The list of instrumentalist, mostly cellists, dealing with travel problems is long. On top is now cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason who was due to perform with his pianist sister Isata in Toronto, but were kicked off an Air Canada flight despite having booked a separate ticket for the cello.
Sheku Kanneh-Mason writes on social media: « We were deeply saddened not to be able to perform for you at Koerner Hall last night. We had severe misfortune with the flights and tried our very best to reach you. First we had delays, then a cancellation, and the day concluded by being denied boarding with the cello – despite having a confirmed seat for it – on a new, final flight into Toronto. After nine anxious hours at the airport, we realised our journey wasn’t going to be possible. »
Kanneh-Mason had a similar experience in September 2023, when he was barred from a British Airways flight travelling from Bucharest to London Heathrow, despite having paid a separate ticket for his cello.
Kanneh-Mason says: « We can only dream of a time when all airlines have a standardised, global and carefully considered approach to the carriage of precious instruments that are booked to travel in the cabin. »
It would indeed make sense for the aviation supervisory authorities to draw up a generally applicable and binding regulation for the transportation of valuable instruments in the cabin.
