More needs to be done to speed up journey times for passengers travelling both to and through airports, Transport Minister Ruth Kelly has said.
A study released today, titled Improving the Air Passenger Experience looks into every stage of a journey, from leaving home to arrival at Heathrow Airport, and notes pinch-points which slow passengers down. It identified those accountable and highlighted areas that could be improved. The Department for Transport intends to analyse other airports and methods of transport to help improve travel options.
Ruth Kelly said: “My priority is to improve the experience of air passengers and to do that we need to consider their whole journey time. It is not simply the flight that matters.
“It’s the journey to the airport, the time spent in the queue at check-in, security or immigration, and any delays spent on the aircraft waiting for a slot to take off.
“If you travel from London to Frankfurt for instance you will spend about 90 minutes in the air, yet the whole journey from one city-centre to another takes about five hours.”
Earlier this week British Airway’s chief executive, Willie Walsh, called for a third runway to be built at Heathrow to ensure London preserved its world-class business status, something recognised by Ruth Kelly.
“This is the first study of its kind which shows where delays occur, who is accountable and how they can be reduced or eliminated,” Ruth Kelly said.
“This will not only give travellers an efficient and more reliable journey – it will also help Heathrow maintain its competitive edge in global aviation which is good for the entire UK economy.”
