Ryanair calls on UK Government to put passengers first
10-Mar-2009 |
Airline Code [RYR]
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Tags :UK, Ryanair
Ryanair welcomed (09-Mar-09) Government proposals to put passengers first and recommended that the best way to do this would be to sack the “useless” CAA regulator, who has for many years put monopoly airport profits first and ignored passengers and airport users.
Ryanair pointed out that the CAA’s regulatory legislation has for many years allowed them the discretion to put passengers first, but they have repeatedly put the airports first. Harry Bush has repeatedly rubber-stamped massive inflation busting price increases at the London airports, he took no action two years ago when enormous security queues were allowed to develop at the BAA monopoly airports, and he has failed to take any action in recent months despite long passport queues for inbound passengers at Stansted.
Ryanair called on the UK Government to put passengers first by scrapping the damaging and anti-consumer GBP10 APD travel tax, which has caused air traffic to the UK to fall both last year and again this year.
Ryanair’s Michael O’Leary said:
“Asking Harry Bush and the CAA to put passengers first is a bit like putting a chicken in charge of foxes. He has repeatedly failed passengers in recent years by failing to control BAA price increases, by failing to take any action to reduce security queues and by failing to do anything about ever lengthening passport queues.
“The UK Competition Commission’s recent report has already confirmed that the CAA’s regulatory regime has failed consumers and other airport users, which is why they have received widespread industry support for their call to break up the BAA by forcing the sale of Gatwick, Stansted and Edinburgh airports.
“Gordon Brown’s Government can put passengers first by simply scrapping the anti-passenger GBP10 travel tax, which has done such damage to UK passenger numbers and UK tourism.
“Harry Bush and his friends in the CAA wouldn’t recognise a passenger if he jumped up and bit them. Having proven to be an inept and incompetent regulator, the CAA should now be removed from regulation altogether and allow competing airports to deliver the improved facilities and lower costs where Harry Bush and the CAA have repeatedly failed”.
(c) Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation. Date posted: 10-Mar-09
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Ryanair calls on UK Government to put passengers first 
