Most passengers face inconvenience at airports after authorities severely restricted what could be brought into aircraft cabins in the wake of a reported terrorist plot to bring explosives on board planes in hand luggage and detonate them over the United States.
But after enjoying summer success run at London's Royal Opera House, Alexander Vedernikov, the chief conductor of the Bolshoi in Moscow, said he was concerned that rare instruments could be seriously damaged by placing them in the hold.
"I saw two violins in the baggage, which is unacceptable," he said. "Musicians from the Bolshoi will be returning from their London tour later in the month so we will have to choose a new route."
The U.K. Department for Transport has prohibited carry-on on board planes and banned almost any liquid - even bottled baby milk is subjected to restrictions - from being taken onto aircraft in connection with fears that the alleged terrorists were seeking to detonate a liquid-based explosive device.
But Vedernikov said many musicians from the Moscow-based Bolshoi played unique instruments from the state collection and were prohibited under contracts from leaving them under any pretext whatsoever.
"It is quite possible that they will have to get on a train to Paris and leave for Moscow from there," the conductor said.
Vedernikov also said passengers from what he had seen at London's Heathrow airport had experienced few inconveniencies given the situation, except that they had had to give up their carry-on luggage.
Hundreds of flights were cancelled Thursday at almost all of London's airports, which affected about 400,000 people after police said they had detained over 20 people suspected of intending to perpetrate a series of terrorist attacks.
The Bolshoi celebrated the 50th anniversary of its first performance of Tchaikovsky's Swan Lake in London this year with an ongoing critically acclaimed season at Convent Garden. The St. Petersburg-based Kirov Ballet, known as the Mariinsky in Russia, has also been enjoying a run in the U.K.
