The man, who did not wish to be named, said he would never fly with Jetstar again — after posting a picture of the case with substantial cracks and scrapes.

“I am almost impressed at the damage to my case,” he said to 7News.

“I think it’s related to the big containers they put in the planes, and maybe the fact that they don’t have their own crew.”

The passenger had attached a handwritten note to the case, advising handlers it was their income.

“Please take care of me,” the note read with two smiley faces. “This instrument is my income.”

Other users commented on the social media post that the guitar case looked like it had been dropped while flying, or run over by the plane.

“As someone who always flies with a guitar, this is scary as s***,” another person said. “That is some serious mishandling.”

“Wow, that’s some effort to damage it,” one person commented.

Jetstar told news.com.au the case was damaged – but not the guitar – and the man had been offered reimbursement for the cost of a new case.

It reached out to the customer on Wednesday to offer an apology and the reimbursement.