Bliss N Eso are headed to South Australia at the end of the week to being the final set of dates of their Circus Under The Stars national tour this week, but are now travelling $1,750 lighter after a hefty airline fine, as the hip hop trio themselves have pointed in a scathing social media attack.
In a post to their 581,000 Facebook followers, Bliss N Eso took aim at Virgin airlines over an excess baggage fee the group were hit with for a domestic flight to Melbourne following their headline performance at the Big Pineapple Festival on the Sunshine Coast over the weekend, as FasterLouder reports.
“Shame on you Virgin Australia claiming to support local artists & musicians and then screwing us over with a $1750 excess baggage bill on a one way domestic flight. Our equipment ended up costing more than the seats!” write the group, adding a pointed hash tag of #ThisIsWhyWeTryFlyQantas with the accompanying photo.
It’s hardly the first time that Aussie musicians have squared off against airlines (re: Washington and Missy Higgins versus Qantas) but while some of the 300 commenters on the Facebook post are equally up-in-arms over the budget airline’s excess fees, it turns out that perhaps the trio were slugged with the fines for not adhering to Virgin’s travel guidelines.
Virgin Australia actually already have an excess baggage allowance specifically tailored for touring musicians as part of a deal the airline struck with Australian Music Industry Network in 2011, which includes a baggage allowance of up to 32kg across three checked pieces of luggage to members of AIR, APRA, AMCOS, Music Victoria, LPA, and many more national associations.
Virgin also allows for an additional 32kg option for an extra $15 if given 48hrs notice. Both deals are valid on all Virgin Australia-branded domestic flights.
Additionally, Bliss N Eso reportedly “attempted to take approximately 25 extra pieces of luggage on board, without adhering to the 48-hour notice period required,” according to FasterLouder. In a statement, Virgin Australia calls itself “the most accommodating of any Australian carrier… to take advantage of [our offers], groups are required to request the complimentary allowance at least two business days in advance.”
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UPDATE 21/05/: Bliss N Eso have issued another statement on their Facebook this evening that reads: “Yes we have the music allowance and yes we pre-arranged this with Virgin well in advance like we do with all our other flights where we have had no issue.
“The point is it could have been dealt with at the airport but instead we have to resort to posting on social media to get a reaction out of them. Thanks to all your likes and positive comments Virgin is now trying to reconcile the situation with us.”
In related news, the hip hop trio recently unleashed the music video for their collaboration with Nas, ‘I Am Somebody’, the latest single lifted from Bliss N Eso’s ARIA top selling Circus Under The Stars, which Bliss N Eso are currently touring as part of a series of massive outdoor arena shows with Horrorshow and Seth Sentry. Dates and details below.
Bliss N Eso Australian Tour 2014
CIRCUS UNDER THE STARS TOUR
w/ special guests Horrorshow & Seth Sentry
Fri 23 May – Mount Gambier | Showgrounds, SA (All Ages)
www.moshtix.com.au | Ph: 1800 GET TIX
Sat 24 May – Tampawardli Park | Adelaide, SA (All Ages)
www.moshtix.com.au | Ph: 1800 GET TIX
Sat 31 May – Hobart | Macquarie Wharf 2, TAS (All Ages)
www.moshtix.com.au | Ph: 1800 GET TIX
Further tickets and info at www.frontiertouring.com/blissneso
