Dear list members:

I just returned from a conference in Gainesville to which I took a poster
based on my research.  A local artist told me that I could probably have it
on board with me and it would be put in a compartment/closet in the front of
the plane, that artists carry their portfolios with them all of the time
this way.

When I called USAir they told me it would be at the discretion of the
individual airports that I passed through, so I ended up carrying the
posterboard separately from the pieces, in case it got lost.

When I arrived at Nashville airport the 2' by 3' posterboard was put in a
box and put with cargo.  When leaving Gainesville for the hub in Charlotte,
North Carolina I saw another conference attendee with her poster wrapped in
brown paper getting on the flight.  She said she had insisted the poster
stay with her.  I tried that in Nashville to no good effect.

How do the rest of you deal with this?  Thanks, Miriam