To whom it may concern, My name is Noa Gibson. Earlier this year I flew on Aeroflot with a guitar and was permitted to bring it on board where it was stored by the crew, since it didn't have a hard case. On may 13th, to get information before booking my flight to Israel, I called the airline to ask about the policy of sending a guitar and was told there should be no problem doing the same as I had done before. This is why I chose to book the flight through Aeroflot - flight 101, on July 1, stopping in Moscow. Airline confirmation: HVKONG. I arrived at the airport two and half hours prior to my flight, and waited in the check-in line for an hour and half, because there were only three counters open. When I finally arrived at the counter I was told I had to pay $200 and check in my guitar. I tried to explain that I can't because I was leaving the country and had just closed my bank account, and the guitar doesn't have a hard case, and was told to speak to the check-in manager. She told me I was "wasting my time" and can go speak to the woman at ticketing. The woman at ticketing told me that "the rules were changed and it was not her problem" and "unless I want her to pay for it, I can go back to check in". This was 40 minutes before the flight. When I asked to speak to a manager she asked me why I came so late and I explained I was in line for an hour an a half. She told me she has nothing more to say and I should go back to check-in. I got in line to speak to the check-in manager and she dismissed me from the line, shooing me away with her hand, saying she has nothing to say to me and I should let other people through. Nobody would speak to me. In the meantime I asked a friend to transfer me money so I could pay the fee, but the check-in manager would not speak to me. I got in line to check-in my luggage and offered my credit card (at this point I was crying and asking for help). Other people were still checking in at other desks, but the check-in manager came over and said the the flight is closed and I cannot board it. I pointed out that other people were still checking in, she said that "I was wasting my time standing in line, so now the flight is closed for me". At this point I started sobbing and even asked the people who were checking in if I could check in with them because I had to get home to my family. The check-in manager refused. It got to the point that I had to beg her, sobbing, while explaining that I had money transferred. Finally she allowed me to check my bags. It was now 20 minutes before the flight. The man at the desk told me to rush through security and take care of the guitar at the gate. I did, but was then approached by the check-in manager who accused me of trying to avoid payment and told me that "it is not nice to run away when I know I need to pay". I have flown quite a bit in my life, and I HAVE NEVER BEEN TREATED THIS WAY. I was humiliated and made to beg. I was spoken to in a disrespectful manner and was refused service and was even refused permission to board the flight for no reason. I don't know the name of the check-in manager, but I have never interacted with someone who treated paying customers so horribly and with no empathy or compassion. Until this incident I have had only positive experiences with Aeroflot and have even recommended it to people, but the way I was treated at check-in is unacceptable. Nobody should ever be made to feel the way I felt. I was in tears the entire flight to Moscow (8 hours), and was even approached by strangers asking if I was alright. I was trying to get money for the guitar, that is not my complaint, though I was specifically told by an Aeroflot employee that I can bring it. My complaint is about how horribly and inhumanly I was treated. In addition, my guitar and one of my suitcases did not arrive in Tel Aviv and I now have to wait for them to be tracked. I expect to receive full compensation for the expense of checking in the guitar, since I was told I would not have to pay for it. Not as credit for a future flight, but an actual return of the money into my account. I would like to continue flying Aeroflot because I want to believe that this is an isolated incident. Please don't prove me wrong, and please treat me the way I deserve to be treated as person - fairly and with respect. While I do expect to get compensation for the cost of checking the guitar, my real complaint is about the traumatic experience I had, in front of other customers and employees.