Sheku Kanneh-Mason, a British cellist who became internationally famous after performing at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, had to cancel a highly anticipated concert. Toronto concert following a dispute with AirCanada on the pre-reserved place of his cello.
Kanneh-Mason, currently touring North America with her sister and pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason, detailed the incident in a candid Instagram post.
“We were deeply saddened that we were unable to perform for you at Koerner Hall last night,” they wrote Thursday.
The siblings were scheduled to perform at Koerner Hall on Wednesday, but a series of travel mishaps with the airline resulted in his prized instrument being denied boarding.
Receive national news daily
Get the day’s top news, politics, business and current affairs headlines delivered to your inbox once a day.
“First we had delays, then a cancellation, and the day ended with the cello being refused boarding – despite a confirmed seat for him – on a new and final flight to Toronto ” the siblings wrote.
“After nine anxious hours at the airport, we realized our trip was not going to be possible.”
According to the musician websitehis cello is loaned to him for an indefinite period, which requires special care and adjustments due to its historical value. In a statement from Air Canada, they said they regret that customers were unable to travel as planned and will remain in contact with them.
The airline’s policy states that passengers can purchase a seat for a musical instrument provided they meet specific height and weight requirements.
“In this case, customers made a last-minute reservation due to the cancellation of their original flight on another airline. We are still reviewing what happened,” the statement said. It remains unclear why Kanneh-Mason’s cello was rejected.
“We can only dream of a time when all airlines take a standardized, comprehensive and carefully considered approach to the transportation of valuable instruments reserved for cabin travel,” the siblings said.
The siblings expressed their disappointment and promised to postpone the show in Toronto next year, thanking fans for their understanding.
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.