§41724 — Title 49 Transportation | U.S. Code

Summary

Airlines must let passengers bring musical instruments into the airplane cabin without charging extra beyond the normal carry-on fee if the instrument can be stored safely under a seat or in a cabin compartment and there is room when the passenger boards. If an instrument is too big for ordinary carry-on, the passenger may still bring it into the cabin without extra instrument fees if it’s in a case, weighs no more than 165 pounds, follows federal stowage rules, contains no banned items, and the passenger buys an extra seat for it. If an instrument cannot go in the cabin, the airline must accept it as checked baggage if its outside dimensions add up to no more than 150 inches, it weighs no more than 165 pounds, and it can be stowed per federal rules. The Secretary must issue final rules within 2 years of enactment, and these requirements take effect when those rules are issued.

Title 49, §41724

Transportation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)An air carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to any standard fee that carrier may require for comparable carry-on baggage, if—

(A)the instrument can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or under a passenger seat, in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Administrator; and

(B)there is space for such stowage at the time the passenger boards the aircraft.

(2)An air carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a musical instrument that is too large to meet the requirements of paragraph (1) in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to the cost of the additional ticket described in subparagraph (E), if—

(A)the instrument is contained in a case or covered so as to avoid injury to other passengers;

(B)the weight of the instrument, including the case or covering, does not exceed 165 pounds or the applicable weight restrictions for the aircraft;

(C)the instrument can be stowed in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Administrator;

(D)neither the instrument nor the case contains any object not otherwise permitted to be carried in an aircraft cabin because of a law or regulation of the United States; and

(E)the passenger wishing to carry the instrument in the aircraft cabin has purchased an additional seat to accommodate the instrument.

(3)An air carrier shall transport as baggage a musical instrument that is the property of a passenger traveling in air transportation that may not be carried in the aircraft cabin if—

(A)the sum of the length, width, and height measured in inches of the outside linear dimensions of the instrument (including the case) does not exceed 150 inches or the applicable size restrictions for the aircraft;

(B)the weight of the instrument does not exceed 165 pounds or the applicable weight restrictions for the aircraft; and

(C)the instrument can be stowed in accordance with the requirements for carriage of carry-on baggage or cargo established by the Administrator.

(b)Not later than 2 years after the date of enactment of this section, the Secretary shall issue final regulations to carry out subsection (a).

(c)The requirements of this section shall become effective on the date of issuance of the final regulations under subsection (b).

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

References in Text

The date of enactment of this section, referred to in subsec. (b), is the date of enactment of Pub. L. 112–95, which was approved Feb. 14, 2012. Final

Regulations

, referred to in subsecs. (b) and (c), were issued Dec. 29, 2014, effective Mar. 6, 2015. See 80 F.R. 161.

§41724 Musical Instruments