FLIGHT CASES

[shyamwestwind]

Hi
Could someone tell me if its alright to bring in a keyboard to Australia in a flight case made out of thin plywood, from India ??
Are there any restrictions on bringing articles made of wood from India to Australia ? Are plywood flight cases exempt from such a rule if there is one ?

[thingyy]

Pretty strick on wooden goods at customs. If you are wiiling to take the risk and pay fumigation costs which would also include the contents of the flight case.
Are you moving over or just holidaying?

[shyamwestwind]

Hi thingvy
Thanks for the info. My friend will be travelling to Melbourne and he has his Yamaha Pro 9000 to transport, but if he has to go all these hassles at the customs, he'd etter have a rethink.
What material are the flight cases there, made of ? What is your advice for him ?

[gibbo]

Hi Shyam,
I've sent you a PM with the details but for anyone else out there who's wondering;
www.daffa.gov.au/aqis/import/timber/types
has all the Quarantine requirements. It has a database that lets you search thousands of products. The key point is often; where is it coming from!
Anyone who's ever seen "Border Patrol" on TV will tell you one thing; make sure you Declare it on the Customs and Quarantine entry-card when you arrive in Australia. Failure to Declare is one thing that'll guarantee you a fine, possible confiscation until it's fumigated, and a whole lot of sitting around in the airport.
That being said, commercially made flight-cases come and go all the time here.
Cheer, Dave.

[allegro]

Hi shyam.
Would have thought anybody with any sence would have second thoughts about putting a good keyboard into a plywood flight case and putting it on a plane.By far the safest way would be a case made from a foam padded alluminium one, nice and rigid and should stand baggage handling.

cheer's allegro

[thingyy]

Gotta get an aluminium or heavy duty plastic keyboards case. Or 5km of bubble wrap.Why not hire a keyboards over here if he is on tour, save a lot of hastles.

[gibbo]

I agree with Thingyy, hiring here is a lot less hassle and avoids any potential damage to your beloved keys during transit.
I have a mate who comes out from the States to perform here. He just brings copies of his own Patches and Samples on CD/Smart Card/USB Drive. He hires the keyboards here (very reasonable rates too), gets 'em delivered and set up for him (and picked up after the gigs), loads up his sounds and away he goes.
Easy-as, less hassle and cheaper than the excess baggage charges and risk to his own equipment!

[shyamwestwind]

Thanks for the inputs, guys - the aluminium idea is good . Regarding hiring of keyboards, my friend is emigrating to Australia

[thingyy]

Sell it and buy one in Australia, I am suprised how cheap things are over here.