The AUC, Air Transport Users’ Council, ceased to exist in March. Its successor, the Aviation Consumer Advocate Panel (ACAP) is not up and running yet so who put the case for what airline passengers think…
For the past 40 years, it has been the Air Transport Users Council (AUC) that has been the body that has supposedly championed the rights of consumers. That has just been brought to an end. If you want to complain about an airline or an airport there is a new body to represent us.
Actually that’s not quite true. There are two new bodies but both still attached to the CAA, Civil Aviation Authority.
CD-Traveller (25 Sept. 2010) referred to a list of quangos that the government was planning to close, merge or retain. Yesterday the “official” list was published. Going through the list of hundreds affecting the holidaymaker and the traveller, we are not sure that we’ll notice much difference.
What is the purpose of an airport regulator?
To make money? To manage the interests of our airports? Or the airlines? To control over-zealous ideas and practices? To make sure passengers fly safely?
I sometimes wonder.
Yesterday the Transport Secretary, Philip Hammond, announced that he was giving additional powers to the Civil Aviation Authority. (CAA) But this time the power is to look out for the passenger. Hammond said, “…the CAA’s primary duty will be to promote the interests of existing and future passengers.”
From tomorrow, 1st November, EU regulations come into place banning hiding taxes and extra charges when they advertise their flights. Theorectically if a flight is advertised at £1 that is what it should cost you. In practice I suspect that won’t happen due to choices that you will have to opt-out of such as priority boarding, insurance as well as charges for using debit or credit cards. But it should include the appropriate taxes so unless there is a sale on, you probably won’t see
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