Another Musician's Guitar Smashed By United [threads merged]
Jun 5, 2014, 5:06 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 33
Another Musician's Guitar Smashed By United [threads merged]
Musician Ellis Paul was forced to gate check his beautiful Taylor guitar and this is what it looked like when he got it back:
https://www.facebook.com/ellispaulmu...type=1&theater
And
https://www.facebook.com/ellispaulmu...type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/ellispaulmu...type=1&theater
And
https://www.facebook.com/ellispaulmu...type=3&theater
Jun 5, 2014, 5:12 pm
#2
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Minneapolis, MN (MSP)
Programs: DL DM, UA 1K MM, Subway Club Member
Posts: 1,988
Musician Ellis Paul was forced to gate check his beautiful Taylor guitar and this is what it looked like when he got it back:
https://www.facebook.com/ellispaulmu...type=1&theater
And
https://www.facebook.com/ellispaulmu...type=3&theater
https://www.facebook.com/ellispaulmu...type=1&theater
And
https://www.facebook.com/ellispaulmu...type=3&theater
If UA paid for every damaged improperly packaged item that was damaged in luggage handling they would be in even worse shape than they are in now. Furthermore, Mr. Paul likely did not pay any additional fees but expected special handling of his item. Purchasing a durable container for the guitar, securing the services of a reputable freight carrier specializing in high-value items, or purchasing applicable insurance all would have made this a non-issue but he chose not to do any of those and suffered the consequences.
Jun 5, 2014, 5:27 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 33
Meh, I don't know if this is UA specific problem. The guitar exceeds the carry-on rules for every airline and every airline warns not to check or carry-on high-value items. Musicians (and every other passenger) should use freight carriers who specialize in high-value items and/or invest in proper containers for their items.
“An air carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to any standard fee that carrier may require for comparable carry-on baggage ….”
When there is not enough space in the overheads though, they can force someone to gate check an instrument.
Ellis Paul did have an appropriate hard case with padding and that was severely damaged too.
Jun 5, 2014, 5:31 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: New York and Vienna
Programs: PA WorldPass Platinum, AA, DL, LH. GHA Black, SPG and HHonors Gold
Posts: 3,870
Section 403 of the legislation, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Modernization and Reform Act of 2012, provides:
“An air carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to any standard fee that carrier may require for comparable carry-on baggage ….”
“An air carrier providing air transportation shall permit a passenger to carry a violin, guitar, or other musical instrument in the aircraft cabin, without charging the passenger a fee in addition to any standard fee that carrier may require for comparable carry-on baggage ….”
Jun 5, 2014, 5:33 pm
#7
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Minneapolis, MN (MSP)
Programs: DL DM, UA 1K MM, Subway Club Member
Posts: 1,988
Jun 5, 2014, 5:40 pm
#8
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Maryland
Programs: United, Turkish
Posts: 640
Jun 5, 2014, 5:55 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: EAU
Programs: UA 1K, CO Plat, NW Plat, Marriott Premiere Plat, SPG Plat, Priority Gold, Hilton Gold
Posts: 4,712
Sympathy for musician proportional to strength of case used.
I check high value items all the time.... lots of people do. Never had any issues.
Of course, I'm also using several-hundred-dollar cases designed to resist crushing etc.
I check high value items all the time.... lots of people do. Never had any issues.
Of course, I'm also using several-hundred-dollar cases designed to resist crushing etc.
Jun 5, 2014, 6:11 pm
#10
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 33
I think the airlines can destroy a guitar in just about any case, proof in this case:
http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2013/0...rished-guitar/
http://www.deadlinenews.co.uk/2013/0...rished-guitar/
Jun 5, 2014, 7:14 pm
#11
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Central Florida
Programs: MP 1K/Onepass Plat 1MM, SPG Plat, Marriott Plat
Posts: 562
If there is the slightest chance of having to check the instrument, then it needs to be in an ATA flight case. Period. @:-) I've carried bass guitars transcon, to South America, and to Europe and back, many times without incident.
Jun 6, 2014, 6:40 am
#13
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
http://www.experiencetheblog.com/201...nd-social.html
The most provocative question is not whether United was transformed by social media, since it clearly was not, but why not? ...
United doesn't need to wonder the answer to these question; it got its answer back in 2009 when you, I and everyone else watched "United Breaks Guitars" and changed absolutely nothing about the way we purchase travel. The fact United has not changed its practices is not because it does not care but because we do not. Social media changes nothing by itself; if consumers are not willing or able to change their spending habits, then social media crises like "United Breaks Guitars" will always be more smoke than fire.
United doesn't need to wonder the answer to these question; it got its answer back in 2009 when you, I and everyone else watched "United Breaks Guitars" and changed absolutely nothing about the way we purchase travel. The fact United has not changed its practices is not because it does not care but because we do not. Social media changes nothing by itself; if consumers are not willing or able to change their spending habits, then social media crises like "United Breaks Guitars" will always be more smoke than fire.
Jun 6, 2014, 7:31 am
#15
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: GVA (Greater Vancouver Area)
Programs: DREAD Gold; UA 1.035MM; Bonvoy Au-197; PCC Elite+; CCC Elite+; MSC C-12; CWC Au-197; WoH Dis
Posts: 52,140
If the passenger cared about publicity, he got what he wanted. If the passenger cared about his instrument, he should have paid for an additional seat.