Plans for a consumer panel to replace the Air Transport Users Council which was closed last year have been outlined by the Civil Aviation Authority.
The CAA is advertising for applicants for the role of chairman of the new panel, with an appointment expected in the spring and the body to be functioning soon after.
The panel will be structured to be sufficiently independent to hold the regulator to account while not incurring unnecessary administrative costs, according to the authority.
It is being established to give the CAA a “sharper focus” on how its regulatory activity affects passengers, and on how it can best support the aviation industry to deliver choice and value for airline users.
CAA chairman Dame Deirdre Hutton said: “The panel will provide a consumer perspective on all aspects of the CAA’s work.
“But its main focus will be on how regulation affects the everyday passenger experience. We want the panel to shine a light on the passenger experience of air travel and suggest practical solutions to problems they identify.
“We recognise that to be effective, it is important that it has sufficient independence to challenge the CAA when it needs to, with the freedom to stand up for consumers’ interests.”