A suggestion that emergency timetables should be imposed on airlines in extreme weather or exceptional situations have been described as a “knee-jerk” reaction.
The idea, floated by Colin Matthews, chief executive of Heathrow owner BAA, and transport secretary Philip Hammond when appearing before the Transport Select Committee, was shot down by the Board of Airline Representatives in the UK, which represents 86 carriers.
The organisations’ chief executive Mike Carrivick said: “The idea to impose emergency airline timetables appears to be a knee-jerk reaction to take the heat off the airport operator during the enquiry into the December snow crisis and has not even been discussed with the airlines.
“Airlines and passengers were heeding the advice given out by the airport only to find that facts and timings kept changing, which led to passengers continuing to arrive at the airport with nowhere to go.
“An emergency timetable would not have worked, since the airport operator had simply no idea what would open and when. So, why should they be in a position to dictate schedules to individual airlines when they can’t get their own act together?”
BAR UK said it recognised the fact that capacity is always restricted during extreme events. But only airlines are fully aware of the required information to make the most effective scheduling decisions such as aircraft and crew availability and passenger loads. Airports must provide airlines with accurate information, according to BARUK.
Carrivick added: “It would be very perverse if the airport operator, responsible for the mismanaged airport closures in December, was arbiter of who could or could not fly. Let’s keep to the established system of the airlines setting the timetables and the airport operators efficiently managing operations.”