Stansted airport service quality standards poor
Ferry Online Travel News 06/11/2008
Many customers have lodged complaints about poor service standards, according to a Competition Commission report.
The commission stated in its report that BAA, since 2002, had "operated against the public interest."
The watchdog has recommended that the airport operator, which also owns a number of other important airports in the UK, be penalised for the poor service performance. It has suggested that the rebate scheme used at Gatwick airport be put in place at Stansted, which requires that the operator pay penalties for failure to maintain proper service standards.
Some problems were due to the introduction of additional security procedures in 2006, the commission admitted, but added: "We believed that BAA could have done more to meet the needs of its customers.
“We found that Stansted failed to manage security queuing and queue times to avoid unacceptable delays to passengers, crew and flights, and consequently did not further the reasonable interests of the users of the airport.”
It went on to say: "We concluded that BAA's conduct had operated against the public interest."
BAA also received criticism for the consultation process it followed with regard to its plan for expanding the airport, with the commission saying it "raised significant concerns."
← Scottish festive season to begin on St Andrews Day | Index | Signal work to halt rail service over holiday period →