Irish Airline Ryanair apparently unfamiliar with French Violin Makers

[Faren4511]

https://nypost.com/2024/09/05/world-news/award-winning-violinist-esther-abrami-denied-boarding-ryanair-flight-with-200-year-old-instrument-i-begged-them/

 

Award-winning violinist Esther Abrami denied boarding Ryanair flight with 200-year-old instrument as staff issued harsh ultimatum: ‘I begged them’

 

The violinist describes being spoken to ‘like a piece of garbage’ by Ryanair staff, as she attempted to bring her Vuillaume into the cabin.

A world-renowned violinist claims she was publicly humiliated when she was denied boarding her flight over her 200-year-old violin that she tried to bring onto the plane.

Sony Classical-signed musician Esther Abrami slammed Ryanair on Instagram Wednesday for allegedly treating her poorly when she tried to travel from Marseille, France, to Berlin, Germany, to record her third studio album.

“This is the first time I have experienced such rudeness and public humiliation,” Abrami wrote in a fired-up post to her over 300K followers.

“Just before boarding the flight, I was stopped and told I could not board on with my violin. I offered to pay whatever it would cost to take it with me, they refused.”

The 27-year-old French native said she offered to buy an extra seat on the flight for the centuries-old instrument but was told by the Ryanair staff that the flight was closed and she could not “buy an extra seat anymore (despite the flight not being full).”

 

Abrami pleaded that the violin was fragile and valuable while the airline issued a harsh ultimatum: Check the instrument with the rest of the luggage or leave the airport.

“I begged them, explaining I was recording this very same day for my album, telling them that I had flown an incredible number of times with this company and never experienced this,” Abrami said.

She risked taking the violin out of its case, only using its fabric protection to guard it from damage and hold it tight to her the whole flight.

The young classical artist claims the Ryanair staff then “made” her put the case on the floor, take the violin out, and place it into “the place to measure suitcases.”

“The requirement for the cabin luggage -which I had paid for already- is a length of 55cm [21 inches]. My violin measures 56cm [22 inches], it fitted diagonally, and otherwise was 1cm over. Even this was refused,” she wrote.

Seeing no choice but to get to Berlin for her recording session, Abrami said she was “incredibly fortunate” to book another flight with a different airline that did not give her the same trouble carrying her cherished violin.

“Not every musician can have this opportunity. Missing a flight often means losing a vital work opportunity, whether it’s a gig, a recording session, or an important meeting,” Abrami pointed out.

“In an industry where every opportunity counts, such an incident can have a ripple effect, impacting reputation and future prospects. This is simply unacceptable.”

Ryanair told The Post that “Violinists traveling with Ryanair have to obey the same rules as everyone else; if it fits it can go onboard, but if it doesn’t it goes in the hold.”

Fans of Abrami and fellow musicians quickly flooded the comments of her post to express outrage over the alleged incident.

“Absolutely unacceptable @ryanair I will never fly with you again!” wrote fellow violinist Tiffany Laurén.

“Shame to you @ryanair!!!!!! Instead of supporting the artists that you might be listening to, you make their lives harder!” musician Alexandra Hauser commented.

“@ryanair losing business. Most musicians I know refuse to fly Ryanair with instruments because of instances like this,” pianist Eliane Correa wrote.

The talented violinist plays “a fine Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin, kindly loaned to her through the Beare’s International Violin Society,” according to her website.

Abrami is a classically trained violinist who graduated from the Royal College of Music in London and completed her master’s degree at the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire.

 

 

[Blank face]

The most easy way to avoid such trouble is to check the bagage rules of the airline at the website before booking a flight, as everyone else is doing, especially if you’re traveling with valuable and delicate goods.

 

[martin swan]

For a couple of years now Ryanair has refused to take violins. For years before that it was pretty much at the whim of the ground staff but there's no recourse since their hand baggage policy is completely clear.

There are numerous airlines who explicitly state that they will take musical instruments the size of a violin.

Don't fly with Ryanair if you have a violin.

 

[Mark Caudle]

It is quite clear on Ryanair's website that you need to buy an extra seat to take a violin in a normal case in the cabin. If you don't do this they won't let you take it on. That seems perfectly reasonable to me. You have the choice to travel with them or choose another airline. It often works out cheaper to buy the extra seat than one seat on an alternative airline that allows you to take a violin in the cabin. I regularly travel on Ryanair with a cello or viola da gamba in an extra seat and can confirm that it is the least problematic airline for this if you follow the clear instructions in their rules.

[martin swan]

On the other hand it would seem a minimum requirement for ground staff on any budget airline that they be able to distinguish between a Vuillaume and a Medio Fino.

 

[Blank face]

36 minutes ago, martin swan said:

On the other hand it would seem a minimum requirement for ground staff on any budget airline that they be able to distinguish between a Vuillaume and a Medio Fino.

 

Following the logic of the threads title (Irish airline apparently unfamiliar with French…) they only might be able to know the difference between a Perry and a Panormo?

[edi malinaric]

40 minutes ago, martin swan said:

On the other hand it would seem a minimum requirement for ground staff on any budget airline that they be able to distinguish between a Vuillaume and a Medio Fino.

 

Hi Martin - please show more sympathy. My M-F cello just shed a tear.

cheers edi

 

 

 

 

 

 

[martin swan]

12 minutes ago, Blank face said:

Following the logic of the threads title (Irish airline apparently unfamiliar with French…) they only might be able to know the difference between a Perry and a Panormo?

Surely the ground staff in Marseille would be adequately trained in French violins?

[Blank face]

7 minutes ago, martin swan said:

Surely the ground staff in Marseille would be adequately trained in French violins?

Hmmm...you have a point. So they should be obliged to give a Vuillaume bonus. But would they also confuse a Guarneri with a Testore?

[Riccardo964]

It all fun and games, but think about it, someone might use either the violin or the violin case to put explosives inside.

I know, I know, detectors could try to detect, etc, etc, it's just that it creates more problems than it solves.

Perhaps, the easiest is to buy your personal jet.

Unhelpful, I know. Just joking around. Sorrey.

[Dwight Brown]

I figure it’s all fair game at that point. If it’s a viola, it’s never a viola it’s a violin. Use a dart case. Use a transport case and a bow tube. , you have a problem with balance and need early boarding, sometimes you can pay for early boarding depending on the airline-do it. Pay for first class, it’s stupidity expensive but much cheaper than your sound post through the top. You are treated completely differently in first. My teacher would even resort to asking to speak to the pilot. If you’re in the US there are rules that cover this on the musicians union website. Don’t let them get your instrument they are gorillas.

DLB

[Riccardo964]

17 minutes ago, Dwight Brown said:

You are treated completely differently in first.

Money: you should have it.

[Dwight Brown]

1 hour ago, Riccardo964 said:

Money: you should have it.

It sucks but the repair is heart  breaking and will permanently alter and devalue the instrument. The airlines tend to be heartless about such things. It’s an ugly solution but it works.

DLB

[martin swan]

3 hours ago, Blank face said:

Hmmm...you have a point. So they should be obliged to give a Vuillaume bonus. But would they also confuse a Guarneri with a Testore?

I think the rule should be that if the value of the violin exceeds the combined annual salaries of the entire crew (including the pilot) then the violin should be given the seat of someone with a severe peanut allergy.

[David Burgess]

3 hours ago, Riccardo964 said:

Money: you should have it.

Unless you make fiddles for a living.

[Blank face]

2 hours ago, martin swan said:

I think the rule should be that if the value of the violin exceeds the combined annual salaries of the entire crew (including the pilot) then the violin should be given the seat of someone with a severe peanut allergy.

The violin in question seems t be a 3/4 size (56 cm), so this rule possibly won’t apply?

[David Burgess]

6 hours ago, Riccardo964 said:

It all fun and games, but think about it, someone might use either the violin or the violin case to put explosives inside.

Do you remember the "underpants bomber"? No violins or violin cases were involved. The bottom line is that no underpants should be allowed on airplanes.

[martin swan]

No - full size Vuillaume « on generous loan from Beares International Violin Society »

To be honest I’m slightly surprised they don’t have a blanket Ryanair ban on their contracts. The idea of someone taking an unprotected violin onto a plane that doesn’t even belong to them is an insurance nightmare.

[Dr. Mark]

1 hour ago, David Burgess said:

The bottom line is that no underpants should be allowed on airplanes.

I like that...

[La Folia]

9 hours ago, Riccardo964 said:

It all fun and games, but think about it, someone might use either the violin or the violin case to put explosives inside.

 

It had already passed through security.

[David Burgess]

6 minutes ago, La Folia said:

It had already passed through security.

A violin concealed in ones underpants might slip through the security check. Only once have I been thoroughly groped in an airport, and that was in Sydney, Australia. I developed a bit of a crush on the guy who groped me, but alas, nothing further came of it.

[Dr. Ludwig]

People fly to much. Trains in Europe are the way to go. If you limit it to Switzerland, or ICE in Germany, then it could be a treat. Airports are such  a downer, instrument or not.

[David Burgess]

Wasn't it Mae West who said,
"Is that a violin in your pants, or are you just happy to see me?"

[Dr. Ludwig]

Quote

"Is that a violin in your pants, or are you just happy to see me?"

Two things can be true at the same time.

[La Folia]

This site ate my post again.  It logged me out before I could finish typing.  So that post that needs moderator approval is mine.