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https://www.9news.com.au/world/top-musician-sheku-kanneh-mason-forced-to-
cancel-concert-after-air-canada-refused-to-give-his-priceless-cello-a-
seat-on-plane/3517454f-6f0a-4303-a962-08791012d234

Famed British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, who became a household name 
after performing at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, has 
said he had to cancel a concert in Canada after the country's largest 
airline denied his pre-booked seat for his cello.

Kanneh-Mason is currently on a winter tour in North America with his 
sister, pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason, and the pair were scheduled to perform 
in Toronto on Wednesday.

"We were deeply saddened not to be able to perform for you at Koerner Hall 
last night. We had severe misfortune with the flights and tried our very 
best to reach you," the duo said, addressing fans in Canada's biggest 
city, in a joint statement posted on social media on Thursday.

"First we had delays, then a cancellation, and the day concluded by being 
denied boarding with the cello – despite having a confirmed seat for it – 
on a new, final flight into Toronto. After nine anxious hours at the 
airport, we realised our journey wasn't going to be possible," the 
statement continued.

"We can only dream of a time when all airlines have a standardised, global 
and carefully considered approach to the carriage of precious instruments 
that are booked to travel in the cabin," they added.

CNN has reached out to Air Canada for comment.

According to his website, Kanneh-Mason's cello, which is on indefinite 
loan to him, was made in 1700 by famed Venetian luthier Matteo Goffriller. 
It is worth €3 million ($4.94 million), according to a short film about 
the instrument.

The siblings, who said they are working to secure a new concert date for 
next year, tagged Air Canada's social handle in the post.

Air Canada says on its website that it allows passengers to buy a seat for 
their musical instrument as long as it does not exceed 162.5 centimetres 
in height/length or 36 kilograms in weight. However, it warns that the 
number of instruments that each flight can accommodate is limited.

"This is a frequent and extremely frustrating experience for Sheku and 
many professional musicians with instruments that need to travel in the 
cabin of an aircraft," Kanneh-Mason's management at EMM Ltd/IMG Artists 
said in a statement to CNN Friday.

"It seems that we can arrange and provide all the necessary tickets, 
required specialist cello bookings, visas, proof of engagements and yet 
all too regularly there is an inconsistency of experience and training 
with booking systems and ground staff at airports," it continued.

"We would welcome some constructive discussion with the airline industry 
body. Whilst Air Canada has now at least refunded all the tickets, we have 
yet to receive any form of apology for their error which led to over a 
thousand people having their concert tickets cancelled that evening," it 
added.

Kanneh-Mason began to play the cello at age six and rose to fame after 
giving a spellbinding performance at the wedding of Harry and Meghan in 
2018. He was 19 years old at the time.

Sheku and Isata Kanneh-Mason are just two of seven musical siblings from 
Nottingham, England who play the piano, cello or violin.


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