Posted on 06/06/2017 9:32:20 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
A United Airlines spokesperson has confirmed the company is reviewing an incident where a Houston employee allegedly attempted to "wrestle" a violin from a passenger.
Classical musician Yennifer Correia's attorney said her client was boarding a flight from Houston to St. Louis when a United Airlines supervisor told Correia she could not carry a violin with her.
Attorney Philip Macnaughton said her client was told there were "no options" to board with the violin. When Correia asked for the employee's name, Macnaughton said it "triggered the United Airlines supervisor to get angry" and say "well if you want my name, I'm gonna have your name."
According to Macnaughton, the United Airlines employee attempted to grab and tear the information tags attached to Correia's luggage. It turned into what the Texas attorney described as a "tug of war" — which he says his client won.
After the supervisor failed to rip the tags off the luggage, Macnaughton said she "basically disappeared" and ran away.
A United Airlines spokesperson said they reached out to Correia to offer assistance and said they were disappointed that a customer had a poor experience.
(Excerpt) Read more at chron.com ...
United breaks guitars. Why would she trust them with her violin?
“Flying mostly sucks anyway in great part to the unfriendly cretins like this hack.”
Why do you think those who can afford it, have private jets? We just took a trip on my BiL’s Cessna Citation X and I can see why people with money and the need to travel have them.
That’s a Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra version. A REALLY GOOD one can be $50,000. Obviously, Stradivari can go for millions of dollars.
Macnaughton said it “triggered the United Airlines supervisor to get angry” and say “well if you want my name, I’m gonna have your name.”
Fly the friendly, or we’ll beat your ass!
Herb Kelleher was the best airline CEO EVER! When he ran SW, their customer service was a thing of beauty. My 90 year old mother forgot her meds flying from Oakland to San Diego. I went home, rounded up the medications and took them to SW baggage office. Since I had already been there to find out how to get her meds to her, one staffer excused herself from her current customer, took my package, went out to the flight line and put it in the cockpit on the next San Diego- bound flight. On the other end they called my sister when the plane arrived and gave her directions as to how to claim the package. So in a matter of three or four hours, my mother had her needed medications! That does’t happen today with 99% of the air carriers!
“I wonder if United is unionized “
ALL of the major carriers are “unionized!” It’s a major problem.
That is pretty funny but what was not fun was someone going after a musician’s violin. The violin and bow could cost from $50-$50K dollars. ... could be more. We have a friend who used to have to travel with her cello. It is insured for half a mil and she keeps it in a bank vault when she isn’t playing it. When she used to fly with it she bought a ticket for it and took it on board and strapped it in.
Our son travels with instruments all the time, usually his banjo but he has managed to talk the stewardess into letting him bring his peddle steel. It looks just like a rifle case but lots heavier.
No, they have been that way for some time.
Same here. I have a professional Haynes flute. Stays WITH ME at all times when I fly with it.
So, you are a flute tooter?
Citation X is a bad ride! Never felt anything else with torque like that.
Yep. Toot, toot!
Or, open the case and go John Belushi on the violin.
You could easily add a zero to the end of those prices and not be at all off the mark.
I asked a concertmaster how he traveled with his Strad or Guarneri and he said his instrument was never out of his sight or hand - period!
We discussed the mistake of thinking your instrument was safe from harm in the overhead or under you seat on a plane.
Thiefs steal priceless instruments all the time and though they are numbered, they are rarely recovered because unethical brokers know of customers who desire the priceless, famous items, including priceless musical instruments, even though they do not themselves play. They just keep them in their massive collections of stolen wares.
Stop flights to and from St. Louis. These are all the flights getting the bad press.
I heard of a guy who was a sax blower. He was a President ( I was not being snarky by the way). To you.
There’s a specific exception for musical instruments that’s been negotiated by the unions. I travel with my guitar in a gig bag all the time. This employee’s nuts.
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