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Call for rethink on £1 levy
A group of MPs have called for a re-think on demands for a £1 levy on flights to build up a passenger protection fund.
The House of Commons transport committee criticised the government for a lack of action after the £1 levy proposal from the Civil Aviation Authority was rejected last autumn.
The rejection came following strong lobbying against the levy plan by scheuled carriers such as easyJet, British Airways and Flybe.
But the Federation of Tour Operators strongly supported the call from the Commons committee, which cited the collapse of EUJet as an example of what could occur.
Director general Andy Cooper said: “The number of holidays not protected by the Air Travel Organisers Licensing scheme is growing substantially and there is a real need to ensure that all air passengers have proper protection against the financial collapse of their airline.
“The government has an opportunity to take this simple step at the third reading of the Civil Aviation Bill. Future travellers will not forgive ministers if this opportunity is not grasped.”
Committe chair Gwyneth Dunwoody reportedly described plans for voluntary passenger protection as “amateurish”.
Quoted by the BBC, she said: “Millions of air travellers continue to fly unprotected against the risk of an airline collapse,” adding that the advantage of the levy far outweighed the additional cost.
“To fail to implement the CAA’s advice amounts to allowing present policy of protection to wither on the vine,” she said.
Report by Phil Davies
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