Date: Sun, 21 Apr 2002 02:53:22 EDT
Subject: Re: PUPT: Flying vs shipping


    All our shows are built to fly....it's much less expensive to utilize 
baggage allowance than to ship.  Weight and size are major 
considerations...I've discussed this over and over on puptcrit....Maybe I 
should write a book.  
    I shipped three boxes to Japan on my first tour there....cost $200 
outbound, but $2000 on return (plus carnet and via unaccompanied air 
freight)...tariffs are different FROM Japan than TO Japan. Once I took six 
boxes from LA to Sacramento...at the time, they allowed me four, so the two 
extra boxes each way cost more than my ticket....so I bought a second ticket.
     Last year I flew from Tel Aviv to Minsk...airfare $495.  Excess baggage 
charges (I only had three boxes...the same 3 that I took from LA to Tel Aviv 
as my entire baggage allowance) but since they had different regulations 
within Europe than from the US, I was charged an additional $500 for excess 
baggage.  
    Originally, back about 35 years ago, when I was an airline pilot and 
before deregulation, I created my boxes (which also serve as bases for my 
stages) to be the maximum size and weight for baggage.  Now, each airline 
sets it's own size and weight..For example, United is very restrictive, so I 
don't give them any of my money anymore.  Alaska, Northwest, Continental and 
Southwest Airlines are much more reasonable...max weight is 70 pounds, max 
size is length plus girth, but varies from airline to airline....so much for 
the advantages of deregulation.
    I will try to locate some of the articles that I wrote about four years 
ago on this subject...A lot depends on where you are going....Jim Gamble
    FWIW...for your non-standard bags, the airlines will not accept 
responsibility for poking holes in your cases, or smashing them...even if you 
build them out of steel....they train their baggage smashers to drop, gouge, 
tear, smash and destroy your baggage.
    


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