Aito, the Specialist Travel Association, has hailed plans to strengthen rights of air passengers but also called for a flight levy to create a fund to protect passengers if airlines collapse.
The Department for Transport (DfT) has promised airline customers “access to faster and cheaper dispute resolution” and increased compensation for damaged wheelchairs alongside enhanced powers for the Civil Aviation Authority, which will have increased powers to enforce consumer protection law such as “issuing fines for breaches”.
Noel Josephides, Aito director, said: “Aito strongly welcomes the planned increased powers to be granted to the CAA by the government.
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“A compulsory Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) system has been far too long in coming; we hope that the necessary legislation to facilitate the new powers will be pushed through Parliament as soon as possible.
“Aito’s specialist tour operator members, which have to comply with the Package Travel Regulations, have for too long been forced into the unwelcome position of being a buffer between the airlines and their customers.
“We have had to deal with the many problems that are created on a daily basis by the aviation sector when it comes to last-minute cancellations, refunds and also – of huge consequence to those with limited mobility – damage to wheelchairs.
“It is imperative that the CAA will also be able to exercise such new powers in connection with the many overseas-based airlines which fly into and out of the UK.”
He also said Aito hopes that the current review of the Package Travel Regulations will consider the need for airlines to refund tour operators for any expenses incurred in sorting out airline schedule changes and any other airline problems.
“In addition, Aito also hopes very much that the next step taken by the Department for Transport will be to institute a levy on all outbound flights in order to create a giant fund to provide passengers with financial protection in the event of an airline collapse,” added Josephides.
“It would be a simple and hugely efficacious step.
“This option has been talked about for several decades; the time to act is very much now.”