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Negative publicity for Alitalia: 43,000 times the Facebook post has been shared, a huge blow ...jan_olieslagers wrote: ↑06 Jan 2018, 08:11 Yes indeed, always take instrument into the cabin. To take a very valuable instrument like this as hold luggage is sheer stupidity.
I once talked to a chap who said he always booked two tickets, one for himself and another for his double bass. There are a thousand horror stories about instruments, especially stringed instruments, broken by airline baggage handling. OTOH such an instrument, and especially the antiques, can be repaired almost indefinitely, even if it will make them loose some of their value.
Is that "chap that you have met once" perhaps Thomas Meeuwissen? Flemish tv VRT asked him about this incident yesterday, and he said exactly what you said: "try to book two tickets", and "this violin da gamba may look totally broken, but it may well be repaired":jan_olieslagers wrote: ↑06 Jan 2018, 08:11 I once talked to a chap who said he always booked two tickets, one for himself and another for his double bass. There are a thousand horror stories about instruments, especially stringed instruments, broken by airline baggage handling. OTOH such an instrument, and especially the antiques, can be repaired almost indefinitely, even if it will make them loose some of their value.
I'm quite sure you are also a musicianjan_olieslagers wrote: ↑06 Jan 2018, 14:39 No, there are more sensible experienced musicians in the world; quite many in fact. Neither was it from him alone I heard about repair being quite feasible.
When the airline refuses at the check-in, there is not much a passenger can do: leave it behind, or accept that it's luggage cargo. And as an orchestra leader, she is familiar with that possibility. Hence she insisted on precaution during handling. But seeing the damage on the photos, it's obvious that some handler hates classical music.
I would have bought a second seat in the aircraft ...Passenger wrote: ↑07 Jan 2018, 23:04When the airline refuses at the check-in, there is not much a passenger can do: leave it behind, or accept that it's luggage cargo. And as an orchestra leader, she is familiar with that possibility. Hence she insisted on precaution during handling. But seeing the damage on the photos, it's obvious that some handler hates classical music.
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I know from professional experience that not all airlines allow that passengers book an extra seat for a music instrument. Sure, they have some rules, but for XXL-size it's unsually on request. And sometimes it's refused indeed (I know at least one case, long haul flight, legacy carrier).jan_olieslagers wrote: ↑08 Jan 2018, 13:04 If a seat was booked for the instrument but access was still disallowed then there was indeed little else to do. Unexperienced as I am with airline travel, I cannot exclude that - but it does seem unlikely. If no separate seat was booked then the airline or its agents cannot be really blamed, the risk is well known. It is indeed surprising that such an experienced musician made such a decision, but perhaps we will never hear the full story.
And yes indeed, a Viola da Gamba, though variable in size, is the same size as a violoncello, or a bit larger.
the only requirement is, usually, that the violin case does not obstruct the hatch of the drop down oxygen to freely fall open, so it needs enough clearance from the PSU, usually around 37cm. As a viola da gamba is a relatively small violin (compared to a contrabass for example) that should not be an issue if a second seat was bought.Passenger wrote: ↑08 Jan 2018, 13:30.
I know from professional experience that not all airlines allow that passengers book an extra seat for a music instrument. Sure, they have some rules, but for XXL-size it's unsually on request. And sometimes it's refused indeed (I know at least one case, long haul flight, legacy carrier).jan_olieslagers wrote: ↑08 Jan 2018, 13:04 If a seat was booked for the instrument but access was still disallowed then there was indeed little else to do. Unexperienced as I am with airline travel, I cannot exclude that - but it does seem unlikely. If no separate seat was booked then the airline or its agents cannot be really blamed, the risk is well known. It is indeed surprising that such an experienced musician made such a decision, but perhaps we will never hear the full story.
And yes indeed, a Viola da Gamba, though variable in size, is the same size as a violoncello, or a bit larger.
Airlines keep in mind the discomfort and safety for other passengers.
as stated before, a (viola da) gamba is the same size as a (violon)cello, some are larger, others smaller, but never by much. Tricky as pictures can be, I guess from the pictures posted that this one was rather smaller than bigger.a viola da gamba is a relatively small violin