Air Canada 'changed their tune' on compensation for broken guitar, says musician

Guitarist Kevin Ramessar is disappointed by Air Canada's response after his $4,000 guitar was broken on a flight from New York to Toronto, and says the airline has "changed their tune" on compensation for the damage.

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The airline has said it will compensate him $1,500 as a goodwill gesture. It is also the maximum payout for lost and damaged baggage, as outlined in Air Canada'sterms and conditions.

Ramessar isn't satisfied.In fact, he says he was told they would cover much more.

"I had spoken with somebody the day after this happened from their priority desk and he had told me they would be happy to cover the full cost of the repair and a rental in the meantime," Ramessar told CBC Kitchener-Waterloo.

"So I guess it feels a little odd that they changed their tune. I guess I'm disappointed because at the end I'm left holding the short end of the stick for something that could have been avoidable."

'That's not a normal thing'

Ramessarplays lead guitar in the show,Beautiful: The Carole King Musical,on Broadway.

He said the guitar was undamaged in a protective case, with fragile stickers,when he left it in Air Canada's hands inNew York. When it arrived in Toronto the case was undamaged, but the neck of the guitar inside had been snapped.

"They were trying to make it sound like this is a normal kind of thing that can happen while flying."

"I've been on hundreds of flights for maybe eight or nine years with this guitar, with that case, all across Canada and America and that's not a normal thing."

Ramessar said his guitar will take months to repair.In the meantime he's looking for a suitable replacement rental.

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