An aviation ombudsman should be appointed amid concerns that proposed changes to the “broken” airline complaints system fall short of requirements to restore consumer trust in travel.
The call came from consumer group Which? in response to the Civil Aviation Authority’s consultation on potential changes to its current Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) policy.
The aviation regulator’s proposed changes to the internal rules for ADR schemes include a new process for “complex and novel” cases and a post-decision review process that could give airlines an opportunity to influence how future cases are handled, Which? claimed.
The proposed changes will do little to address the weaknesses of the existing system, and amount to little more than “tinkering around the edges”.
The consumer body also suggested that the proposals “also appear to prioritise airlines’ perspectives over consumers’, and risk already weak consumer protections being further diluted”.
Instead, a new aviation ombudsman scheme should be introduced that all airlines operating in the UK must be made to join to improve the passenger complaints process, as part of the government’s upcoming aviation recovery plan.
The majority of the largest airlines flying from the UK are currently signed up to one of two UK schemes, AviationADR or CEDR. While both have been authorised to handle escalated passenger complaints since 2016, neither is mandatory and airlines are free to leave the schemes at will.
In the interim, the regulator should step up scrutiny of existing ADR bodies, and ensure greater transparency for the complaints handling process.
It must also improve its requirements for data reporting and encourage airlines to act on their complaints data.
Which? Travel editor Rory Boland said: “Throughout the coronavirus crisis, passengers have seen their consumer rights ripped up by some airlines that have consistently flouted the law – but they have found there is nowhere to turn for support.
“This situation has only served to highlight that the current complaints system is broken, and tinkering around the edges will not be enough to reform it and make it work for passengers.
“The government must ensure that passengers’ needs are front and centre in its aviation recovery plan, starting with the introduction of a mandatory, single ombudsman scheme for airlines, as a first step to restoring trust in the sector.”
CAA director Richard Stephenson said: “The Civil Aviation Authority was a leading force in the creation of the ADR scheme in the UK which has enabled thousands of consumers to receive compensation from airlines.
“We have received Which?’s response to our consultation and we will review its proposals for how improvements can be made to the existing arrangements for the benefit of consumers.”