§41724 Musical instruments

Summary

Airlines must let a passenger bring a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument into the cabin without charging more than the usual carry-on fee if the instrument can be stowed safely under a seat or in a cabin compartment and there is space when the passenger boards. If an instrument is too large for that, the airline must still allow it in the cabin without extra charge beyond the cost of buying an additional seat if it is in a case or covered, weighs no more than 165 pounds, fits the stowage rules the Administrator sets, and contains nothing illegal. If the instrument cannot go in the cabin, the airline must check it as baggage if its length + width + height is 150 inches or less, it weighs no more than 165 pounds, and it can be stowed under the Administrator’s rules. The Secretary must issue final rules within 2 years, and the requirements start when those rules are issued.