Airports to focus on passengers and the environment
09.03.09
UK airports will have to focus more on consumers and the environmental impact of their operations under proposed reforms to their regulatory system. Secretary of State for Transport Geoff Hoon has said that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will be given a primary duty towards passengers. The new regime will target poor customer service at the UK's largest airports, and could see airports fined for poor baggage handling or long queues at security.
Passenger Focus will be the advocate for air passengers' interests - a role it currently undertakes for bus and rail passengers. In addition the UK's 13 biggest airports - those with more than 5 million passengers a year - will report annually on their environmental impact. Only those 13 will have to have licenses in the future, leaving the 42 smaller airports free of economic regulation.
The plans also involve giving statutory backing for representation of passengers for the first time. The Air Transport Users' Council currently fills that role but the proposals suggest the responsibility would be switched to Passenger Focus.
Mr Hoon said: ‘The CAA has told us that their current duties lack clarity. [The duties] ask them to further the interests of both airlines and passengers, without saying who comes first. Today I am removing that lack of clarity - the passenger must come first.'
'Passengers have told us they want things like more seating areas, more toilets, better flight information and more baggage carousels. These are exactly the kind of issues we will expect the CAA to address.’
Harry Bush, the CAA's chief regulator, said: ‘It is important to maximise the benefits for passengers from the upcoming sale of Gatwick, and possibly Stansted, by supporting the increase in competition for passengers and airlines with a flexible and clear regulatory framework.'
He said that the CAA would also tackle immigration queues - the responsibility of the UK Border Agency - and lengthy waits at security made worse by Home Office rules. However, he added: ‘If the passenger wants a better experience maybe that means investing more money. That might mean we have to live with that being reflected in pricing.’
The announcement from the Department for Transport (DfT) marks the start of a consultation process.
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