Ryanair leaves award-winning musician fuming over ‘public humiliation’ after refusing to let her board

An award-winning violinist has lashed out at Ryanair after airline staff refused to let her board with her centuries-old musical instrument.

Esther Abrami, whose biography calls her “one of the most promising young classical artists of her generation”, had been trying to catch her flight to Berlin from Marseille to record a new album.

With her violin in tow, Abrami had attempted to board her plane as normal – but said she was left subjected to “rudeness and public humiliation” when staff at the gate denied her the chance.

The musician had been carrying her 200-year-old Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin when she tried to board – but was told the instrument was simply too big to take into the cabin.

Despite her pleas, Abrami was told to remove the violin from its case and thrust it into the airline’s measuring area, where she discovered her antique instrument was just a single centimetre over the maximum size limit for carry-on goods.

After being refused for a final time, the violinist was eventually able to book a ticket on another flight – where she apparently made it to Berlin without issue.

Recounting the ordeal online, Abrami fumed at her “unacceptable” treatment at the hands of gate staff.

She wrote: “Just before boarding the flight, I was stopped and told I could not board with my violin.

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“I offered to pay whatever it would cost to take it with me – they refused.

“I offered to buy an extra seat, [but] they said the flight was closed already and I could not buy an extra seat anymore -despite the flight not being full.

“They said the only option was to check it in with the LUGGAGE or just leave it at the airport (!!).

“I explained the price and the fragility of the violin… I begged to them, explaining I was recording this very same day for my album, telling that I had flown an incredible number of times with this company and never experienced this.

“It came to the point where I even offered to take my violin out of the case, keeping its fabric protection and just carry it by hand and keep it on me during the whole flight whilst they put the case in the cargo.

“They made me open my case on the floor and put the violin in the place to measure suitcases.

“The requirements for the cabin luggage – which I had paid for already – is a length of 55cm. My violin measures 56cm, it fit diagonally, and otherwise was 1cm over. Even this was refused.

“I still feel incredibly fortunate that I could book a last minute ticket on another flight, with another company, on the same day.

“Not every musician can have this opportunity… Missing a flight often means losing a vital work opportunity, whether it’s a gig, a recording session, or an important meeting.

“In an industry where every opportunity counts, such an incident can have a ripple effect, impacting reputation and future prospects. This is simply unacceptable!”

Ryanair told the New York Post that “violinists travelling with Ryanair have to obey the same rules as everyone else; if it fits it can go onboard, but if it doesn’t it goes in the hold.”