UK airlines respond to Civil Aviation Authority poll on consumer satisfaction with air travel

August 20th, 2018

Commenting on the publication of the latest Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) consumer survey into satisfaction with air travel, a spokesperson for Airlines UK said:

“UK airlines work hard to ensure that passengers have an enjoyable travelling experience, and as the latest CAA tracker shows in the vast majority of cases this is already happening. Airlines are committed to consistently improving their offering whilst delivering travel at lower cost, and it should be remembered that fares have come down by an average of 40% over the past couple of decades, with more people choosing to travel by air than ever before.

“Occasionally things do go wrong and that is why airlines provide support to passengers, including complying with all legal requirements on passenger rights and consumer protection – paying compensation when it is due and offering great customer service to their 270 million passengers, in what is a highly competitive industry.

“Many parts of the passenger journey are out of the control of airlines, for example and as cited by the CAA the experience of navigating the immigration hall upon arrival, and we have been vocal that the service provided by Border Force at many airports, in particular Heathrow, over the past few months has been unsatisfactory, with lengthy queues becoming the norm for many travellers. Airspace delays and multiple strikes also play their part – and the quicker Government gets on and delivers airspace modernisation the better. We are committed to working together with Ministers and all parts of the industry to ensure that passenger expectations are met.”