Airline baggage rules spark discussion on instrument safety after incident involving Manila Symphony Orchestra gear
Cebu Pacific clarified its hand-carry rules after the Manila Symphony Orchestra raised concerns about not being allowed to hand-carry their instruments on a recent flight.
In a Facebook post, MSO production manager Rona De Leon shared that nine members were denied violin carry-ons due to size restrictions and were instructed to check them in instead. She noted that they have flown multiple times with both local and international carriers—including Cebu Pacific—and it has "never been an issue."
"This is the first time we were held up at the gates by security. The solution—check in the case, and bring just the instrument and the bow in the aircraft," she wrote.
In a separate post, orchestra member Jhong Deleon said that several members had to remove their violins from their protective cases and hold them on their laps during the flight.
"Still not safe. Take-off and landing will be a challenge as we will be required to stow all things under the seats," he said.
Cebu Pacific's hand-carry rules
In a statement sent to PhilSTAR L!fe, Cebu Pacific explained that some orchestra members were able to hand-carry their violins with their cases as they fit the hand-carry limit of 56 x 36 x 23 centimeters.
"For violins that exceeded the size limit, our airport team worked with the passengers to find a practical solution. The violin cases were checked in free of charge, while the instruments themselves were carefully hand-carried by the passengers into the cabin," the airline said.
Moving forward, Cebu Pacific advised travelers with musical instruments to avail of the Musical Instrument allowance via CEB Special Baggage.
The airline reiterated its rules on items that are permitted and prohibited in your hand-carry baggage. "If it exceeds the max size or weight, guests must purchase an extra seat to carry the item inside the aircraft or check in their musical items through CEB Special Baggage," the policy states.
Traveling with gear as checked special baggage costs an additional P1,456 for a maximum allowance of 20kg. This policy accommodates an array of instruments, such as guitars, trumpets, tubas, French horns, drums, flutes, ukuleles, triangles, cymbals, clarinets, and piccolos.
"If you're checking in musical instruments through CEB Special Baggage, please ensure they are placed in hardshell cases to prevent damage. Instruments placed in soft cases or gig bags will not be accepted for check-in," Cebu Pacific stressed in its statement.
The CEB Special Baggage is available up to two hours before your flight. Each guest is only allowed one of each kind of special baggage, and with a weight of 20 kg each. However, if a guest brings more than 20kg, they will need to pay an excess baggage fee.
"We understand that musical instruments are often valuable and [are] deeply personal belongings. We encourage passengers to review baggage size requirements before traveling so we can help ensure a smooth and comfortable journey for both them and their instruments," the airline concluded.
Instrument safety concerns
In an interview with PhilSTAR L!fe, MSO Executive Director Jeffrey Solares acknowledged the hand-carry dimensions but highlighted the unique nature of traveling with fragile instruments.
"In the past trips (not just for us but for all violinists around the world who travel with their instruments) the ground staff allowed our violins to be brought in the cabin as it easily fits the overhead compartment," he said. "In term of weight and volume, it is clearly way below the 7kg limit and although its length is slightly over the length limit, it is very slender and not bulky at all to cause undue problems with other luggage," he added.
On why violins are typically not checked in as regular luggage, Solares explained that these instruments are "precious and fragile," and that many violinists spend a fortune of their life savings just to purchase one.
"The risk of checking a violin in is great, with all the stories of baggages getting lost or damaged, every violinist is wary that their precious instrument will be at a great risk of damage or loss," he said, noting that a violin costs between P400,000 to P800,000.
Despite the measurement rule, Solares noted that many ground staff traditionally allow it, exercising discretion to see that it is "actually a smaller luggage due to its total volume than a regular carry-on luggage."
He noted that "basic judgement" from the staff could have accommodated the instruments, noting that while the cases technically exceeded the size limits, the instruments themselves are smaller and lighter than standard carry-on bags.
"Rules are supposed to be rational, reasonable, and as such, whenever specific cases do not exactly conform to its literal interpretation, we need to go back to 'ratio,' reason, logic and common sense, to make informed decisions for the common good," he continued.
He emphasized that there should be room to accommodate the "basic human need to be secure with our precious, hard earned musical instruments."