Transport Secretary, said:
The disruption we saw last week was completely unacceptable and I
know how frustrating it was for passengers, airlines and
airports.
I have now received NATS' report and, while I am pleased to see
that the safety of passengers was protected, it's clear we need
to urgently understand why this issue was not discovered and
fixed before it caused chaos. I have therefore tasked the CAA
with conducting an independent review to check NATS' findings and
investigate their investment plans to enhance resilience in the
future, along with regulatory accountability.
It is crucial that our national infrastructure is fit for the
future, and this government will make sure the aviation sector is
as resilient as possible, so passengers can get to where they
need to be.
BACKGROUND:
- More broadly, our Civil Aviation Bill which is currently
before Parliament - will strengthen passenger rights across the
sector.
- The Bill will bring forward powers for the CAA to take
swifter, stronger action when they identify airlines or airports
that are not meeting their obligations, such as providing correct
information regarding flight disruptions, or providing an
accessible service for disabled passengers.
- The CAA's independent review will be published within six
months, with the CAA due to outline the full terms of reference
in the coming days.
- The Transport Secretary will also update the House in due
course.
