Parliament and travel *

An early date for your diary.

The Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) Committee will question airline bosses, unions and aviation industry bodies over flight cancellations faced by holidaymakers over the half-term holiday at an evidence session on Tuesday 14 June.

Ahead of the session, the Committee has also launched a survey to canvas the public for their experiences at airports and with airlines.  In its survey, the Committee asks those affected how much notice they got before their flights had been cancelled and whether compensation was offered and paid.

This examination is extra to anything the Transport Committee might undertake.

Commenting ahead of Tuesday’s meeting, Committee Chairman Darren Jones MP, said: “Thousands of people have been affected by chaos at airports in recent weeks with the prospect of delays and cancellations continuing into the summer. It’s right that the public get answers about what is causing these issues, how it will be fixed and how consumer rights are being properly enforced with refunds and compensation being paid promptly”.

Witnesses are expected to include Richard Moriarty, Chief Executive, Civil Aviation Authority; Simon Calder, Travel Writer and Broadcaster; Oliver Richardson, National Aviation Officer, Unite; Robert Courts MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Transport; and Karen Dee, Chief Executive, Airport Operators Association.

https://forms.office.com/pages/responsepage.aspx?id=nt3mHDeziEC-Xo277ASzSugWXtlS9G1OpuyhNtc2h8lUNk8xREc2REcxRUswRTBEUjdCSEZCUVJTRiQlQCN0PWcu&web=1&wdLOR=cDC03396A-E0F7-4CBB-A7EF-6029E1486CC9

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OUR READERS' FINEST WORDS (All times and dates are GMT)

All comments are filtered to exclude any excesses but the Editor does not have to agree with what is being said. 100 words maximum

Richard Wiggins, East Preston UK

The world wasn’t battle-ready for COVID 19, anymore than the industry of aviation, transport in general and everyday life recovery has to be a gradual process. New hires at airports may be disadvantaged by 1-No staff car parking pass 2-Lack of length of service protecting them against future redundancy 3-Lack of final pensio scheme 4-No air travel concessions as a Ground handler 5-No guarantee of full time permanent employment necessarily .. All these negatives can only discourage people from choosing to join or return to the world of aviation on minimum wages and unsocial shift working, so employers will have to enhance terms to attract the right talent,

William Boyce, Exeter

Do we need another select committee investigating air travel? Hugh Merriman and his troupe are doing a fine job without an additional group crowding in.