United Puts First Class Value on Musician’s Cello
Offbeat, Travel News — By John Curran on July 14, 2010 at 9:54 amMusicians are always delicate in handling their instruments and equipment, as it can be costly if not impossible to replace them. Enter United Airlines, the first company to place a higher value on these expensive tools than a musician himself.
Greg Beaver was shocked to hear from the airline that in order to transport a 300-year-old cello on a recent flight from Denver to New York, it would have to fly first class because of its waistline. He told the Daily Mail that he had already bought a coach ticket for the instrument.
If that wasn’t enough, United staff still forced Beaver and his $200,000 cello off the plane, even as he called the airlines “anti-music” and noted that first class fare for his instrument would eliminate any earnings he makes as part of the Chiara String Quartet.
We hesitate to say that traveling with an item with the value of a house on a flight is always the smartest idea, but if you have to bring bulky or valuable items, two ideas: one, consider shipping large packages ahead of time via specialty carriers. Two, measure your items and call the airline to find out dimensions before you get on board.
[Image: Just Plain Bill]
1 Comment
You clearly don’t understand. A cello is a musical instrument made of wood with strings. They are very expensive. many are very old (300 years in his case). Yes, they are bulky and valuable, but they are also somewhat fragile. There is no cello case that can guarantee protection, and no shipping service that can guarantee gentle handling. Even with guarantees, stuff happens that can never be undone. If wood breaks it is never the same. The safest way to transport a cello is to handle it yourself. If that means buying it a seat, that is what you do. A cello fits in a coach seat, this is an arbitrary number issue. Lastly, your take on the story is wrong and misleading. He was turned away at the gate, and had done this before without incident. I have called United three times to be reassured that a cello will be allowed in coach, in the seat I purchased. We will see if it works.