davetravels

If a pax is required to buy a 2nd ticket for the cello, why shouldn't the cello be able to get a free seat once in a while?

5khours

But what I really want to know is ...Does the cello get free drinks?

Sabai

I believe the subject under discussion was his cello, not his organ.

davetravels

I can see where this thread's heading!

Sorry, OP!!

ryanm

Indeed. I do know, though, that another eminent cellist who is over 4MM on AA worked out a deal such that he can't earn miles for his cello but is only charged a nominal fee for the cello's seat.

There's a low-cost British airline that recently decided not to accept cellos at all, except as checked luggage--which of course is not an option.

It's not an easy issue, certainly, but DL seems to have emerged from this as anti-cello. And while cellists aren't, say, 47% of the population, they do--as professional musicians--travel a lot. I'm not sure it's worth writing off all of their business.

johnslloyd

Which airline does Yo-Yo Ma and his cello fly?

Delta3MM

I don't know. Put a trench coat on one, some glasses with fuzzy thick black eyebrows and a fake nose, well - it might pass as a very unwell passenger...

At least, that's the way I visualize it when I read this. Now getting they cello's driver's license or passport - well that's another story...

Billy

RobertS975

Many of my fellow Deltamaniacs act like Moses came down the mountain with a stone tablet detailing the SkyMiles rules and regulations. If a buy a second seat, why shouldn't that seat accrue SMs? Same with this fellow's cello seat, as far as I am concerned.

You are all concerned about this holy grail of BIS miles... I certainly am not, as the owner of both a DL Reserve card and a DL platinum card. But even in a revenue based earnings model, a second seat, by virtue of generating more revenue, should earn MQMs and SMs.

I have advocated in the past that DL should allow virtual mileage runs... buy the ticket to SIN, but don't actually fly it. DL does not have to service you, DL can give your seat away to someone else (charging twice for the same seat!) and you, as the FF, do not need to kill 4-5 days on a TPAC mileage run! Everybody wins.

obscure2k

Sorry that some have chosen to disparage Lynn Harrell, a world-class cellist. On my first flight on the Concorde, M.Rostropovich, brilliant cellist and, at the time, director of the Washington, D.C. Symphony orchestra was on board. He was seated by the window and his cello was seated on the aisle. It was thrilling to see both.

davetravels

And at those prices, I certainly hope he got credit for both seats on SOME airline program!

As someone said above, these people take their (musical) instruments on a lot of trips, and this story will likely travel thru the music community. Surely DL will lose some money over it, although they'll probably never know how much.

jdrtravel

Why would a passenger get double miles? I don't think this was the issue. The second seat would have to have its own SM account. In this case, the cello earned miles,which I think is reasonable if it always needs a seat.

jzumrick

what the cellist should have done is set up a separate SM account for the cello, and let the cello buy him a ticket.

TheMadBrewer

I've been on a plane with lots of so called "celebrities" and would never thing of posting/texting/tweeting about any of them.

But if luck found on the same plane as Mr Harrell, I'd be posted as fast as I could get GoGo working. A good number of the eastbound TATL flights I've done in the past 20 year has found me falling asleep (or trying to -- I'm in Y for Pete's sake) to his recording of the Bach Cello Suites. I used to haul around the actual CD's before we had these newfangled gadgets.

If he bought all the seats on the plane, it'd still be less than the price of his cello. Delta should happy he allows it on their planes

Remember, he is likely buying 2 FC (or J) seats whenever he travels. If this is true, seems short sighted to piss off such a HVC.

FireEmblemPride

DL should just institute an extra seat mileage earning policy.

1. Second seat earns no MQMs
2. Second seat earns 50% of base miles of the first seat
3. No Medallion or class of service bonuses
4. Must go to account of first seat

Sez_Who

Really only one reason…. Because DL says so. Not defending the rule, only that it is their airline and they can have whatever rules they want. We either play by their rules or pick up our toys and go play somewhere else. Got a feeling most musicians will do just that going forward. Personally would much rather sit next to a cello than a screaming child, oversized pax who just can’t fit in only one seat, or a DYKWIA.