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Video goes viral after U.S. Air refuses to let musicians on Charlotte plane

CHARLOTTE — U.S. Airways refused to let two musicians carry their violins on a Charlotte flight on Monday.

The musicians shot a video and put it on YouTube. Since posting it one day ago, the video has had nearly 100,000 views.

Click here to watch the video.

Zach De Pue and Nick Kendall are two members of the classical music trio Time For Three. They said they travel all the time for concerts across the country. They told TV show "Right This Minute," which airs on Channel 9, that they have never been told they could not carry their instruments on a plane.

"We were just greeted by a steward who said, 'You have to check those instruments,' and we said, 'These are violins,'" said De Pue.

The pair said they were just making a connection in Charlotte on the way to an art festival in Arkansas.

When the captain told them their violins were not allowed on the flight, they said they were left alone on the tarmac with no direction from U.S. Airways.

As they were waiting, the pair made the viral video of De Pue practicing his music.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration's rules, a small instrument as carry-on baggage includes a violin. The rules also state the instrument can be stowed safely in a suitable baggage compartment in the aircraft cabin or under a passenger seat.

"We may be a little more outgoing, and willing to make a stance in the most surprising circumstances, like out on a tarmac with the jet engines, but this happens so many times," Kendall said.

Kendall said the instruments need to be carried on because they are so fragile. Combined, both violins are worth half a million dollars.

U.S. Airways put them on a later flight and allowed them to bring their instruments.