London (Parliament Politics Magazine) – UK Transport Secretary Louise Haigh plans stricter airline consumer protections following an inquiry into the August 2023 air traffic control breakdown.
UK transport secretary Louise Haigh has said that the Airline passengers will benefit from more stringent enforcement of consumer protection regulations following an inquiry into the August 2023 air traffic control breakdown, She stated she wants to ensure “all passengers feel secure when they fly”.
What impact did the Nats breakdown have on passengers?
Around 700,000 passengers suffered disturbance when flights were levelled at UK airports on 28 August last year after National Air Traffic Services (Nats) mourned a technical glitch while processing a flight plan. An inquiry into what happened discovered that several travellers waited “many weeks and in some cases months” for airlines to reimburse their expenses. It suggested that the regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA), be granted the power to “take consumer enforcement action” without going through the tribunals.
How does Louise Haigh plan to ensure passenger confidence?
Louise Haigh stated: “The Nats IT failure last year was an unusual event that we all hope never happens again, so I admit the final report and its recommendations to support the sector and restore passenger confidence. I’ve stated before that I will be the passenger-in-chief and my priority is to ensure all passengers feel confident when they fly. That’s why my department will look to introduce reforms, when we can, to provide air travellers with the highest level of protection possible.”
The CAA’s incapacity to issue fines indicates it is required to take airlines to court if they fail to react to enforcement action, which means short-term resolutions are unlikely. Under the Conservative government, in June last year, the Department for Transport set out goals to give the CAA “stronger enforcement powers”, but no legislation on the matter was introduced.
34 recommendations were driven by the inquiry into the August 2023 failure, which was formed by the CAA and led by Jeff Halliwell, who has performed as a chief executive and non-executive director in roles across the private and public sectors.