Blues rock musician Emily Wolfe recently revealed that her signature guitar was damaged on a Southwest Airlines flight, but the airline denied responsibility.
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The White Wolfe Epiphone Sheraton was packed in a hard case for the flight. Wolfe shared on Instagram that she took every precaution. However, the airline stated that fragile items like electric guitars are not covered under its duty of care.
The guitarist refused to back down, arguing the airline’s actions could harm travelling musicians’ livelihoods.
“Yesterday I flew with my Epiphone White Wolfe on Southwest Air to Vegas,” she explained in the Instagram post. “I followed every guideline for traveling with an instrument: hard-shell flight case, checked in properly, fragile stickers, and paid the new bag fees.”
“When I opened the case, the headstock was completely broken off,” she added.
“I filed a report at the airport, provided photos, proof of value, and repair estimates,” Wolfe explained. “Despite following their process exactly, I was told they are not responsible for anything inside the case and that instruments are considered ‘fragile items.’”
“If airlines can damage professional-grade instruments, charge us extra to check them, and then refuse to take responsibility, it puts every traveling musician at risk.”
“It is about protecting the tools of our craft,” she insisted. “Southwest Airlines, you can set a better example by doing the right thing. Cover the repair costs. Do better for all of us who fly with our gear.”
Emily Wolfe Gets a Response From Airline That Destroyed Her Guitar
Wolfe wasn’t sure she’d get a response, but she appreciated “all the support and shares” from people online. In a follow-up, she wrote, “hopefully they’ll do the right thing,” adding that this could be “a small step in creating better experiences for their customers, especially musicians who travel for work.”
A few days later, she announced a win: Southwest agreed to foot the repair bill.
“They’re gonna pay for the damages, which is exciting. I don’t think it would have happened if all of you hadn’t shared my post,” Wolfe explained in a video she posted on Instagram. “It may just look like an instrument on the outside, but it’s someone’s livelihood. It’s someone’s identity. It’s someone’s voice. To open up the case and it be broken, it’s heartbreaking. Literally every person who shared this post, thank you, because I think it may actually help move the needle in making sure that airlines protect our gear as musicians.”
It’s unclear if Southwest Airlines compensated Wolfe due to her specific case or if it hints at a policy change. Either way, it’s a small victory for musicians dreading the fate of their instruments in checked baggage.