DfT in chaos on disabled consumer rightsThe News

After years of lobbying for adequate enforcement powers of consumer rights, the U.K. Civil Aviation Authority has been told by the government that their request will be addressed in due course, but they are not sure when that will happen.

“What ministers want to focus on is ensuring consumer confidence.” The Department for Transport’s Aviation Director, Ben Smith, told the Airlines 2022 conference earlier this week. “There have been suggestions the CAA’s powers do not go far enough and the consultation is asking if they should be strengthened,” 

Last October, responding to a written question submitted by Lord David Blunkett at the House of Lords, Undersecretary for Transport Baroness Charlotte Vere stated that the government would announce its next steps shortly. To this day, the government has not yet announced what those next steps were.

In 2011, Dame Deirdre Hutton, who served as chair of the Civil Aviation Authority between 2009 and 2020, made her views on the CAA’s consumer enforcement powers clear. “We do have enforcement powers, but these are limited to the ability to take a criminal prosecution. Unfortunately, [enforcement] powers are not very flexible or proportionate and make it difficult for us to take action.“

While government ministers appear to make unclear statements, the UK Civil Aviation Authority remains focused on pursuing adequate and effective enforcement tools.

The only certainty coming out of the government’s erratic responses is that they seem determined to kick this issue into the long grass.

Meanwhile, people with disabilities continue to express their frustrations. “Is there any other avenue open to me, apart from never traveling by air again?” asked Anne Bell.