Which? response as Heathrow airport announces it will extend its cap on passenger numbers

Guy Hobbs, Editor of Which? Travel, said:

"Though the extension of the passenger cap may help Heathrow prevent a repeat of the unacceptable last-minute cancellations we saw earlier in the summer, thousands of people will now be anxious about whether their travel plans could be scuppered.

"Heathrow and impacted airlines must act without delay to provide travellers with clarity on which flights are being cut, and airlines must ensure affected passengers are aware of their rights to rebooking or refunds.

"The aviation industry and the government need to ensure that this mess is sorted out as soon as possible - passenger caps cannot be allowed to continue indefinitely."

-ENDS-

Notes to editors

• Guy Hobbs is acting editor of Which? Travel while Rory Boland is on leave.

• Enforcement - The CAA should be doing more by holding airlines to account proactively. It also needs direct powers to monitor and fine airlines when they flout the rules.
• Resolution - We need a dispute resolution system that is mandatory for all airlines flying to and from the UK so travellers don't have to go to the small claims court to enforce their rights.
• Compensation - We need to protect passengers' rights to redress when airlines are at fault for delays and cancellations. Proposals to slash payouts for domestic flights must be dropped.