The UK Department of Transportation was seeking to push through legislation making airports liable for multimillion-pound fines for significant delays caused by snow as seen in December 2010. However, UK airport group BAA, who has been blamed for the cancellation of thousands of flights in the run up to the holiday period for a lack of deicing equipment, could escape fines for 2010 because of a crowded legislative schedule.
A new airport economic regulation bill aims to penalise airport owners for poor service. Although the DOT is pushing for it to be passed into this year, it is more likely that it will not come into force until 2012.
BAA has launched an internal enquiry into the shutdown of Heathrow airport due to snow that caused five days of disruption to flights. It has also stated that it aims to invest £10 million into more snow-clearing equipment.
Although politicians, airlines and the public are all in support of such a bill, there are concerns being voiced by the British Air Transport Association (Bata) that any fines will not be passed onto passengers through higher landing or car parking fees.