Musicians And Airlines

EDM number 741 in 2010-12, proposed by Ian Mearns on 15/09/2010.
Categorised under the topics of Aviation and Performing arts.

That this House recognises the value of music and musicians to the economy of the UK and its cultural reputation; notes that Ryanair faces a boycott by the Facebook group Musicians against Ryanair whose members and others have been forced, for example, to buy extra seats for their violins although their instruments often fit perfectly into overhead lockers, when other airlines accept them as an addition to the hand-luggage allowance; welcomes the support of cellist Julian Lloyd Webber who says that this indiscriminate victimisation of musicians must cease; further notes that the Incorporated Society of Musicians (ISM) has launched a petition urging the Department for Transport and the airline industry to implement a standard agreement for carrying musical instruments on planes; agrees with the Chief Executive of ISM, Deborah Annetts, that the lack of a fair and consistent approach by airlines means UK musicians are faced with a hand-luggage lottery which means that they often cannot afford to travel abroad to perform, whilst international musicians struggle to travel to the UK to perform and that this threatens their livelihood and stifles the creative and cultural economy; and urges the whole airline industry and in particular Ryanair to introduce fair and consistent practice.

This motion has been signed by a total of 28 MPs, 1 of these signatures have been withdrawn.