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[petefoth]

It occurred to me that taking a melodeon as hold baggage on a plane might cause a problem because of the low air pressure. My reasoning was as follows:

• The bellows of a melodeon are (is?) sealed: to get air in or out, one of the reeds or the air button must be open.
• When you board the plane, the air in the bellows is at a pressure of one atmosphere
• As you climb the pressure in the hold decreases but the pressure inside the bellows stays the same
• Eventually the pressure difference becomes too great and the bellows pops like a balloon.

It also occurred to me that this may be complete nonsense for a couple of reasons

• The bellows is not completely air tight so the pressure inside would equalise as the pressure outside drops
• When the box is in its case, the bellows is compressed and so contains no air to cause the problem
• The case would keep the whole box compressed so no damage could be done

This isn't an urgent problem for me as I have not yet reached the stage of performing internationally :) but it's annoying me and I would love to know the answer.

Regards

Pete

[BruceHenderson]

  It occurred to me that taking a melodeon as hold baggage on a plane might cause a problem because of the low air pressure.  (snip)

__.  I crossed the Atlantic about every 2-3 weeks for about 10 years.  Always carried a melodeon (usually my Castig. Hascy) and never had a bit of trouble.  Every box is going to leak a little bit and the slow changes in air pressure (they have to keep them slow to avoid hurting peoples' ears) get easily equalized.  If it bothers you, you can block the air button open.

[TomB-R]

I'd doubt that the pressure differential is actually much greater than occurs moment by moment in hearty playing.
The seal of the pallets is surely unlikely to be good enough to allow a problem.

[Rob2Hook]

I always carry my box as hand baggage - could always do some busking when its delayed?  I've worked alongside baggage handlers and no way are they ever touching one of my boxes!!!!!  All but the biggest melodeon will fit the restrictions in a gig bag and can be easily pushed under the seat in front - NOT in the overhead locker.  I think your comments about pressure differentials are nothing but a wind up.  If I sling the box over my shoulder to buy a pint, something tickles my knees before I've caught the barmaids eye - and I've never been that lucky!

More interesting is that you need to know the correct name for the instrument in the local language when it goes through the x-ray machine, e.g. "Mein Zieharmonika, bitte?"

Rob.