Air Canada Archives

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. […]

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 [...]