I have travelled to Zankinthos twice a year for the past 5 years with my saxophone going into the cabin as an allowable hand luggage in addition to my 1 piece of hand luggage. On my return journey this May I was told my sax was not allowed in the cabin, after a lengthy discussion where I asked the check in lady to check on her companys' own website to confirm what I had been trying to explain, I had my boarding card confiscated and told "your not flying unless your sax goes in the hold"

I reluctantly paid 17 euros as my sax was now "excess baggage"

When we arrived at Bristol my sax didnt come out on the carousel.

I reported the loss to the airport handlers and to Thomas cook who have informed me that the max payout is likely to be around £800 - a ruling of the Montreal Convention.

My sax is worth £5k which I explained to the agent at the airport. No facility was offered to me to make a payment to increase the level of insurance to cover my sax if it were to get lost.

I have proof ( a printed page including date and URL) of the website clearly stating that musical instruments can be taken in the cabin. I have the receipt for the excess baggage.

I feel I have been ripped off and am now at least £4200 out of pocket.

I have to wait 21 days before the item is even declared lost.

The website has been ammended and no longer has the page mentioning the musical instruments.

I tried the customer services and the loss adjusters who both say that I wont get any more that the £800 odd, I even rang the PR dept who then put me onto the Directors secretarial dept - they say the same.

I feel it was the companies fault that my sax had to go into the hold unnecesarily and as a result voided my own personal insurance that had it covered for the full amount as it was placed in the hold.

I am thinking of :

a. writing to all the directors of the company by getting their addresses from companies house.
b. Going to the media like watchdog
c. taking them to small claims court.

Your thoughts? any ideas?

any help in resolving this isssue would be greatly appreciated.