Statement
My Honourable Friend, the Parliamentary Under Secretary for Transport (Mike Kane), has made the following Ministerial Statement:
The Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) has today published a report on the progress made in relation to the 34 recommendations which were made in the independent review’s final report into the NATS Technical IT Failure of August 2023.
I would like to express my gratitude to the CAA, NATS, airlines and airports for the progress they have made in responding to the recommendations which were made by the independent panel. Today’s report confirms the positive approach which has been made in responding to the recommendations by all stakeholders.
NATS has delivered its recommendations with many of these already having been confirmed as completed by the CAA. The CAA expects to have completed validation of all recommendations made to NATS during the summer. Airlines and airports have committed to reviewing their practices for communicating and assisting their passengers during periods of disruption. The CAA are reviewing these plans and will monitor compliance through an extended compliance programme, along with establishing an Industry Code of Conduct. The CAA will continue to hold airlines/airports to account for how they meet their obligations to consumers.
The CAA is making good progress in responding to its recommendations. In particular it has focused its efforts in response to the panel’s recommendations relating to the expansion of its work on improving industry compliance and the rights of aviation consumers. The CAA will commence a programme of work related to the next price control review period for NATS (NR28) which will directly address a number of the recommendations which were made by the panel.
My department remains steadfast in our commitment to delivering on the recommendations which the panel has made for Government, and we will make the required legislative reforms on which this is dependent when parliamentary time allows, to ensure air passengers have the highest level of protection possible.
The CAA will provide a further report on progress with the recommendations towards the end of the year. The expectation is that most of the recommendations made by the panel will have been validated and completed by the end of 2026.