BATA responds to ICAO announcement that an agreement has been reached on a global carbon offsetting scheme for aviation

Responding to the announcement that an agreement has been reached at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) on a global carbon offsetting scheme for aviation, Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of the British Air Transport Association (BATA), the trade body for UK airlines, said:

“The scheme agreed at ICAO will play a pivotal role in enabling UK aviation to meet its goal of achieving carbon neutral growth from 2020 whilst halving net emissions by 2050. It should not be forgotten that we are the only industry that has voluntarily agreed to such a commitment, where we are making great progress in achieving our target. 

“UK airlines have invested in more than 470 new aircraft since 2005, at a cost of over $50 billion, helping the industry to reduce its carbon emissions by 20 million tonnes. A further 350 aircraft are on order, that are due to enter into service in the coming years. Overall we are exceeding the industry target for improving our performance on carbon reduction, with an increase in fuel efficiency of over 11% since 2008. 

“This global deal – which has attracted the support of 65 countries and is expected to cover over 84% of international aviation emissions growth over its lifetime to 2035 – will complement this effort and enable aviation growth to continue – with all the associated economic and social advantages – whilst ensuring that emissions are reduced. As a sector we really have decoupled growth in aviation from growth in emissions – this is an exciting development for all those who want to see this industry prosper.” 

 ENDS

BATA responds to new statistics on disruptive passengers compiled by the Civil Aviation Authority

Responding to new statistics compiled by the Civil Aviation Authority and published by the BBC showing an increase in incidents of disruptive behaviour on airlines, Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of the British Air Transport Association (BATA), the trade body for UK airlines, said:

“UK airlines take a zero tolerance approach to disruptive behaviour, which is why BATA led the way in drawing up and publishing the UK Aviation Industry Code of Practice. We welcome the recognition from Government that excessive drinking at airports and on-board aircraft is an issue that needs to be addressed, and we look forward to discussing with Ministers how to best tackle this problem.

 “Airlines will, in the meantime, continue to take internal actions and work with partner organisations to reduce the number of incidents, which in the context of total UK passenger numbers are extremely rare but nevertheless can cause unnecessary disruption, annoyance and delay. Airlines are already taking a number of steps to deal with this problem – from refusing the sale of alcohol to certain customers or stopping the service of alcohol altogether, banning disruptive passengers from booking again, or actively seeking to recover costs from the passenger in case of diversions or any damage to the plane – and these will continue as we endeavour to get a grip on these increases in incidents.”  

UK airlines critical of Border Force plans for paid “fast track” passport checks at airport immigration halls

Responding to the news that Border Force is working on introducing a new Fast Track Passport Control service at immigration halls whereby passengers will be able to pay extra for “fast track” passport checks at airports, Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of the British Air Transport Association (BATA), the trade body for UK airports, said:

 “The Government and Border Force must ensure that this premium service does not become their overriding priority. Whilst at certain airports there may be some level of demand for this product at immigration halls, such an arrangement should not detract from the need for Border Force to provide the standard, required service which ensures that service levels and targets are met. This should not become the new ‘normal’ for passengers – and they should not have to pay extra to fund a service that they should expect to receive anyway.   

 “The proposed changes could have major implications for passengers – especially at smaller airports with constrained infrastructure and limited space to accommodate premium offerings. Moreover, Brexit means that future border and immigration arrangements are unclear and therefore substantial changes should be avoided until the full implications of the referendum result as they impact on border operations are better understood.”

ENDS

BATA response to the announcement by the Civil Aviation Authority on Alternative Dispute Resolution

Responding to the announcement by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) that 20 airlines have signed up to CAA-approved Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) bodies to resolve passenger complaints, Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of the British Air Transport Association (BATA), the trade body for UK-registered airlines, said:

“UK airlines need to provide good customer service to attract passengers in the highly competitive markets in which they operate. When things do go wrong, most complaints are resolved amicably without passengers having to resort to contacting the CAA or taking a complaint to court. For example, BATA’s member airlines served 138 million passengers in 2014, but the CAA PACT team handled just 11,500 complaints relating to our members in the year to March 2015, an approximate complaint rate of less than 0.1%.   

“Following the ADR Directive and its implementation by the UK Government, ADR was made available in the aviation sector on a voluntary basis. A number of carriers have already committed to using ADR while others will be carefully considering it as an option, ultimately basing their decision on what is best for their customers.”    

ENDS

BATA response to comments made by Aviation Minister on disruptive behaviour

Responding to comments made by the new Aviation Minister, Lord Ahmad, regarding disruptive behaviour by air passengers, Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of the British Air Transport Association (BATA), said:

“Last year over 251 million passengers passed through UK airports. Thankfully incidents of disruptive behaviour are a very rare occurrence but where they do happen the impact can have serious consequences for fellow passengers, employees working in the air and at the airport, as well as for the disruptive passengers themselves. These incidents can be costly and cause delays. With air travel proving more popular than ever, and passenger numbers expected to rise across the whole of the UK in the coming years, now is the time to tackle this problem collectively. 

 “As an industry we take a zero tolerance approach to disruptive passenger behaviour. That is why we have all – airlines, airports, duty free retailers, bar and pub managers, and the police – come together to develop the voluntary Code of Practice. This sets out how we can work collectively and individually further to reduce incidents of disruptive behaviour, and act to minimise the impact where they do occur despite our best combined efforts to prevent them. We are committed to ensuring passengers have a consistently safe and enjoyable experience when travelling and to providing a safe and pleasant work environment for our employees.

 “Ultimately, we need the message to go out that all passengers are responsible for their own behaviour and that causing disruption on-board an aircraft is an illegal offence which can carry a heavy penalty, such as a travel ban, fine, or even a prison sentence.”

ENDS

29 July 2016

UK Airlines support Aviation Industry Code of Practice on Disruptive Passengers

Airlines UK, the Airport Operators Association, the Airport Police Commanders Group, the Association of Licensed Multiple Retailers and the UK Travel Retail Forum have joined together to create the UK Aviation Industry Code of Practice on Disruptive Passengers.

The purpose of this voluntary Code of Practice is to create a common, consistent approach that co-ordinates and enhances existing efforts to prevent and minimise disruptive passenger behaviour.

A copy of the Code is available here.

Further information on what the UK airline community is doing specifically to tackle disruptive behaviour is available here.

The following Airlines UK members are signatories to this Code:

• easyJet
• Flybe
• Jet2.com
• Monarch
• Norwegian UK
• Thomas Cook Airlines
• Titan Airways
• Thomson Airways
• Virgin Atlantic

The following AOA members are signatories to this Code:

• Aberdeen
• Belfast International
• Birmingham
• Bristol
• Cardiff
• Edinburgh
• Gatwick
• Glasgow
• Heathrow Airport
• Leeds Bradford Airport
• Liverpool John Lennon
• London City Airport
• London Luton Airport
• Manchester Airports Group – (Bournemouth, East Midlands, London Stansted and Manchester Airport)
• Newcastle
• Prestwick
• Regional & City Airports (City of Derry, Exeter, Norwich)
• Southampton
• Southend

For further information please contact Airlines UK ([email protected])

ENDS

25 July 2016

BATA response to further delay on decision about airport capacity

Responding to the Government’s decision to further delay a decision about airport expansion, Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of the British Air Transport Association (BATA), which represents UK registered airlines, said:

“Before the referendum last week the Government was gearing up to set out where it stood on airport expansion, probably in a matter of weeks. We see no reason why this still should not take place. The Airports Commission was unanimous that we do need to see additional capacity in the South East if we are to maintain our position as an international aviation hub. Nothing that has happened in the past week has altered that fact.

“Indeed, the referendum result means there is now an even more vital role for UK aviation and need for the country to have improved transport links with the rest of the world. A speedy decision on airport capacity would not only send a clear and positive signal that the UK is still in business, but will help lay the foundations for economic growth at a time when the country needs it most.

“It will now be a priority for the new Prime Minister and Government to put all other considerations aside and make this crucial decision in the long-term national interest and as soon as possible. The country simply cannot afford yet more delay.”

ENDS

30 June 2016

Airlines urge clarity on UK remaining a member of European single aviation market

Responding to the result of yesterday’s referendum on the UK’s membership of the European Union, Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of the British Air Transport Association (BATA), which represents UK registered airlines, said:

“We fully respect the will of the British public as expressed in the result of the referendum to leave the EU. The Government must now urgently confirm that the UK will seek to remain a member of the European single aviation market once we leave the EU. We also call on the Government to prioritise all aviation-related negotiations, agreements and decisions during the EU withdrawal process.

“Given our status as an island trading nation, and with excellent international air links and travel now being even more vital for our future prosperity and economic growth, the environment for aviation post-Brexit must be clarified as soon as possible.”

ENDS

24 June 2016

BATA comment on CAA annual airline statistics for 2015

Commenting on the publication by the CAA of the annual airline statistics for 2015, Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of BATA said:

 “These new figures show BATA members collectively carried over 144 million passengers in 2015, a record-breaking number and an increase of 4% on 2014. Although an impressive number, it is important to remember that these passengers are families taking holidays, people visiting friends and relatives, tourists visiting the UK and business people on the move. UK airlines are not only global leaders and innovators, but a success story and an important industry we can be proud of, directly employing over 75,000 people and contributing to hundreds of thousands of other jobs across the economy.”  

 ENDS

2 June 2016

UK airlines urge political parties in Holyrood to support Air Passenger Duty reduction

The British Air Transport Association (BATA), the trade body that represents UK-registered airlines, has urged political parties in Scotland to support the reduction of Air Passenger Duty (APD) by 50%. A consultation on plans by the Scottish Government to halve the tax, starting in April 2018, comes to an end next week (3 June), and UK carriers are calling for political parties in Holyrood to support the reduction when a vote ultimately comes before the Scottish Parliament. Tim Alderslade, Chief Executive of BATA, said:

 “UK rates of Air Passenger Duty are amongst the highest in the world and are increasingly acting as a break on economic growth. Reducing this damaging tax by 50% would increase Scotland’s connectivity and better enable it to compete with its closest rivals in Europe, who either refuse to levy APD at all or do so at a substantially lower rate.

 “The advantages of halving APD in Scotland have been well documented – £1 billion added to the economy by 2020, nearly 4,000 jobs created and welcome support for the Scottish tourism industry. It’s clear that any loss in tax revenue would be more than offset by increases in activity elsewhere.  

 “As an industry we recognise that future growth in aviation must go hand-in-hand with action to tackle carbon emissions and noise. Since 2005 UK airlines have introduced hundreds of new, quieter planes into service, representing a capital spend of almost $50 billion. In addition to investing in new fuels and operating procedures this is helping to reduce fuel burn and minimise carbon emissions. We therefore believe that the additional activity generated as a result of any future APD reduction is not incompatible with delivering on our environmental obligations. We urge political parties of all persuasions to support this policy.”   

 ENDS

26 May 2016