CAA chiefs plead to MPs for powers to tackle rogue airlines and match rising consumer expectation

Addressing parliament’s transport committee on Wednesday (17 April), CAA chair Sir Stephen Hillier said Wizz Air’s reluctance to honour its obligations to consumers following a series of delays and cancellations during 2022 and 2023 had highlighted deficiencies in its ability to act.

Hillier told the committee: “Essentially, what we are asking for is equivalent powers to what other regulators already have,” adding: “We need to make sure our statutory powers match rising consumer expectation.”

The committee was told the CAA faced difficulties in identifying incidences of non-compliance. Anna Bowles, the CAA’s head of consumer policy and enforcement, said an investigation into Wizz Air began in December 2022 but did not conclude until June 2023, when the carrier undertook to assist passengers better in times of disruption and to refund £1.24 million in welfare claims.

“That process was relatively straightforward [and] it still took a year,” she said, adding: “We have no ability to fine Wizz Air around that, so fining powers would be helpful and provide a disincentive to behave in certain ways. Had Wizz decided not to sign the undertaking, we would have had to take them to court.”

Bowles said the CAA had limited powers to gather information. Any enhanced powers need a change in the law and she asked the government to address this “when parliamentary time allows”.

She added the CAA had no information about how many complaints were made to any UK airline or how they responded. “That would be incredibly useful data to try and identify where things are going wrong and where we need to focus our attention.”

A review of the CAA’s remit is ongoing. Hillier said the government was clear in its support. “We look forward to it actually being moved into practice,” he said.