American Airlines thought a cello was a safety risk

American Airlines thought a cello was a safety risk. But they didn't drag it off the plane.
(Image credit: Scott Olson/Getty Images)

A professional musician was kicked off an American Airlines flight after his cello was declared a safety risk. John Kaboff bought an extra ticket so he could strap his $100,000 instrument into the seat next to him for a trip from Washington, D.C., to Chicago. But the flight crew deemed it unsafe and ordered Kaboff off the plane, "like I just committed a crime," he said. The airline later promised to refund the cello's ticket.

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