Pine, who was the first passenger on board, quoted American Airlines policy, which states: ‘You can travel with small musical instruments as your carry-on item on a first come, first serve basis as long as it: fits in the overhead bin; or fits under the seat in front of you.’
But according to the violinist the captain replied, ‘It is not going on because I say so’.
A little dictator exercising his power. Sad.
This is especially problematic given the value of the instrument, and the fact that:
‘The Department of Transportation and the airlines have established important policies to protect musical instruments. However, those policies are meaningless if they are not enforced or if the airline staff and crews are not properly educated and trained,’ says Pine.
Or if they’re assholes…
Source: American Airlines pilot denies Rachel Barton Pine access to cabin with her violin – The Strad