A BAN on large instruments from aircraft cabins is proving a major headache for organisers of the Victor Hugo International Music Festival. Musicians from around the world – including a string quartet from Russia and the UK-based Northern Sinfonia – are scheduled to take part in the week long event in Guernsey later this month.

But restrictions imposed after last month’s national terror alert have forced musicians used to carrying their instruments in the cabin to pack them in the hold.

‘It seems to be victimisation of musicians and is making the festival very expensive for us,’ said organiser Richard de la Rue.

‘We are still trying to work out how we can overcome it.’

Following the restrictions, the St Petersburg String Quartet has had to reorganise its travel from a festival in Germany to arrive here by ferry.

Mr de la Rue added that a Dutch instrumental group billed to take part faced having to take the ferry or even chartering a private plane to get across.

‘There are many other musicians coming from the UK, not least the Northern Sinfonia.

‘They have to carry their instruments in a van and bring them 400 miles here.

‘That takes a day and now they can’t rehearse for the day they were supposed to.’

He said that each performer needed their own instrument – borrowing local ones was not an option.

Airport director Colin Le Ray said it was enforcing restrictions imposed on it by the UK Department for Transport.

‘I think early on there was some confusion to the effect that no instruments should be carried on board, but there are no problems so long as they fall within the size limit,’ said Mr Le Ray.

‘The only instruments that can be taken on board an aircraft must comply with the current restrictions of 45x35x16cm.

‘Anything that exceeds those dimensions would have to be placed in the hold.’

He could not say when the current arrangements would be lifted.

Guernsey-based international harpist Andrew Lawrence-King has said that if the restrictions continued, they would force him to shift his collection of some 25 harps off the island, which would make it harder for him to come home when not touring.

‘For a homesick islander on the road 300 days a year, this is heartbreaking,’ said Prof. Lawrence-King.

‘Thousands of children, students and music-lovers are being forced to check in their beloved violin, flute or guitar as hold baggage, where it may well be damaged in transit.

‘For a professional musician, an instrument represents one’s entire livelihood. If it arrives damaged, a concert or an entire tour involving several musicians and many thousands of audience members may be at risk.’

Prof. Lawrence-King has asked the Culture and Leisure Department to lobby the Department for Transport to ease the restrictions for musicians.

The petition follows moves by the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport to put pressure on the DfT to make dispensations for musicians and Saturday’s protest by conductor Sir Mark Elder at the Last Night of the Proms over difficulties caused by the present arrangements.

Culture and Leisure chief officer Dave Chilton said the board was to meet today and that it was highly likely that it would support a letter backing the campaign being sent through the Policy Council to the UK Government.