Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will require commercial air transport operations to demonstrate to passengers that flights are operated by people with an air operator certificate.

Licensed commercial operators already have to demonstrate to passengers that flights are operated by people with an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and produce proof of their permissions.

Any individual, organisation or company that intends to undertake commercial air transport is required by law to hold an AOC and an Operating Licence (OL). It is an offence to operate a commercial air transport flight without an AOC or OL. Ultimately it is the responsibility of the pilot in command of each flight to make sure it is operated legally.

The CAA has previously conducted campaigns to raise awareness of the dangers of illegal public transport operations, and to guide consumers on what to look for when chartering an aircraft to ensure the flight is legal. These campaigns have targeted specific sectors where the CAA believed illegal activity may be taking place. The aviation industry was directly involved in promoting these campaigns.

Following the tragic accident on 21 January, the CAA are planning further work to educate consumers about the rules, and potential risks of illegal charter flights.