Carryon Equality for Musical Instruments

We, the Traveling Musicians of the United States (TMUS) are requesting of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and all US based aircraft manufacturers and air carriers the following changes to 1) current carryon baggage policies and 2) future construction standards for commercial aircraft:

1) That current carryon baggage policies be expanded to include a measurement of volume (expressed as cubic inches) to be consistent with the volume expressed by their current Length/Width/Height dimensions;
2) That future design parameters of aircraft include at least two (2) overhead bins that measure 48Ё in length, like those equipped by the best airline in the world, Southwest Airlines.

We seek relief of ongoing injury to our livelihood via the following rationales;

WHEREAS

ж The standard guitar case only contains 2,600 cubic inches, and, is in reality, SMALLER in volume than any current carryon limit for any US-based airline;
ж That musicians have endured decades of stress and worry over how the tools of our livelihood are battered about when they are loaded as checked baggage;
ж That, (unlike every other passenger), we are forced to abandon any loss/liability rights and coverage of our professional tools and their cases V even when instances of intentional destruction can be delivered on videotape;
ж That in exchange for this boon, we are willing to limit ourselves to one instrument as our single carryon, provided it does not exceed the smallest currently allowable volume of 2,772 cubic inches;
ж That in order to guarantee the safe arrival of our tools, we must unfairly buy a 2nd seat representinga 21-lb. burden
ж That we are not asking for additional volume than is already provided for by the policies of the following airlines.
5,616 cubic inches Airtran
3,840 cubic inches Southwest
3,840 cubic inches Frontier
3,840 cubic inches JetBlue
2,772 cubic inches American
2,772 cubic inches United
2,772 cubic inches Continental
2,772 cubic inches Delta
2,772 cubic inches US Airways

2,598 cubic inches (A Standard Dreadnaught Guitar Case)

Respectfully Submitted,

TC Smythe
[email protected]