In a series of bizarre exchanges with MPs on the Liaison Committee, the prime minister called for passengers to be better protected against “abuse” from airlines – and said passports can be obtained in half the time stipulated by HM Passport Office.
Boris Johnson was asked a series of travel-related questions at the session on Wednesday in which chairs of select committees are allowed six minutes each to tackle the PM. As he was speaking, British Airways was preparing its latest tranche of 10,300 flight cancellations.
Huw Merriman, chair of the Transport Select Committee, asked Mr Johnson:“Massive disruption at the airports, people having their holidays cancelled at the last minute – why wasn’t more done to stop airlines putting more flights in place than they had the bandwith of staff to deal with?”
The prime minister said: “The airlines should not be abusing passengers in the way that they have been and I think think that there should be greater protections.
“The experience of the public has been pretty wretched and they need to do much, much better.”
The Civil Aviation Authority, which is part of the Department for Transport (DfT), has long called for greater powers to protect consumers.
Mr Merriman said that the government had rejected the calls.
Mr Johnson said: “I’m going to have to look into that.”
The prime minister also urged a settlement to the series of disputes involving rail workers. He said: “I call upon the union barons and the railway companies to sort this out.
“They should be able to do it, and yes, we probably do need a few more tools.”
The prime minister offered suggestions for how disruption could be minimised, saying: “You could have minimum service levels, you could have ballot thresholds, and as you know we’re bringing in, I think we’ve already brought in, the provision for agency workers where that’s necessary.
“You need to modernise.”
Mr Merriman countered: “Under the Conservative manifesto there was a line that said ‘Only the Conservatives can get Brexit done, a few more things, and stop passengers being held hostage by the unions’.
“That was with the instruction of the policy of minimum service levels. That hasn’t been introduced, people are being held hostage, which might be your view.
“So why, with an 80-seat majority, did you not bring that legislation through before the strikes started?” Mr Johnson said: “That is a very good question. The answer is we should have done it and the trouble was we had a lot of Covid stuff to deal with, and I’m afraid it got pushed to the right.”
Mr Johnson also advised people with holidays booked in the first half of August who do not have passports to apply now for one – even though HM Passport Office says allow 10 weeks.
Dame Diana Johnson, chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee and Labour MP for Hull North, said: “We all knew there was going to be a surge in passport applications after Covid – with with people wanting to travel, have family holidays, get married abroad, all of those things.
“Why is it that we’ve ended up with people waiting so long – having to spend so much time and money to get a passport?” The prime minister replied: “It is very frustrating and I share everybody’s frustration, I think the answer is that the demand has been very big because people are very keen to go on holiday.
“We’ve rushed people into the Passport Office and the numbers are starting to improve.
“From memory 91 per cent get their passport within four to six weeks.”
Dame Diana then said: “The standard that the Home Office is supposed to operate on is three weeks. It’s now 10 weeks. When will it go back down to three weeks?”
Mr Johnson said: “I don’t know when it goes back down to three weeks. What I have in my head is that 91 per cent get their passport within four to six weeks.
“I’d urge everybody who’s thinking of going away four to six weeks from now, and hasn’t got a passport, to get a passport.”
HM Passport Office says travellers must allow 10 weeks for a new passport or renewal.
