Vigilant security guards once again foiled what could have been a serious airline incident. Valery Ponomarev, an accomplished 63-year-old jazz musician, and former member of Art Blakey’s Jazz Messengers, attempted to board an Air India flight headed from Charles De Gaulle Airport in Paris to New York, armed with…his trumpet.
According to the NY Times, fast-reacting and ever-wary security guards tried to separate Mr. Ponomarev from his prized 1961 Connstellation trumpet, struggled with him, and broke his (non-playing) arm. He was held in detention for six hours, and then taken for treatment. Surgery was required to mend the bones. Next time, he’ll know better than to carry his trumpet with him on the plane. Book ’em Danno!