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The Government demanded the end of "Heathrow Hassle" today by outlining rules forcing airports to put passengers first.
But the shake-up won't necessarily mean cheaper fares, experts said.
Transport Secretary Geoff Hoon unveiled plans to reform the airport regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority, that could see airports fined for poor baggage handling or long queues at security and passport control.
The regime will target poor customer service at Britain's three largest airports, Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted, and be extended to the UK's 10 other main airports including Luton.
"The current [regulatory] duties of the CAA lack clarity, asking the CAA to further the interests of both airlines and passengers without saying who comes first," said Mr Hoon.
"Today I am removing that lack of clarity - the passenger must come first. Passengers have told us they want things like more seating areas, more toilets, better flight information and more baggage carousels.
"These are exactly the kind of issues we will expect the CAA to address."
The CAA, which has come under criticism from Heathrow operator BAA, airlines such as Ryanair and the Government, said it welcomed the chance to put the passenger first.
The regulator said it would also tackle immigration queues - the responsibility of the UK Border Agency - and lengthy waits at security made worse by Home Office rules.
But the CAA's chief regulator warned the move would not mean a cut in the fees airports charge airlines, which get passed on to passengers and form a large part of ticket prices.
The CAA's Harry Bush said: "If the passenger wants a better experience maybe that means investing more money. That might mean we have to live with that being reflected in pricing."
The regulations also demand that Britain's 13 largest airports will have to provide annual reports on their environmental impact.
Reader views (6)
Brilliant idea to push up airport related charges. These will be included in business plans as a potential cost, and the poor consumer will pay them in their flight costs regardless of the fines ever being paid.
Who dreams up this rubbish? This wonderful NuLabour government full of fools. Go and go now.
- Dave Davies, Basingstoke, Hants
The funniest is still that you cannot take your own drinks with you but the drinks that you buy AFTER SECURITY in the "DUTYFREE".
- Georgie, Islington, London
Heathrow is a bad joke, no service just shops that ypu have to walk through endless corridors especially now with that waste "Terminal" 5! Why does no one get fired about the poor service?? Why do the passengers get no money back for the sad state of service????
- Pat, London
Golly, what would we do without experts!
It doesn't take an "expert" to know that mandating all this stuff is going to raise prices. But then, considering how uneducated the avg human is nowadays...
- Trunk, US
Ah, how nice. Impose requirements on the airport's, and then because they are obliged to follow those requirements, fine them for the delays caused by the requirements. Really joined up thinking!
- Hugh, Middx
passengers first should have always been the ethos.
sadly it hasn't been the case for untold and the governments, often absurd security demands have heavily contributed to the ritual humiliation that passengers are forced to endure for the dubious privilege of paying to fly.it is more than time for such organizations and business's to wake up and realize that they are providing a SERVICE and the customer expects that to be the case.
the staff at airports appear to believe that they are doing the passengers a favour by tolerating their presence and apparently delight in creating as much misery and discomfort as is possible. many a time if they take a dislike to a passenger they pass the message on, so that the pain of flying is intensified at every dreary stage of the process for the unfortunate customer.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk
