared to pay extra for going over your weight restrictions. Cuz decks as you know arent exactly light.

Posted by hapamoto on Mar-10-2002 23:13:

damn..u gotta bring ur own equipment?? that sucks.. you should make whoevers running the event ur dj'ing at pay for all that shit.. unless you gotta credit card w/ a nice limit, then u can go to a local music store up there.. buy the tables and mixer, then spin, then return it the next day and say u didn't like it..
..as for vinyl, just bring it in a flight case.. i keep my vinyl in a flight case when i go to spin at parties anyways cos i don't like walking in w/ a crate.

Posted by Fire999 on Mar-11-2002 00:38:

From DJs' past experience...

VINYL : Never ever check-in a flashy record box if it is not allowed to be a carry-on luggage. Tiesto's records have been stolen at Pearson Airport, so has Oakenfold's...

Solution: If you have more than one record box, pack the record cases/boxes into a BOX filled with styrofoam thingys for protection.
Seal the box up tightly. YOu do not have to declare the box at the customs I think...just pray that some lauggage handler isn't able to recognize your box filled with vinyls..PASTE HUGE "FRAGILE" stickers on your boxes!

Equipment: Insurance! Always ask for insurance rates on your EQ. Most likely, if you are going to go to a place to spin, they should have their own decks...if not...Always insure your EQ twice the amount they are worth. Most airlines offer insurance if you pay by credit cards like Visa/Mastercards/American Express...

VINYL again: Pick the tunes that are so rare and deleted out of your box, carry them in a soft bag...I am sure they'll be able to pass off as carry-on luggage. It's a pain to have your most cherished vinyls taken away from you.

This is all I can think of so far....most of all, have a safe flight...pick an airline that is reliable, in both aviation records and provision of services...

Have a nice flight!

Cheers

Posted by DJ_Kismuth on Mar-16-2002 20:28:

You stated that "VINYL : Never ever check-in a flashy record box if it is not allowed to be a carry-on luggage. "

can't we just carry on our metal odyssey cases? i mean, won't they fit in the overhead compartment??? or is that not allowed??

Posted by Fire999 on Mar-16-2002 20:54:

quote:
Originally posted by DJ_Kismuth
You stated that "VINYL : Never ever check-in a flashy record box if it is not allowed to be a carry-on luggage. "

can't we just carry on our metal odyssey cases? i mean, won't they fit in the overhead compartment??? or is that not allowed??

Since the laws that have been passed 2 years back if my memory serves me right, there's a limitation to the size of carry-on luggage.

A Metal Record case will not fit (under the regulations)...and for someone to check in their flashy metal case is definately not a wise idea.

Cheers

Posted by j_spot on Mar-17-2002 04:02:

The oddesey case is designed to be 'carry on' compatible. so it should be ok if thats the case you have.

Posted by Tony Morello on Mar-17-2002 05:29:

however, if it's too heavy it might not be allowed as carry-on either

Posted by j_spot on Mar-17-2002 07:54:

records dont weigh much do they?
pfft

ok..so I dunno about weight restrictions....

Posted by DJ_Kismuth on Mar-17-2002 19:54:

interesting....

I guess we'll just have to wait and see..... I'd bring the odyssey case on board the plane and hopefully they won't make me check it in.
I wish I had investigated whether or not they sell cases that you can LOCK, so that the records can't be stolen (unless they just steal the whole case).

ALSO, so what did Tiesto and Oakenfold do when their records were stolen in Toronto's airport??? How did they perform that night?? Or did they cancel their shows???

Posted by Tony Morello on Mar-17-2002 21:34:

Re: interesting....

quote:
Originally posted by DJ_Kismuth
I wish I had investigated whether or not they sell cases that you can LOCK, so that the records can't be stolen (unless they just steal the whole case).

it's more often than not that they would just steal the whole case and not just a few records
although a lock could help to deter people from walking off with your case

Posted by skywarp on Mar-17-2002 21:44:

Yeah I wouldn't really feel all too comfortable with a full record case in a flimsy little overhead compartment right above my head. A little turbulence and *bang* you're dead. Death by Vinyl. How ironic.

Posted by j_spot on Mar-17-2002 22:43:

I dont see how a lock deters people from stealing at a place like an airport. Say it were from a local party, where it would be a grab and run, as opposed to a pick and place, walk away, work on it....

Posted by skywarp on Mar-17-2002 23:02:

Get a record bag and carry it with you at all times. A bag doesn't look as heavy and bulky as a metal record case and hence it is less likely that you will have to have it weighed and have to check it in.

Posted by Fire999 on Mar-18-2002 06:26:

quote:
Originally posted by j_spot
I dont see how a lock deters people from stealing at a place like an airport. Say it were from a local party, where it would be a grab and run, as opposed to a pick and place, walk away, work on it....

Let's see....Tiesto flew in from Tokyo and there are a few stops here and there...take the number of workers at the airport who's responsible for the transfer of the baggages... divide it by the number of people who knows what DJing and how precious records are...and the possibility of someone breaking that pathetic lock, taking a few gems out, is in fact pretty high..

I know for a fact that Tiesto lost a few gems when he touched down in Toronto as he had to score some vinyls from a local store..

So my advice once again....use a box and lotsa tape...don't even reveal that sparkle your pretty record box emits..

Posted by j_spot on Mar-18-2002 10:25:

thats why my plain black road case is soo great!