Cathay's 'rigid rules' will deter musicians: Hong Kong Sinfonietta chief

Cathay Pacific's "rigid" rules about carrying musical instruments on board will deter classical musicians from flying with the carrier, Hong Kong Sinfonietta's chief executive has warned.

The latest in a number of recent disputes surrounds a small trombone case that had to be checked in rather than carried as hand luggage after the airline insisted it was too big for the overhead locker of its twin-aisle Boeing 777.

The Sinfonietta had given advance notice of its requirements as early as November, but the group discovered on a return flight to Hong Kong last week that two much larger, unregistered trombone cases easily fitted into cabin storage.

Some 31 Sinfonietta artists had flown via Seoul to the Tongyeong International Music Festival in South Korea where they joined 50 musicians worldwide to perform with legendary violinist Gidon Kremer.

"I think these rules will make musicians think twice about travelling with bulkier instruments on Cathay," Sinfonietta chief Margaret Yang said, urging discretion and common sense.

"I want to believe that an award-winning airline should be able to understand orchestral travel and can provide flexibility."

The musicians travelled domestically around South Korea and Japan on a single-aisle Boeing 737 jets with no problems, Yang said.