Top Cellist Steven Isserlis Prevented from Boarding Flight with Cello
Reposted from Classic FM. A nightmare mix-up at the check-in desk meant that Steven Isserlis (and his cello) completely missed his flight—the last one that day… Last night, British cellist Steven Isserlis joined the growing list of cellists and other instrumentalists who have had problems checking in their instruments onto flights: Isserlis shared the whole nightmare story on his Facebook page, from the first heart-sinking moments of doubt "Have you paid for the cello seat?" to the dash across Heathrow to catch an alternative flight to a different city entirely. Here's the story in all its painful detail [retrieved from Mr. Isserlis' Facebook page]: "My latest adventure - courtesy of KLM... Now, I’d been planning to present another musical rant in the near future, and was already vaguely planning it [...]
International Federation of Musicians Publishes Ranking of Airlines’ Musical Instrument Policies
The International Federation of Musicians has published a ranking of airlines' musical instrument policies. The rating system ranks policies as red, amber or green according to how accommodating each airline is of musicians’ instruments in the cabin. From the IFM website: Airline rating | Disclaimer 1. The information that we provide about the airlines’ policies re. musical instruments strictly reflects the information that was available on the airlines’ websites at the time these data were last updated on the FIM website (please check the date of the last update). 2. Our rating of airlines is based on the following criteria: • Airlines complying with the current US FAA regulation (entered into force in 2015) are rated as GREEN (best grade). These companies accept musical instruments in the cabin, provided they fit [...]
Petition to Change British Airway’s Instrument Baggage Policy
Reprinted from The Violin Channel on 6-11-2016 A change.org petition has been launched today calling for British Airways to change their instrument baggage policy – following a June 4th incident at Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport where Dunedin Consort Concertmaster, Cecilia Bernardini was refused entry inflight with her 18th Century violin and case. ‘This is unacceptable behavior by the BA staff,” the petition reads, “ … while of course we musicians understand the many stresses associated with working at an airport desk, we believe that BA needs to understand that the instruments we carry around are not just the tools of our trade but also priceless works of art.’ “I call on BA to institute a policy to clearly allow musical instruments to be carried on as hand luggage – otherwise musicians [...]
Some Hassles of International Cello Travel
By Zachary Mowitz: Curtis Institute cello student Zachary Mowitz tells the story of his recent travel to Europe, and the stress and aggravation caused by inconsistent cello policies between airlines, and untrained and uninformed airline personnel. As a student cellist I've had several occasions to travel by plane with my cello, both domestically and internationally. This is the first journey where I've had any difficulty at all-- every time I've traveled before, I've always been let on (I even traveled to Europe with Lufthansa a couple years ago, and they were one of the most helpful back then), with at most a look of incredulity at my bringing a big guitar on board. In fact, everything looked all right, at first, for this flight. Lufthansa let me check in (at Philly for a flight to Valencia, [...]
Curtis on Tour is Stalled by Airline Refusal To Take Cello
Reprinted from Slipped Disc May 21, 2016 Students from the Curtis Institute were boarding a plane at Philadelphia this weekend at the start of a tour of Spain when a Lufthansa official refused to take a cello on board. The cellist, Zach, had to take another plane – American Airlines, no problem with cello – but he could only get a flight to London and spent many hours trying to connect up with the others in Valencia. The first Curtis on Tour performance is May 18 in Alicante. Curtis have confirmed that ‘there were indeed difficulties with a cello’ and are looking into the incident. Lufthansa have offered no excuses, yet. UPDATE: Apparently, at Philadelphia airport, Lufthansa staff gave a variety of reasons why the cello [...]
Breaking | Norwegian Air Announce New Violin-Friendly Cabin Policy
Reprinted from The Violin Channel February 4, 2016 Read this wonderful news from the Violin Channel and then go change.org and sign the petition insisting that WestJet Airlines also adopt Industry standards for accommodating musical instruments. Together we can make a difference – Thank you! Norwegian Air has today announced a new official cabin-baggage policy – allowing violins and violas to be brought onboard as hand luggage. The policy change comes after an expose was posted on The Violin Channel on January 20th – which to date has received over 160,000 page views, and more than 400 comments, 3000 social media shares and 15,000 Facebook likes. “We understand that sometimes you’ll want to bring your instrument with you onboard … if you’re traveling with a larger instrument, such as a violin or a viola, then [...]
WestJet Airlines: We Challenge Your Policy on Seats for Musical Instruments
Edited by CelloBello from the Change.org petition of January 30, 2016 Read this petition and the two blogs below it, and then, please... go to Change.org and sign this petition. We must insist WestJet stop bumping cellists off its flights! Nathan Chan, a young student cellist at the Juilliard School, was recently prevented from boarding a WestJet flight because he was traveling with his cello – even though he had purchased a ticket for the instrument in advance. WestJet, whose policy is clearly out of step with virtually all other airlines, refuses to budge, and thus prevents musicians from doing their jobs. In February 2014, the International Music Federation adopted a regulation facilitating the transport of musical instruments in cabins: F.I.M. Adopts regulations for musical instruments in cabins Then, [...]
Famed Cellist Angry That Canadian Airline’s Policy Banning Cellos from Cabin Still Unchanged
[Blogmaster’s note: If you are upset after reading this story and want to add your voice, please go to change.org and sign the petition!] Paul Katz says he is ‘outraged’ after WestJet refused a cello in the cabin during a flight from Vancouver, four years after he received the same treatment. Reprinted from the Vancouver Metro, January 28, 2016 By Thandi Fletcher A renowned American cellist says he is “outraged” after hearing that WestJet refused to allow a young musician’s cello in the cabin during a recent flight from Vancouver, even though he bought an extra seat for the instrument. Nearly four years ago, Paul Katz says he received the same treatment. “I get angry,” he told Metro. “I just think WestJet is so indefensible, and their attitude is so cavalier. They’re just [...]
Despicable WestJet Airlines Once Again Refuses Cello in Cabin!
Cello boarding pass correctly purchased by Nathan Chan. (CBBG stands for Cabin Baggage.) Canadian-based WestJet Airlines, to my knowledge, is the only airline with an official policy of not allowing a cello onboard, yet they seem to have no problem selling a seat for a cello and then denying boarding at the gate! Read in the Boston Globe how this happened to me in 2013. The situation has been suffered by cellists numerous times since, the latest being Juilliard student Nathan Chan, who I applaud for fighting back! By contrast, competitor Air Canada recently adopted a a “friendly skies” policy towards musical instruments as cabin baggage, and in the United States, the Passenger Bill of Rights says that airlines must allow the purchase of [...]
Second Double Bass Smashed at Atlanta Airport This Week [SHOCK]
Reposted from the Violin Channel. Only days after American bassist Karl Fenner published alarming photos on social media of his badly damaged instrument, following a US flight from Atlanta to Denver, University of Georgia faculty member, Milton Masciadri has today posted similar images of his beheaded double bass – following a flight via the same airport. Mr Masciardri has indicated he was travelling from Atlanta to Arkansas, on Monday when the neck of his 18th Century Carlo Antonio Testore double bass was severed in transit – believed to have been caused by a Transport Security Administration (TSA) officer failing to reattach the case restraining belt following a routine inspection. ‘In my case they failed to put the restraining belt on the neck of the bass after inspection,” Masciardri has scorned angrily on social media, ” … this is the second instrument broken [...]
Air Canada Announces Discount and Pre-Boarding Privileges for Musicians
Enhancements to Policy on Musical Instruments We are happy to introduce a few enhancements to our carry-on baggage policy that will be of great interest to you if you travel with a musical instrument. In addition to our current policy that ensures items which meet our carry-on size requirements * can be brought on board and stored in the overhead bins or under the seat in front of you, we now offer a 50% discount off any fare, including the lowest available one, to customers who would like to purchase a seat to accommodate their musical instrument in the same cabin that they are booked in. […]
Air Travel with Musical Instruments: Final Ruling!
Reposted from BMI News. As of March 6, 2015, it’s official and no longer at the discretion of the various airlines. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, musicians who board planes must be allowed to carry on their instruments provided they fit in the overhead bin. If this space isn’t large enough, the musician is also permitted to purchase a second seat in which to stow their musical companion. One caveat: the airlines don’t have to prioritize musical instruments ahead of any other carry-on luggage, so if the bins are full, you’ll still have to check your instrument at the gate. To remedy this, the DoT suggests that musicians may want to pay the airline’s fee for priority boarding to ensure that there will be room for their gear. [...]
This Looks Like Another Viola Joke, but it’s Not a Joke! Air Canada’s Outrageous New Policy
Reposted from The Violin Channel Air Canada has today published a detailed explanation of its musical instrument transportation policy—declaring violins and cellos are permitted to be taken within the cabin, but violas must be transported within the hold. “Violins may be accepted as carry-on or checked baggage,” the online Air Canada policy statement has outlined—however “Violas can only be accepted as checked baggage.” “A cello may be accepted as checked baggage, or may be transported in the cabin if a seat is purchased for it,” the statement reads. The new policy differs from most international airline carriers—who make no distinction in the rules between violins and violas. The policy announcement comes just months after virtuoso Itzhak Perlman filed a formal complaint against the airline—after he was abandoned by an Air Canada disability assistant at Toronto’s Pearson International Airport. Below are excerpts [...]
A String Player’s Guide to the Ivory Ban
If you plan to travel abroad this summer, you may need a passport… for your bow. Horror stories have been circulating about the confiscation of string players’ bows at international borders due to the recent “ivory ban.” On Saturday, May 31st, seven bows belonging to members of the Budapest Festival Orchestra were seized at JFK Airport (these did not have proper documentation, and have since been released). More alarming – a bow owned by a double-bassist in the Bavarian Radio Orchestra has been held at JFK since the orchestra passed through in mid-May, as it was found to contain a piece of bone from […]
Reprint: Two Travel News Articles from The Violin Channel
Below are two articles from The Violin Channel on traveling string players' issues. Trio Violinists Denied Access to Carry Violins On US Airways Flight [VIDEO] Posted May 27, 2014 in NEWS Violinists Zach de Pue and Nick Kendall, from the string trio Time for Three, have today released a fly-on-the-wall YouTube video – after being stopped on the tarmac of the Charlotte Douglas International Airport, by ill-informed US Airways crew members – claiming their violins were impermissible within the cabin. En route to the Artosphere Arts and Nature Festival in Arkansas, the Captain asked both men to exit the plane and wait on the tarmac, so the frustrated musicians took to twitter and their phones: TIME FOR THREE | VIOLINISTS DENIED US AIRWAYS FLIGHT “We were stopped as we entered the plane by the captain and his stewards. They told us [...]