CHARTER airlines are unfairly discriminated against in
the UK despite offering the most consumer protection, having high load factors
and competitive prices.
TUI Northern Europe and TUI Airlines chairman Charles
Gurassa made the claim in a scathing attack on the way charter airlines are
regulated in this country.
Without a level playing field, charters could be
forced to put up prices, he warned.
Gurassa attacked the current system that requires UK
operators to pay for an ATOL not applicable to scheduled and no-frills
carriers. TUI pays nearly £2 million a year for its ATOL.
“There is complete discrimination against the charter
sector. We pay for customer protection, they do not. I’m all for customer
protection but let’s have it in an even way,” he said.
“If EasyJet or British Airways sells a flight to
Malaga, then a hotel on top, the package is not protected. We fly to the same
places and they are increasingly selling the same ground products, yet we pay
millions of pounds to ensure customers are protected.”
No-frills airlines must be licensed by the Civil
Aviation Authority to enter the market but do not offer any protection against
insolvency.
Gurassa also attacked unfair slot allocations for
charter aircraft at Heathrow and Gatwick.
“The slot rules favour those who offer consistent
daily services at certain times even though we are flying full aircraft,” he
said.
He predicted that by 2010, Heathrow and Gatwick will be
turning away around 34 million passengers a year due to increasing demand and
lack of capacity, which will further “squeeze out” the charter airlines.
* Charter airline Britannia
has been forced to reduce the amount of seats with extra legroom because
customers are not prepared to pay extra for it. Economy-plus seats were simply
not important to customers, said Gurassa.