Sophie Kauer was told by Swiss Air that her cello was ‘no longer welcome to travel’ on a booked flight, despite having booked a separate seat for the instrument
Cellist Sophie Kauer has expressed her frustration with Swiss Air’s customer service after the airline made a decision not to allow her instrument on a flight, despite Kauer having booked a separate ticket for her cello.
Kauer, who starred in the 2022 Oscar-nominated film TÁR alongside Cate Blanchett, had booked a flight for herself and her instrument with Swiss Air on Sunday 25 August. Thirty hours after making the booking, via three emails from the airline, she was told that her cello was ‘no longer welcome to travel.’
Kauer said on social media: ‘They said to call customer service, which I did – after being hung up on twice, and third time being put on hold for 30 minutes by an incredibly rude rep – I was told “there was no availability”.
‘I’d never heard this before so I asked if he would kindly mind explaining what he meant as I could see that there were still several seats available on that flight. He said that they could not offer a cabin baggage seat for this flight, only passenger seats.’
Kauer remarked on the airline representative’s lack of explanation and apologies: ‘just incredibly hostile and patronising remarks along the lines of that “it wasn’t his problem” and that I should “call back later when I had decided whether I wanted to cancel my booking or not”.
‘He didn’t understand why I’d want to cancel my booking if I couldn’t take my cello with me?!’
Kauer received a refund for her flight, but has vowed to never fly Swiss Air again.
‘Apparently booking a flight for me and my cello with Swiss Air is as complicated as learning to play the cello itself,’ she said.
Read: TÁR cellist Sophie Kauer lands another film role
Read: Cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason barred from British Airways flight
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