Cebu Pacific Addresses Musical Instrument Handling After MSO Incident

Cebu Pacific Spokesperson Carmina Reyes-Romero

Cebu Pacific Addresses Musical Instrument Handling After MSO Incident

By Bing Jabadan – TheNATIONWEEK.com | June 18, 2026.

MANILA, Philippines – A recent incident involving the Manila Symphony Orchestra (MSO) and Cebu Pacific has highlighted critical issues regarding airline baggage regulations and the protection of delicate, high-value musical instruments. The controversy arose when MSO members were reportedly prevented from hand-carrying their violins, posing significant risks to their invaluable equipment.

MSO production manager Rona De Leon detailed the unprecedented experience, where nine orchestra members faced unexpected restrictions at the boarding gate. Despite prior successful carry-on experiences, including with Cebu Pacific, their violins were suddenly deemed ineligible. 

“This is the first time we were held up at the gates by security,” De Leon stated, emphasizing the unusual nature of the situation. The airline’s proposed solution—checking in protective cases while hand-carrying instruments and bows—was deemed insufficient and unsafe by the musicians, exposing a disconnect between policy and practical preservation.

Orchestra member Jhong Deleon immediately voiced acute safety concerns, reporting that colleagues were forced to precariously hold violins on their laps during the flight. He emphasized the unacceptable risks to instruments during critical flight phases, stating, “Take-off and landing will be a challenge as we will be required to stow all things under the seats.”

In response to public concern, Cebu Pacific clarified its hand-carry policies. The airline stated that some violins in cases met the 56 x 36 x 23 centimeter hand-carry limit. For larger instruments, the airline noted, “our airport team worked with the passengers to find a practical solution. The violin cases were checked in free of charge, while the instruments themselves were carefully hand-carried by the passengers into the cabin.” While this addresses the immediate issue, it doesn’t fully alleviate musician safety concerns regarding unencased instruments during flight.

Cebu Pacific, through spokesperson Carmina Reyes-Romero, reinforced its existing guidelines for musical instrument transport. The airline now strongly advises passengers to utilize the “Musical Instrument allowance via CEB Special Baggage.” This policy mandates: “If it exceeds the max size or weight, guests must purchase an extra seat to carry the item inside the aircraft or check in their musical items through CEB Special Baggage.”

CEB Special Baggage, incurring an additional fee of P1,456 for a maximum of 20 kg, accommodates various instruments. Crucially, the airline stipulates: “If you’re checking in musical instruments through CEB Special Baggage, please ensure they are placed in hardshell cases to prevent damage. Instruments placed in soft cases or gig bags will not be accepted for check-in.” This service is accessible up to two hours pre-departure, with each guest limited to one type of special baggage.

Despite the airline’s published dimensions, MSO Executive Director Jeffrey Solares emphasized the unique fragility and immense value of these instruments, advocating for nuanced rule application. 

“In past trips… the ground staff allowed our violins to be brought in the cabin as they easily fit in the overhead compartment,” Solares explained. He highlighted that while a violin’s length might technically exceed limits, its slender profile and low weight typically pose no practical impediment to other cabin luggage.

Solares stressed why violins are almost universally never checked as regular luggage, describing them as “precious and fragile” investments. These instruments often represent significant portions of a musician’s life savings, with individual costs ranging from P400,000 to P800,000. He articulated industry-wide apprehension: “The risk of checking a violin in is great, with all the stories of baggage getting lost or damaged.”

He contended that “basic judgment” and traditional discretion by ground staff have historically allowed accommodations. This flexibility recognized that while a violin case might technically exceed rigid size limits, the instruments are often considerably smaller and lighter than many standard carry-on bags. 

Solares powerfully articulated, “Rules are supposed to be rational, reasonable, and as such, whenever specific cases do not exactly conform to their literal interpretation, we need to go back to ‘ratio,’ reason, logic, and common sense to make informed decisions for the common good.” He advocated for judicious flexibility, challenging rigid blanket policies to uphold the “basic human need to be secure with our precious, hard-earned musical instruments.”

The MSO incident serves as a potent reminder for airlines globally to critically re-evaluate how standardized baggage policies intersect with the unique requirements of high-value, exquisitely fragile items like professional musical instruments. 

This controversy urges a thoughtful balance between necessary safety protocols and the empathetic accommodation of passengers whose livelihoods and artistic expressions depend on the protection of their instruments.

Resolution demands not just adherence to rules, but a deep understanding of the invaluable cargo being carried and the trust placed in an airline to protect it.

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