HL Deb 09 December 1976 vol 378 cc675-7

3.7 p.m.

Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

My Lords, I beg leave to ask the Question which stands in my name on the Order Paper.

The Question was as follows:

To ask Her Majesty's Government whether they are aware that the Airline Passengers Association of America has put forward to the Civil Aeronautics Board a programme to end the overbooking controversy; that this plan includes payment 48 hours before flight time for "confirmed" reservation and the acceptance of passengers without 48-hour provision on a "conditional" basis of first come first served; and whether they will discuss with the Civil Aviation Authority the desirability of such a programme being considered here.

Lord ORAM

My Lords, I understand this is one of a large number of comments submitted in connection with the United States Civil Aeronautics Board's current review of its policy on overbooking. The proposal has been drawn to the attention of the Civil Aviation Authority.

Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

My Lords, is the Minister able to ask the Government to do a little more than just draw the attention of the Civil Aviation Authority to it? Does he not feel that it would be helpful if the Government themselves were to ask that every facet of this overbooking problem should be examined in this country? Could he bring a little more force to bear on that matter?

Lord ORAM

My Lords, I have assured my noble friend that considerable attention is being given to this problem. On this proposal, I think it would be best to await the views of the Civil Aviation Authority, and I have asked that their advice be brought forward as soon as possible. I agree with my noble friend that it is a many-sided subject and we must make sure that everything is considered.

Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

My Lords, my noble friend is most reasonable, but I wonder whether he realises that these things are apt to slip away if one does not press them. Could the Government, in the person of my noble friend on the Front Bench, express a favourable opinion that this matter should definitely be considered by the Civil Aviation Authority and the British airlines?

Lord ORAM

My Lords, I have seen no evidence that this subject has been slipping away in your Lordships' House, largely due to the diligence of my noble friend. What I said earlier implies, if it did not say it directly, that we are anxious that the Civil Aviation Authority should give this matter careful consideration; I mean the specific matter that my noble friend has drawn attention to in her Question.

Lord INGLEWOOD

My Lords, is the noble Lord aware that, no more than two hours ago, the Finance Minister of Iran arrived at Heathrow to find that he was a victim of this system? The fact that he, being better off than the noble Lord or myself, was able to charter an aeroplane to take him to Tunis is no excuse for allowing this horrible system to continue.

Lord ORAM

My Lords, my communication with Heathrow is not so efficient as the noble Lord's; I was not aware of this unfortunate incident. On the more general part of his question, as I said on an earlier occasion, although he refers to this obnoxious system, or some such phrase, I hope a good deal has been done by bringing in the compensation scheme to meet the problem, which is a very real one.

Lord BRUCE of DONINGTON

My Lords, will my noble friend confirm to the House that the Government themselves retain certain residual powers to issue policy directions to the Civil Aviation Authority?

Lord ORAM

My Lords, while the Authority is not, as I understand it, in exactly the same position as a nationalised industry, it is true, as my noble friend points out, that the Government have powers in this respect.

Lord ROBBINS

My Lords, could the Minister inform the House of the frequency of the deliberations of this Civil Aviation Authority when attention is focused on this problem?

Lord ORAM

My Lords, I have had correspondence very frequently, and there have frequently appeared questions which the Civil Aviation Authority has been dealing with; without knowing the details, I am sure this matter is constantly before them.

Baroness BURTON of COVENTRY

My Lords, in conclusion, just correcting the record, when he refers to the question of compensation helping to put this matter right, does my noble friend realise that this compensation applies to only half the airline ticket and we are fighting a battle to make it apply to all of it? Does he recall that he assured me that I have friends in high places on this matter? Will he get in contact with them?

Lord ORAM

My Lords, I am in contact with them, and indeed, as I told my noble friend a few days ago, we are pursuing this question of extending the compensation scheme through IATA. That I believe to be the proper way to proceed.