Well, one could say that the cello was almost exactly as loyal as Lynn Harrell, considering that, for most of his travel purposes (concert touring) the two were inseparable.

As it stands now, it looks like Delta just lost themselves two good paying customers, one of which made no demands or requests of the flight attendants, didn't have panic attacks while in a tin can at 35,000 feet, and didn't annoy the other passengers by chattering all the time.

And Delta KNEW that one of the two seats was occupied by a cello, not a person, even if their regulations may have required that the seat be booked in someone's name. And it was the travel agent who made the arrangements. If Delta was unhappy with the arrangement, they should have taken it up with THEM.

Not only did Delta screw Harrell out of the frequent flyer miles for the cello, but for HIM as well.

I think Delta did a dumb thing. It smells like sheer petty greed to me. For fifteen years Harrell has been strapping his cello in the other seat. Somebody MUST have noticed. But they squawk only after both Harrell and the insturment have earned a big wad of credit over the years!

Don Firth