§ 2.51 p.m.
§ Baroness BURTON of COVENTRYMy 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 will make a Statement upon the decision reached by the Association of European Airlines on the introduction of a common denied boarding compensation scheme throughout Europe and whether this scheme, if agreed and adopted, would cover inward and outward flights from the countries concerned.
§ Lord JACQUESMy Lords, I am advised that nearly all members of the Association of European Airlines voted to accept the proposed denied boarding compensation scheme. The scheme is intended to apply to all scheduled flights between countries whose airlines are members of the Association and whose Governments approve the scheme; and on outward flights to other countries.
§ Baroness BURTON of COVENTRYMy Lords, after listening to that catalogue of pleasant news, may I ask my noble friend whether he is aware that the necessary applications have been filed with the Governments concerned and that all the airlines wish to start implementation on 1st April? Can he therefore say when the British Government will be sending a reply?
§ Lord JACQUESMy Lords, recommendations arising from the scheme are being made to a meeting of the European Directors-General of Civil Aviation on 20th and 21st March; I think action by any Government is likely to be taken after that meeting. So far as this Government are concerned, they are very anxious to proceed with the European scheme on 1st April, provided the balance of advantage is in favour of the consumer as compared with the present United Kingdom scheme.
§ Baroness BURTON of COVENTRYMy Lords, as there is no doubt about the latter part of the question, may I ask my noble friend whether he will ask his right honourable friend to ensure that action is taken on behalf of this Government before 1st April so that the scheme can be implemented?
§ Lord JACQUESWe are the least affected, my Lords; we already have a scheme and the question is whether our scheme is better than the proposed scheme. That is the only consideration that is likely to arise so far as this Government are concerned.
§ Lord WYNNE-JONESMy Lords, does my noble friend mean there is a choice between the least common denied boarding compensation or the highest common denied boarding compensation?
§ Lord JACQUESFirst of all, my Lords, the European scheme is based on the United Kingdom scheme. The differences are relatively small and they are not in the amount of compensation, to the best of my knowledge; there are other more technical points.
§ Baroness BURTON of COVENTRYMy Lords, cannot my noble friend say something good about the airlines in Europe having agreed that this compensation should apply to outward and inward flights of all the airlines concerned, something for which we have been battling for over two years?
§ Lord JACQUESCertainly, my Lords, this is something for which this Government have been battling for some years. It was on our initiative that we have the possibility of a European scheme; we 6 should have preferred a worldwide scheme.
§ Lord HAILSHAM of SAINT MARYLEBONEMy Lords, does not some of the credit belong to the noble Baroness, Lady Burton of Coventry?
§ Lord JACQUESMy Lords, I think that if one goes back a little further one finds that perhaps it all belongs to her.