Travellers not convinced airlines would treat them fairly during delays – survey

Nearly two out of five (39%) airline passengers lack confidence that they would be treated fairly if something went wrong, a new survey suggests.

Consumer group Which? said its poll of 1,000 adults who flew from a UK airport in the first 10 months of last year shows aviation regulator the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) should be handed stronger powers.

Travellers who had suffered a delay with their most recent flight were the most likely to express doubt they would receive fair treatment in future, with 49% holding that view.

Many airline passengers suffered major disruption last year as the aviation industry failed to cope with the spike in demand for travel following the scrapping of coronavirus restrictions.

Under UK consumer laws, passengers are entitled to assistance and compensation when flights are delayed or cancelled depending on the extent and cause of the disruption, and the length of the flight.

But Which? warned that “repeated failures” by airlines to make customers aware of their rights indicates there is “a systemic problem in the travel sector, which the CAA currently has limited powers to correct”.

The CAA has civil powers to take enforcement action against airlines, but court cases typically take several years to be concluded.

Government proposals to give the CAA more powers were consulted on in early 2022, but no changes have been made.

The Department for Transport (DfT) said it will “set out next steps in due course”.

Which? director of policy and advocacy Rocio Concha said: “After the unacceptable delays and disruption experienced by travellers last year, it is concerning, though perhaps unsurprising, to find that almost two-fifths of travellers express a lack of confidence that they’ll receive fair treatment from their airlines should things go awry in future.

“The Transport Secretary must urgently set out plans to equip the aviation regulator with greater enforcement powers so it can properly hold airlines to account when they mistreat passengers and neglect their legal responsibilities.

“Without decisive action, some airlines will continue to be emboldened to fail passengers, as we’ve seen repeatedly in the last few years.”

CAA consumer director Paul Smith said: “We have regularly asked for stronger consumer enforcement powers, including the ability to impose fines on airlines.

“This would allow us to take faster action when appropriate and bring our powers in line with other sectoral regulators.

“If implemented, proposals outlined in the Government’s consultation on enforcement powers, which were supported by the Transport Select Committee, will improve passenger rights and equip us with better tools to act swiftly and effectively for the benefit of consumers.”

A DfT spokesman said: “It’s vital passengers feel confident when flying, and if flights are disrupted airlines are responsible for issuing refunds and compensation where necessary.

“Our Aviation Passenger Charter provides passengers with information on their rights, and we have consulted on a range of measures to improve passenger protections, including greater powers for the CAA.”