Air Travel And Passenger Health

EDM number 1267 in 2005-06, proposed by John P Smith on 14/12/2005.

That this House, following the decision by the Law Lords on Thursday 8th December in the case of deep vein thrombosis and air travel group litigation, calls upon the Government to introduce legislation at the earliest opportunity to place a statutory duty of care on airlines for the health and well-being of their passengers to bring them in line with all other passenger carriers; believes it is wholly unacceptable in the 21st century, when air travel is the fastest growing mode of passenger transport and over 60 million passengers fly long haul, i.e. over four hours in duration, from the UK every year, that under the provisions of Article 17 of the Warsaw convention (1929) airlines, uniquely, have no responsibility whatsoever for the health or well-being of their passengers; recognises that it is estimated that as many as one in 10 long haul passengers develop blood clots in their lower limbs and one in 40 of these result in a potentially fatal deep vein thrombosis; further recognises that a pressurised airline cabin presents one of the most controlled and contrived environments imaginable; notes with concern that every time a passenger boards an aircraft they are taking an enormous uninsured risk to their health; and urges the Government to act quickly to prevent any further unnecessary loss of life from flight-related deep vein thrombosis.

This motion has been signed by a total of 34 MPs.