The perils of taking musical instruments on an airline

ichadwick

ichadwick

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Air Canada's baggage handlers broke a one-of-a-kind $300,000 lute:
image.php

According to this story:
timestranscript.canadaeast.com/news/article/1100006:
The musician had nestled his lute in an aluminum flight case, a piece of luggage which had safeguarded the instrument during previous trips around the world.

But it wasn't strong enough this time around to protect the lute from Air Canada employees.

"It is a specially designed flight case, that's why I had so much confidence that it would be fine," says Cardin.

Furious, he has lodged a complaint with Air Canada, and has so far received apologies and promises to help cover some of the costs of repairs.
Click to expand...
So you think an airline will respect your $300 uke in its foam case?
 
Wow, that poor guy! This is why I would never put an instrument, or anything valuable in the hold... Hand luggage all the way! Hope he gets it sorted, they should pay for repair, plus the a new instrument because, sad to say, that poor lute will never be the same again!
 
Sorry, but it's just nuts to check something that valuable as luggage. Carry it on, or get a less expensive "road lute" for travel. Or ship it using a commercial shipper. This one I blame on the owner.
 
You can't blame the case makers, it had stood up to many other journeys. Obviously somewhere along the line whist being handled it was exposed to some sort of force or pressure that it shouldn't have been. No luggage should have to deal with that kind of force, just because its in a special, strong flight case doesn't mean it can be thrown about. Obviously the baggage handlers were curious as to how hard it was, or perhaps they were in a rush and were just throwing everything about? Either way they'd have known when they killed it because it would've made the most god awful noise, one that we all dread hearing! So I blame the airline, but then as a few of us have mentioned, the instrument is clearly valuable so it should've been taken onboard as hand luggage. This is the reason everybody needs a beater... Mines not my favourite, but I love it and most importantly I wouldn't be too upset if it was horrifically killed in such a way as this...
 
From this one photo, it doesn't look like the case was damaged. Since it's aluminum, you'd think there'd be some tell-tale signs of damage on the outside.

The article quotes the owner as saying it's not enough to just repair the instrument:
"But I plan to take Air Canada to court if my instrument's sound is not the same. This is more than just an object, it's like losing my vision. My career is at a standstill right now," says the lutist, ... "I worked really hard during my career, but my success is also due to my instrument."

I guess with one-of-a-kind pieces you get one-of-a-kind sound. Tough story.
 
Ooh, that's awful!
There was a guy a couple years back whose guitar got broken and he decided to make several Youtube videos (search United breaks guitars) when he was given no compensation. I think after the videos got popular they finally gave in and paid for his guitar.
I've taken my uke on a couple of flights and I kept it as carry-on...Much safer.
 
Lutes are big honking things, so I can see that it's hard to carry one on. But I just can't see letting baggage handlers toss around something so valuable. I'd buy a second ticket for the thing, like you see sometimes see cellists and double-bassists do.
 
Harold O. said:
From this one photo, it doesn't look like the case was damaged. Since it's aluminum, you'd think there'd be some tell-tale signs of damage on the outside.

The article quotes the owner as saying it's not enough to just repair the instrument:
"But I plan to take Air Canada to court if my instrument's sound is not the same. This is more than just an object, it's like losing my vision. My career is at a standstill right now," says the lutist, ... "I worked really hard during my career, but my success is also due to my instrument."

I guess with one-of-a-kind pieces you get one-of-a-kind sound. Tough story.
Click to expand...

I think that's a little harsh. Yes the airline should pay for some of the repairs, but like everyone else said he shouldn't have checked it.

And a good musician can make any instrument sound good. That lute will never be the same again, it's just how it is. If losing that lute kills his career, then he just wasn't meant to be a musician. Where's his back-up lute anyway? Never gig without a back up.
 
I've been a professional musician for 30 years, and after having all my musical instruments stolen not once but twice, I firmly resolved to never own anything I considered impossible to replace.

They're just things, and things can be taken away from you and/or destroyed, as I've learned firsthand.

Depending on things is something I'm not willing to do. Instead, I seek out the best, most economical instruments I can find, while still taking into account the "pitter patter" effect (ie, that intangible thing that makes your heart go pitter-patter when you see or hear certain instruments). No way I'd play an instrument that costs more than my house.
 
Something doesn't look right with this story.

I've seem a lot of instrument cases in my life and that one certainly doesn't appear to be a specially designed to transport my $300,000 instrument around the world. Those 3 blocks of what appears to be foam on the top sure look unimpressive. I'm not sure I would even use something like that to transport one of my ukuleles around.

And as Harold O pointed out, that case looks in too good a condition for the damage to the lute. I would like to see the top of that case.

It just doesn't add up.

... now the strings set at full tension and subjected to severe temperature changes in flight may have been more of the culprit.

John
 
If something is that important to your profession, and that expensive, you buy it a seat and bring it on-board with you.
 
70sSanO said:
Something doesn't look right with this story.
Click to expand...

No kidding. What kind of an idiot would let a $300,000 instrument out of their sight? That is worth more than my house!
CYnic that I am, I don't believe this at all.
 
Harold O. said:
From this one photo, it doesn't look like the case was damaged. Since it's aluminum, you'd think there'd be some tell-tale signs of damage on the outside.

The article quotes the owner as saying it's not enough to just repair the instrument:
"But I plan to take Air Canada to court if my instrument's sound is not the same. This is more than just an object, it's like losing my vision. My career is at a standstill right now," says the lutist, ... "I worked really hard during my career, but my success is also due to my instrument."

I guess with one-of-a-kind pieces you get one-of-a-kind sound. Tough story.
Click to expand...

makes me wonder if maybe he didn't damage it and put it in the case to blame airline. how would that instrument break like that if the case has no damage?
 
Hmm...

I think he accidently sat on it in his hotel room, paniced, and stuck it in the case to open back up when he got home to say "oh no.. look what they did.." I would think like above, that the case would have taken one hell of a lick to cause it to create such a shock to that instrument.. Besides that, an instrument of that value should have been insured...
 
70sSanO said:
Something doesn't look right with this story.

I've seem a lot of instrument cases in my life and that one certainly doesn't appear to be a specially designed to transport my $300,000 instrument around the world. Those 3 blocks of what appears to be foam on the top sure look unimpressive. I'm not sure I would even use something like that to transport one of my ukuleles around.

And as Harold O pointed out, that case looks in too good a condition for the damage to the lute. I would like to see the top of that case.

It just doesn't add up.

... now the strings set at full tension and subjected to severe temperature changes in flight may have been more of the culprit.

John
Click to expand...

which wouldn't be the airlines fault. it'd be the luteists fault.
 
It looks like it is a clean snap in the middle of the neck. I wonder if a hard blow at just the wrong angle could do that (along with the string tension)? I can't see if there was any other damage. I say, get a lighter case and hand carry it everywhere. Buy it a seat. $300,000 is a lot for an instrument. I could understand if it was an antique with special sound qualities unique to that build and aged to perfection. But I bet someone like Pete Howlett could make him one for $200,000, and think of all the money saved!
–Lori
 
OK everybody, take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Aren't you glad you discovered the ukulele?

I'm glad there are those out there who can make music with whatever they're playing.

I'm happy to have my Kala soprano Travel Uke in its tight-fitting Kala gig bag.

I'm glad that all of you take the neede precautions whenever you travel with your ukes.

I really am sorry for the Lutist and I'm glad for the lessons we can all learn from his/her experience.

But thankfully, we're Ukulele Players and member of one of the very best forums on the internet!

Let's count our blessings and say a little prayer for those who have yet to be 'converted'. : )

Keep uke'in',
 
While I think everyone would be appalled that it would have been done intentionally, that is a possibility. Someone could have taken it out of the case and broke it.

If there is no damage to the case and the instrument it is truly worth $300k, I would have taken it to the authorities to get finger prints, DNA, or any other evidence of who may have handled the instument. If there is any court case that would be the way to go.

A friend at work took his "less expensive" Martin guitar with him on a trip and when he arrived there was a hole punched through the top of the case exactluy where the guitar sound hole was. So there was no damage to the guitar.

On the was back he placed a sticker over the hole and when he arrived a hole was punched through the sticker.

He has never accused anyone, but it is strange.

John
 
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