Patrick Roberts said there was no concern expressed for the safety of his instrument by airline staff on a recent flight from Paris to Milan
Australian violinist Patrick Roberts encountered a ’distressing’ situation while attempting to travel with his Stradivari violin.
Roberts was travelling from Paris to Milan on Saturday 16 August to perform at a concert in Lake Como. As he was checking in for his Transavia Airlines flight in Paris, he was told that the flight was oversold and he and his wife would be delayed over eight hours to the next departure.
When they attempted to check in eight hours later for the evening flight, a Transavia representative informed Roberts that he would not be permitted to board with his Golden Period Stradivari violin, which Roberts has been playing for the last year and a half on loan from an anonymous owner.
The airline staff insisted that the violin must be checked into the aircraft hold, threatening to refuse boarding otherwise.
The couple were sent back with their luggage, rejected from check in without apology or assistance in finding a solution.
In order to get on the flight, Roberts moved his violin into a smaller double instrument case to carry on board with him. He checked in his Musafia violin case with his bows inside.
His spare violin, which was originally in the double instrument case, was then wrapped in bubble wrap and towels so that he could bring it on board with him and hold in his arms during the flight.
The checked-in case and bows arrived in Milan unscathed, and Roberts was able to reassemble his instruments back into their respective cases for his upcoming concert.
However, he says the experience left him shaken, particularly the lack of apology, assistance, or compensation from Transavia, especially given the risks and responsibilities of travelling with historically important instruments.
Roberts has travelled globally with his violins for two decades without prior incident. He told The Strad that he was shocked by ’not only the impracticality of the airline’s stance, but also the complete lack of empathy shown by Transavia staff.
’There was no concern expressed for the safety of such a rare and irreplaceable instrument, nor any acknowledgement of the distress caused.’
Roberts hopes to raise awareness of the urgent need for airlines to review their policies and staff training when it comes to travelling musicians, ensuring that priceless instruments like his Stradivari violin are treated with care and respect.
Roberts is an Aria award-winning and Grammy-nominated artist. He recently collaborated on the album Fragile with Sting and Tommy Emmanuel, which raised funds for reforestation efforts. Roberts performed in a sold out concert at London’s Bush Hall last week and is preparing to release his ninth album with Decca later this year.
Photos courtesy Patrick Roberts.
Read: ‘Nobody should have to go through that’: cellist refused boarding on Frontier Airlines
Read: Air France charged me €240 to check in my cello - Peter Martens
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