Select committee: Transport Committee
Conclusion 11
Fifth Report - UK aviation: reform for take-off
Published 25 Apr 2022
Paragraph 66
Addressed to Department for Transport
Transport Committee Airlines and airports: supporting recovery in the UK aviation sector All items in this report Report on parliament.uk ↗ Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗
Conclusion (the committee's words)
In April 2021, the Global Travel Taskforce recommended that the Government consult on additional, flexible and modern tools to enforce consumer rights before 48 UK aviation: reform for take-off the end of 2021. Although long overdue, the Government is now consulting on the merits of granting the Civil Aviation Authority additional powers to enforce aviation consumer protection laws. The Civil Aviation Authority urgently requires the power to impose financial penalties on airlines that do not provide complete refunds to consumers when they are required to do so by law.
From: Transport Committee, Fifth Report - UK aviation: reform for take-off (HC 683), paragraph 66, 25 April 2022
Government response
The government responded to the whole report on 11 July 2022 (deadline 25 June 2022).
Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.The Government's response notes most of the Committee's recommendations, agrees with a small number, partially agrees with others, and points to its new strategic framework, Flightpath to the Future, published on 26 May.
- On future pandemic planning, the Government "agrees with this recommendation", and says it "will only consider implementing new public health measures at the border in extreme circumstances".
- On an Airline Insolvency Bill, it "partially accepts" the recommendation: "If a Bill is required, we will work to introduce it as soon as practicable."
- On CAA financial penalties, it has "noted" the recommendation and will set out next steps "in due course" after reviewing responses to its consultation on additional CAA powers.
- It does "not agree" that the CMA needs to review the antigen travel test market, nor that the consultation should be expanded to cover the private travel testing market, saying that market has been dealt with separately.