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| Gatwick Airport Christmas Eve chaos is a 'wake up call' | Gatwick Airport Christmas Eve chaos is a 'wake up call' |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| The chaos at Gatwick Airport on Christmas Eve should be "a wake up call for airports across the UK", a report by MPs has said. | The chaos at Gatwick Airport on Christmas Eve should be "a wake up call for airports across the UK", a report by MPs has said. |
| More than 11,000 passengers at the West Sussex airport were affected by delays and cancellations on 24 December. | More than 11,000 passengers at the West Sussex airport were affected by delays and cancellations on 24 December. |
| After flooding caused a power failure, there was "confusion" and a "lack of information" at the airport, the House of Commons Transport Committee said. | |
| Its report also highlighted a lack of toilets and drinking water. | |
| There was also a "lack of clarity about who was in charge" and confusion about what passengers could be reimbursed for. | There was also a "lack of clarity about who was in charge" and confusion about what passengers could be reimbursed for. |
| 'Passengers in the dark' | 'Passengers in the dark' |
| The committee's report said: "The problems at Gatwick at Christmas Eve should be a wake-up call for airports across the UK to get on top of operational resilience issues." | The committee's report said: "The problems at Gatwick at Christmas Eve should be a wake-up call for airports across the UK to get on top of operational resilience issues." |
| The committee said airport operators should have "well drilled plans... which put passenger interests first". | The committee said airport operators should have "well drilled plans... which put passenger interests first". |
| It recommended the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) bring forward plans to improve the provision of information to passengers about their rights at times of disruption. | It recommended the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) bring forward plans to improve the provision of information to passengers about their rights at times of disruption. |
| Committee chairman, Louise Ellman, said: "Passengers need accurate and consistent information, must be able to identify who is in charge during periods of disruption, and should have ready access to toilets and drinking water. | Committee chairman, Louise Ellman, said: "Passengers need accurate and consistent information, must be able to identify who is in charge during periods of disruption, and should have ready access to toilets and drinking water. |
| "Passengers must also be promptly reimbursed for the extra costs they face as a consequence of disruption. | "Passengers must also be promptly reimbursed for the extra costs they face as a consequence of disruption. |
| "If our largest airports cannot demonstrate they can look after passengers' interests in this way then the CAA must act," Ms Ellman said. | "If our largest airports cannot demonstrate they can look after passengers' interests in this way then the CAA must act," Ms Ellman said. |
| Labour's shadow aviation minister Gordon Marsden, said: "Despite the efforts of individual staff, management failures left passengers in the dark over the fate of their flights and compensation. | Labour's shadow aviation minister Gordon Marsden, said: "Despite the efforts of individual staff, management failures left passengers in the dark over the fate of their flights and compensation. |
| "The government must be far more proactive in improving passenger experience." | "The government must be far more proactive in improving passenger experience." |
| An earlier review by Gatwick Airport of the Christmas Eve disruption said the airport should appoint passenger champions at each of its terminals to focus on travellers' welfare. | An earlier review by Gatwick Airport of the Christmas Eve disruption said the airport should appoint passenger champions at each of its terminals to focus on travellers' welfare. |
| The committee suggested similar arrangements should be put in place at other major UK airports. | The committee suggested similar arrangements should be put in place at other major UK airports. |
| A Department of Transport spokeswoman said: "Other airports should also learn lessons from this report." | A Department of Transport spokeswoman said: "Other airports should also learn lessons from this report." |