US Congress Approves New FAA Guidelines
Policies established for traveling with an instrument
Following an extended effort by the American Federation of Musicians, Congress recently passed legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration. The bill included a section championed by the AFM to provide consistent guidelines for passengers traveling with instruments.
The take-away here is that this bill’s passage makes your instrument just as welcome onboard an airplane or other public transportation as anyone’s other luggage. A key to this provision is that there must be space in the overhead bin for your violin or viola (the cello is also welcome onboard, provided that you buy a bulkhead, non-exit-row seat), so make sure that you can get onboard before the parade of black roller bags fills the bin space. Those overhead bins are now first come, first served.
Oh, before you buy that ticket, the FAA has until February 6, 2014, to issue the regulations.
Look for a more substantial examination of the provisions in an upcoming issue of Strings magazine. But in the meanwhile, the Fretboard Journal’s blog features an informed piece on the bill. It’s worthwhile reading for anyone flying with a fiddle.
