Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, if he will require operators of commercial flights to provide passengers with confirmation of the pilots eligibility to operate that flight.

Any individual, organisation or company that intends to undertake commercial air transport is required by law to hold an Air Operator Certificate (AOC) and an Operating Licence (OL). It is an offence to operate a commercial air transport flight without an AOC or OL.

The AOC, aircraft registration, pilots licence and maintenance certificate are already required to be carried on each flight and to be able to be viewed by a passenger upon request.

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.