Bid to hear passengers’ border queue views blocked

Ministers are blocking plans to publish passengers’ views on nightmare border queues and other delays, the Standard reveals today.

The Government has rejected legal changes which would force BAA to release data showing passengers’ experiences of “Heathrow hassle” and chaos at other UK airports.

The changes were proposed as part of changes to licensing conditions, which Labour tried to introduce through the Civil Aviation Bill.

MP Jim Fitzpatrick, shadow London transport minister, tabled an amendment to the Bill in March which would require publication of annual surveys of passenger satisfaction on border control services, baggage handling and delays caused by adverse weather.

But Tory and Liberal Democrat MPs voted down the proposed change during the Bill’s committee stage after aviation minister Theresa Villiers stated that the UK Border Authority fell outside the scope of the Bill.

Ministers also argued that publishing the proposed data would “unbalance the licensing system”, prioritising some passenger concerns over others, and “undermine the flexibility” of the Civil Aviation Authority to address delays.

Labour sought to re-introduce the new clause, without reference to UKBA, month but again it was opposed by the Government.

Shadow transport secretary Maria Eagle said: “The failure to get a grip on the unacceptable delays facing passengers at London’s airports shows that ministers are worryingly complacent about the impact of this chaos on our international reputation and ultimately on investment, jobs and tourism.

“We need greater transparency on the scale of these delays.”

BAA has recently started publishing monthly queuing data on immigration which shows how often the Border Force meets its own targets — but it does not cover passengers’ opinions.