Southwest Airlines denies musician from boarding flight with guitar

A musician was allegedly met by police in Sacramento following a dispute with Southwest Airlines staff over boarding a flight with a guitar case.

Samantha Henson, a musician from Sacramento, was attempting to fly to Portland for a friend’s wedding when she was denied boarding on Thursday evening.

The traveller captioned a video on Instagram: “So Southwest refused to let me board with my guitar because it didn’t fit in the small carry-on ‘box’. And then called the Sacramento sheriff’s office because I refused to check it.

“I’ve stowed this bag overhead for over five years with no issues. You’ve really changed, Southwest.”

A Southwest Airlines employee is seen in the video saying: “You should be ashamed of yourself. We want you to go on the next flight. (...) If this happens again tonight, you won't be able to fly for 24 more hours. (...) You're not getting that on."

According to Henson, sheriff’s deputies were called to deal with the luggage dispute after gate agents determined that the guitar case exceeded cabin baggage dimensions.

Generally, the airline policy says if an instrument (including case or covering) meets the carry-on size limit of 24 x 16 x 10 inches, it can be brought onto the flight as a carry-on item if space is available.

It adds that if your instrument is larger than the carry-on size limit, “you may still carry it onboard if it will fit in an overhead bin or under a seat if space is available”.

Following the incident, Henson spent the night in the Sacramento airport and successfully boarded a flight on Friday morning with her guitar, reported The Sacramento Bee.

Southwest Airlines said in a statement: “Southwest Airlines allows customers to bring a guitar as a carry-on item at no extra cost, provided it fits in the overhead bin or under a seat, and there is available space when you board.

“As customers board and bin spaces fill up, everyone’s carry-on bag is not guaranteed, especially as we get further into the boarding groups.

“We encourage customers to purchase an upgraded boarding position if they are travelling with items they would like to keep in cabin with them.”

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