Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment he has made of the barriers to through-ticketing for luggage across different airlines and within individual airlines.

Whether an airline offers through-ticketing in a liberalised market, either within its own network or through interlining agreements with other airlines, is a commercial decision. As such, no assessment has been made. However, if an airline sells through-tickets, it will include the carriage of baggage to the final destination.

We have begun the process of developing a new strategy for UK aviation. One of the objectives of this strategy will be to help the industry work for its consumers. If there are issues around baggage that the Government can help to resolve, we will seek to address them through this process.