Richard Jackson, CAA’s consumer protection group director is said to want airlines to be included in the UK travel industry's consumer-protection scheme, which costs GBP1 per customer.

Airlines currently are exempt from the scheme and as a result, passengers who book direct with an airline that goes bust have to rely on third parties like credit card companies to have their cash refunded.

In 2005, CAA calls to force airlines into the protection scheme when selling seats on planes directly, rather than via agents, was rebuffed by the UK government, despite the support of the Transport Select Committee. -Jack Handley