[Emily Raw]

My husband is a New York musician & was playing an important acoustic show in Los Angeles sponsored by a generous patron. So he brought his Gibson guitar.

Upon our return we arrived an hour early but were singled out at the gate by the JetBlue agent in Long Beach who refused categorically to allow the guitar on the flight. My husband tried to explain the value & importance of the instrument upon which his livelihood depends but she was dismissive, insisting that there would be no room in the overhead compartments (the guitar easily lays flat in the overhead & all our other bags fit under our seats). She guaranteed us that if gate-checked the guitar would come to no harm. As we boarded, she joked to a colleague about my husband's concern. Hilarious.

From my vantage point on board alone, there were two completely empty overhead compartments. There would absolutely have been enough room for the guitar without inconveniencing other passengers in the least.

When we arrived at JFK we were horrified to find the guitar case soaked with water inside & out, the guitar drenched.

This guitar was a delicate & valuable instrument made of wood & imbedded with electronics. Water warps wood & destroys electronics. It would cost a couple hundred dollars to replace the electronics, but because of warping on the neck the tone is irrevocably altered, the guitar unplayable. An instrument worth thousands of dollars has been destroyed thanks to JetBlue's negligence.

The supervisor at the gate to whom we made our complaint was dismissive, sneering & hostile. He informed us that any promises made in Long Beach were not his problem & refused responsibility for any water damage incurred in flight. He stated in no uncertain terms that JetBlue was not liable for what has turned out to be a devastating financial loss for us.

This attitude by airlines is such a pervasive problem for musicians that there is actually a bill in Congress right now to protect instruments from forced checking (S.223, The FAA Air Transportation Modernization and Safety Improvement Act) so long as they fit in the overhead compartment. TSA allows one musical instrument per person through security as a carry-on item, but past that point airlines can currently impose their own restrictions. It is clearly JetBlue's policy to force check guitars whether or not there is space on board. & then to deny liability for damages incurred due to this policy.