A violinist traveling with a 243-year-old instrument encountered a baffling situation on Lufthansa that raises important questions about airline judgment and common sense.
Widmann described pleading with staff as tears rolled down her cheeks. This was not a matter of convenience. It was a priceless instrument that forms the core of her livelihood. The idea that a 243-year-old violin should be carried bare through an aircraft cabin while its custom-fitted protective case is thrown into the hold defies common sense. Yet that was the directive.
Lufthansa later pointed to its standard cabin size allowance and reiterated that instruments larger than the permitted dimensions must either be placed in a purchased cabin seat (though this option was not offered in Helsinki) or removed from their cases. The policy itself is not unique among carriers, but the manner in which it was enforced reflects a larger problem. Airlines often treat instruments as simple pieces of luggage when in reality they are fragile, irreplaceable tools that cannot be casually gate checked without risk of catastrophic damage.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Live and Let's Fly.
