AN award-winning musician has laid bare her anger at TSA checks she claims put precious carry-on items at serious risk.
Celebrated fiddle player Jenee Fleenor has traveled the world for the past two decades, and admits she has had few problems bringing her “precious musical baby” along for the ride.
Courtesy of Jenee FleenorJenee Fleenor is a multi-award winning musician[/caption] Courtesy of Jenee FleenorA disgruntled Jenee Fleenor told The U.S. Sun about her Nashville TSA nightmares[/caption]But Fleenor, the first female ever nominated for Country Music Awards Musician of the Year which she has won five times, spoke for an increasing number of her colleagues flying out of Nashville and the difficulties she says they have faced. She claimed to The U.S. Sun the fierce TSA screenings at the Music City airport have led to important instruments becoming damaged or broken.
Fleenor also detailed a recent alleged run-in with American Airlines staff she claims left her totally floored.
At the gate, she says she was told her precious cargo would need to go into the hold – which she feared would lead to a grim demise.
Fleenor alleges that the attendant working the flight was adamant she would have to buy another ticket or risk the worst happening.
“I knew it would fit,” Fleenor insisted, “ I told them it wouldn’t survive the trip, but I was facing an uphill battle.”
She added that all the other passengers were allowed onto the plane while she stood to the side to sort the issue and she feared that all space would be taken up by the time she was allowed to board.
Fleenor said it wasn’t until the arrival of a supervisor that the situation calmed, and she was indeed allowed to bring her fiddle on the flight.
“He was nice and said we should try and see if it fits—and it did!” she recalled.
“It creates so much anxiety. I should be carrying proof of the law the Nashville union helped create for situations like this.”
Fleenor also claims her troubles don’t stop at the gate.
“On my last trip, my instrument was actually damaged,” she said. “It’s a small, fragile instrument. It doesn’t take much to mess it up.
“Overseas, they don’t even touch my instrument. In the U.S.? It’s like—‘Help me, please!’ Even with newer machines in Canada or Illinois, it’s never as bad as in Nashville.”
Despite being at the mercy of airline rules, Fleenor said she has figured out a way to avoid the most stringent of checks at TSA.
As part of an extension, new dome-shaped scanners are in place for those with TSA pre-check in Nashville.
Since using these newly installed checkpoints, Fleenor claims she has been asked every single time to take her beloved fiddle out of the case.
Yet the eagle-eyed Arkansas native noticed those passengers who are left queuing in the regular line, are serviced by the old scanners.
The TSA officers operating those machines don’t need to ask anyone to remove any larger objects as they fit easily inside.
FIGHT FOR RIGHTS
“Every time you go through PreCheck in Nashville now, they take your instrument out,” Fleenor said.
“Our bass player said they even walk it around and hand-check everything. It’s like they don’t trust the case.”
TSA claims the instruments are “too big” for the machines—but Fleenor disagrees.
“Two or three trips ago, they actually put it through the scanner—no problem,” she added, “but that’s maybe one time out of 20 or 30.”
“You get so attached to the instruments. And it’s not just about the value—it’s personal.”
The U.S. Sun contacted American Airlines and Nashville International Airport for comment.
TSA's 3-1-1 rule
The Transportation Security Administration regulates the amount of liquids, aerosols, and gels that flyers can bring through airport security with the 3-1-1 liquids rule.
The 3-1-1 rule consists of the following:
Each container of liquid has to be 3.4 ounces or less.
All liquids have to fit in one clear, quart-sized, resealable bag.
Finally, passengers can only bring one bag of liquids each.
GettyAmerican Airlines had issues with Fleenor bringing her instruments on board[/caption]Hence then, the article about tsa horror story left american airlines flier fearing precious carry on would be banned from flight even though it fit was published today ( ) and is available on The U.S. Sun ( Middle East ) The editorial team at PressBee has edited and verified it, and it may have been modified, fully republished, or quoted. You can read and follow the updates of this news or article from its original source.
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