Improving the passenger experience at airports

Passengers' needs are to be put at the heart of how airports are regulated and they are to get a new champion to represent their views, Transport Secretary Andrew Adonis confirmed today, while also unveiling proposals to improve the ATOL scheme of financial protection for air travellers and the wider aviation regulatory framework.

The proposals to reform the ATOL scheme are designed to reflect changes in the holiday market and make it easier for those booking holidays to understand whether their trip is covered or not. The changes could see a new wider "flight-plus" category introduced, to make clear that anyone booking a flight and another holiday component such as car hire or hotel will be protected by the scheme.

Andrew Adonis said: "The ATOL scheme has remained a source of reassurance for travellers since it was drawn up in the 1970s. However, since that time, there have been big changes to travel patterns. The concept of a package holiday has become blurred, as many holidays are now sold through mix-and-match components.

"Consumers must be able to make informed choices. The changes we are proposing will help ensure that the scheme remains relevant to the way people book their holidays today and still offers excellent protection for travellers."

Other changes being confirmed today mean that the industry regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) will be given a new primary duty for airport economic regulation to promote the interests of passengers, and Passenger Focus will get new statutory powers to represent air passengers as they already do for rail users and soon will for bus users, building on the work currently done by the Air Transport Users Council.

Andrew Adonis said: "These measures will result in real improvements for air passengers and will help ensure that we get the most efficient and competitive aviation sector possible.

"I'd like to thank the Air Transport Users Council for all their work to help passengers. I'm sure Passenger Focus will be a strong champion for their needs going forward."

The proposals to reform the ATOL scheme are now subject to a 12-week public consultation. The same document also sets out the Government's other proposals to ensure that the CAA can focus on the public interest. These include new general objectives to ensure that the needs of the consumer and the environment are at the forefront of the CAA's decisions, whilst maintaining an emphasis on safety; new powers to enable more targeted enforcement; and the ability to secure the publication of information where this is in the public interest.