Flying with instrument story

<p>A couple weeks ago we heard on the news that British airlines had decided to allow musicians to carry on their instruments (reverting to the rules prior to the latest security threat.) Apparently, concerts were being cancelled because musicians weren't willing to check their instruments.</p>

<p>Now, if only France and India would reach a similar agreement:</p>

<p><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/10/nyregion/10musician.html?_r=1&ref=music&oref=slogin%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://www.nytimes.com/2006/10/10/nyregion/10musician.html?_r=1&ref=music&oref=slogin&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p>

<p>In case you have to register to see this, here are some excerpts:</p>

<p>As international authorities strive to harmonize a myriad of rules for carry-on flight luggage, a Russian-American jazz musician is nursing a broken arm he said he suffered in a struggle with French airport police over his right to board with a prized trumpet.</p>

<p>According to Mr. Ponomarev, when he arrived late to board an evening flight, a flustered Air India employee retrieved his trumpet from a luggage belt at a security checkpoint without explanation to place it in the plane’s hold.</p>

<p>Mr. Ponomarev protested vigorously, he said, because he had hand-carried the instrument on an earlier connecting flight and also had noticed that another passenger was carrying aboard a sitar. His angry complaints attracted the notice of an Air India supervisor, who summoned the police.</p>

<p>Four officers came running to take his trumpet case, but Mr. Ponomarev refused to give it to them, and one of them subdued him by wrenching his arm behind his back and, according to the musician, breaking it.</p>

<p>All I can say is...I'm glad DS did his study abroad LAST year. The biggest worry he had was his three instruments. Luckily (last year) British Air didn't bat an eyelash when he carried all three (in one case) onto the plane...along with his laptop. If he had to put his trumpets in the hold, they would have to put HIM there with them.</p>