Double Bassist Calls for Unified Rules for Instruments on EU and UK Planes

“I’m a musician. My instrument is not luggage,” Valentina Scheldhofen Ciardelli wrote in her petition 

Following several instances of instrument mistreatment, the London-based double bassist Valentina Scheldhofen Ciardelli has launched a petition calling for musical instruments to be recognized by plane and train services as professional equipment, not as extra baggage.

“I’m a double bassist and composer, and an active touring performer. I travel constantly — across Europe and beyond — for concerts, festivals, collaborations, and teaching,” Ciardelli explained. “Wherever I go, I bring my instrument. And every single time, I face the same struggle.

“My double bass is not a suitcase. It’s my voice. My livelihood. My responsibility,” she continued. “Yet it is often treated as oversized luggage, subject to arbitrary rules, unpredictable costs, and even disrespectful handling by airline or train staff unfamiliar with the needs of traveling musicians.”

Ciardelli’s experiences have included “negotiating with airport staff who don’t know what a double bass is,” paying fees designed for sports gear or oversized luggage, and watching security staff open or mishandle her case.

“I miss connections, lose time, and suffer anxiety, all because no clear rule exists to protect professional musicians in transit,” she said. “This experience is not unique to me. Thousands of musicians across Europe go through this daily. That’s why I’m now advocating for a EU-wide set of clear and fair rules for transporting musical instruments — by plane and train.”

Her petition is calling for clear and capped fees for transporting large instruments, protection against unjustified seizure or damage at customs, equal treatment across all EU and UK networks, and the creation of an EU Cultural Freight Label to guarantee priority handling, trained personnel, and cultural status recognition.

To sign the petition, click here. 

“This isn’t a luxury request,” Ciardelli added. “It’s a call for basic rights for working artists — so we can keep doing our jobs, safely and without fear. Music moves across borders. Let’s make sure the people who create it can move too — freely, safely, and with dignity.

“Please sign and share this petition. We need all people not only musicians to sign this petition, music is part of everyone’s life! Let’s bring this proposal to the European Commission, national ministries, airlines, and train operators. Let’s build a real bridge for cultural mobility between Europe and the UK.”