Frontier Airlines refused to accommodate for Andrew Shulman and his instrument and forced him to rebook with Delta, despite him having booked extra seats
Cellist Andrew Shulman was refused boarding on a Frontier Airlines flight on Monday 11 August, despite having booked an extra seat for his instrument.
Shulman showed the Fronier Airlines staff the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) rules, but was ignored. As a result, he was forced to rebook the flight with Delta.
Shulman shared an account of the situation on social media: ’Safely aboard my Delta flight from Raleigh to LAX with my cello after having been refused boarding by Frontier, despite having bought 2 (yes, TWO) extra seats for my cello!
’I showed them the FAA rules and they ignored them. I was lucky that Delta had a help desk near the gates and they managed to book me the last 2 seats on a flight that left an hour later but gets in 15 minutes earlier! Thanks Delta!
’I will never use Frontier again, ever. They won’t even give me a refund, only a credit! As if I’ll ever use it! Hopefully Business AMEX will put pressure on them to refund me. Please share if you’re a cellist. Nobody should have to go through that.’
Shulman provided an update saying that the original Frontier flight took off with his suitcase in their hold: ’Will it make it to LAX? Or might they chuck it off in Atlanta? We’ll see…’
Shulman is the principal cellist of the Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra, professor of cello and chamber music at University of Southern California Thornton School of Music, and cellist of the Los Angeles Piano Trio and New Hollywood Quartet. He previously served as principal cello of the LA Phil and Philharmonia Orchestra, and was cellist of the Britten Quartet from 1985-1995.
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