{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-welcomes-long-awaited-airline-rules-for-carry-on-instruments", "Reed Welcomes Long-Awaited Airline Rules for Carry-On Instruments", "2014-12-31", "2014", "2014-12", "Democrat", "House", "RI", "Jack Reed", "R000122", "www.reed.senate.gov", null, null, "legacy", "12/31/2014\u00a0\u2014\u00a0WASHINGTON, DC \u2013 U.S. Senator Jack Reed (D-RI) today welcomed a final rule from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) regarding the treatment of musical instruments on commercial airlines.\u00a0 Reed urged Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx to issue the rule earlier this year, when media reports documented an incident in which members of the Rhode Island band Deer Tick were barred from bringing their guitars as carry-on luggage.\r\nSection 403 of the FAA Reauthorization and Reform Act of 2012 states that air carriers \u201cshall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument in the aircraft cabin,\u201d provided \u201cthe instrument can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or under a passenger seat\u201d and that \u201cthere is space for such stowage at the time the passenger boards the aircraft.\u201d\u00a0 The law also makes similar allowances for the transport of larger instruments in the airplane cabin when a separate ticket is purchased for the instrument.\r\nThe law was enacted in February 2012 and included a requirement that USDOT adopt regulations to carry out this provision within two years.\u00a0 The law could not become effective until the final rule has was issued, leading Reed to call on Secretary Foxx in July to end the delay and clarify the rules of the road.\u00a0 There have been numerous reports of musicians experiencing travel disruptions when attempting to board flights with their instruments, as well as accounts of loss, theft, or damage to instruments when the artists have been required to place them in in the baggage hold.\r\n\u201cI\u2019m pleased that, after nearly three years, there is a final rule that makes the FAA Modernization and Reform Act fully implemented and effective.\u00a0 It will be up to the airline industry, working with musician organizations, to familiarize airline personnel and travelers of their rights and responsibilities.\u00a0 I\u2019m pleased that Secretary Foxx in developing this rule brought the airlines and musicians together, and that dialogue should continue.\u00a0 We\u2019ll also need to closely evaluate the airlines\u2019 performance in handling valuable and fragile musical instruments,\u201d said Reed.\r\nIn July, after news reports that members of the band Deer Tick were detained and subsequently delayed on their return flight from Nashville to Rhode Island after they were barred from bringing their guitars as carry-on luggage, Reed sought to ensure other air travelers do not face similar problems.\u00a0 The delayed final rule, issued Tuesday by USDOT, requires that US airlines accept musical instruments as carry-on or checked baggage on commercial passenger flights, provided that certain conditions are met.\u00a0\r\n\"We have a lot of great musicians based here in\u00a0Rhode Island, and many who travel here for our world renowned music festivals.\u00a0 When they fly, they should be able to learn ahead of time how an airline will store their instruments during the flight. \u00a0If an instrument passes through security and can be stowed safely, it should permitted in the airplane cabin.\u00a0 This final rule is an important step towards a more uniform policy for musicians traveling with their instruments,\u201d added Reed.\r\nThe rule is expected to become effective in March.\r\n-end-\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\tPrint\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\tEmail\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t  \n\t\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\tTweet", 1, "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z", "2026-03-30T12:14:52Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["http://www.reed.senate.gov/news/releases/reed-welcomes-long-awaited-airline-rules-for-carry-on-instruments"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.3953070156276226, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}