“I was forced to carry my precious violin made by Giovanni Battista Guadagnini in 1782 outside of its box. I went through security and made the entire journey to Frankfurt with the naked violin in my arms, wrapped only in my shirt”said Carolin Widmann, adding that “this precious piece of art was completely unprotected during the six-hour journey, in three airports (Helsinki, Frankfurt and Leipzig)”, adding that she had to use “two buses” to get to the departure gates in Frankfurt and Leipzig.
In this sense, he states that the only alternative presented to him was to do the check in of the violin inside its case “like a normal suitcase”, which he says is “unthinkable” taking into account “the incalculable value” of the violin, which could be “a few million euros”.
Two weeks later, Carolin Widmann says she is still “in shock” about what happened. “I and all my colleagues are deeply concerned and apprehensive,” he said, recalling that in the USA all airlines are required to allow small instruments to be transported in their protective cases and that several other airlines on which he traveled were authorized to transport them and have “clear guidelines” for authorizing the entry of instruments on board.
In this sense, Carolin Widmann asked in the open letter “in a cordial manner”, taking into account this “shocking and scandalous incident”, that Lufthansa “rethink your policy and add an appendix to your carry-on rules related to small instruments”.
The violinist also accuses the company of practicing “discrimination against musicians”. And asks a question: “Is it possible that it is in your mind that an airline excludes us from traveling due to the measurements and value of the instruments we use in our work?”
Widmann ends the letter by expressing his desire to obtain a response from Lufthansa so that he can “regain trust” in the company.
DN tried to get a reaction from the German airline to this open letter, but so far it has not been possible.