Ryanair's musical instrument policy came in for further criticism this week, after it emerged that a twelve-year-old violinist and her father had been prevented from boarding a plane from Germany to the UK after refusing to pay £190 for a seat for the instrument.

Francesca Rijks, a pupil at Chetham's, and her father had initially been told that the extra seat would not be necessary, but as they tried to board the aircraft, officials told them that they would need to purchase the extra ticket after all. Mr Rijks reluctantly agreed to pay, but by then the gate had closed. In the end, the Rijks flew with Easyjet, who were happy to accept the violin as hand luggage.

Mr Rijks has since demanded a refund from Ryanair and has recommended musicians to avoid the airline. His sentiments echo those of the campaign group 'Musicians Against Ryanair' that was formed in the wake of similar stories earlier in the year.

Reactions to the Rijks' plight on the Musicians Against Ryanair Facebook page have been typically immoderate, and have included comments such as 'that's totally ridiculous!' and 'its fu**ed up!'