- A cellist of international fame claims that his instrument was brought on board a flight and that he was kicked out.
- Santiago Cañón-Valencia said he bought a business-class seat and an extra seat for the cello.
- He claimed that the captain would not permit him to keep the cello inside the cabin.
A well-known cello player claimed that he was kicked off a flight for bringing his cello aboard, even though he purchased an additional ticket.
The musician, Santiago Cañón-Valencia, was traveling from Bogotá to Caracas on a Copa Airlines flight when staff refused to let him keep his cello with him in the cabin, The Strad reported.
Cañón-Valencia told The Strad that he had bought a business-class seat along with an extra seat for the cello.
Insider’s request for comment outside of normal business hours was not immediately answered by Copa Airlines.
“Everything from the check-in until boarding the plane went smoothly as usual,” Cañón-Valencia told the UK music magazine.
“I sat down for five minutes, until Copa Airlines came over to speak with me. At first I assumed they wanted me to extend my seatbelt to secure the cello’s seat. But, instead, this individual said that I couldn’t fly with the cello aboard due to Captain’s orders.”
After a back and forth with the captain, Cañón-Valencia said a flight attendant suggested that he place his cello in the overhead lockers or the hold. He opted not to do so.
He said that his cello wouldn’t fit in one of the overhead lockers. “And even though it might, why would it fit in one of those?” He asked about the overhead lockers. “And not just a normal seat, but one that is business class.”
Slipped Disc is a classical music website. According to the news, quoted Cañón-Valencia as saying: “Unfortunately Copa Airlines airline has dropped me off my flight this morning. Unfortunately, my activities in Venezuela are being delayed due to the incompetence, disrespect, and stubbornness of this airline. It is not recommended for musicians to use it!”
According to the Strad, the incident caused the musician to postpone his October 16 performance and masterclasses in Venezuela up until 2023.
Representatives for Cañón-Valencia did not immediately respond to Insider’s request for comment made outside normal working hours.
Copa Airlines’ Website statesPassengers can choose to purchase an additional seat or take a special item. The website warns that passengers must properly package the item so it doesn’t cause injury to others.
American Airlines, 2018 Kicked a musicianAfter it was determined that her cello was not large enough for the plane, she was forced to cancel a Maimi-Chicago flight. Like Cañón-Valencia, the musician, Jingjing Hu, had also purchased an extra seat for the instrument.
