AUC urges govt to reconsider passenger protection

Consumer watchdog the Air Transport Users' Council (AUC) has written to the government urging it to reconsider its approach to protection for scheduled airline passengers.

Tina Tietjen, chairman of the AUC, wrote to new transport secretary Geoff Hoon to raise the issue.

The council claims that it has pressed the government for "a number of years" to introduce a specialist scheme to protect passengers against the failure of scheduled airlines.

Increasing competition in the industry and the current economic climate raise "the spectre of a greater likelihood of airline failure", according to the AUC, as has been highlighted by the recent collapses of Zoom Airlines and the XL group.

In her letter to the transport secretary, Ms Tietjen wrote: "The AUC's previous position in respect of scheduled airline failure has been that protection should be provided via a flat fee levy on all passengers paid into a common fund.

"This levy would cover passengers for reimbursement of monies and, for those already abroad, completion of holiday and return home. We continue to hold this view and urge the government to give detailed consideration to extending financial protection for air passengers, to include the failure of scheduled airlines."

Travellers are guaranteed cover against airline failure if they book with a company covered by the Air Travel Organisers' Licensing scheme, while some insurance policies also offer protection to passengers who are stranded abroad.

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