Transport Act 2000

17 Commission’s duty as to modifications under section 16

(1) The Competition Commission must exercise its functions under section 16(2) and (3) so as to maintain a high standard of safety in the provision of air traffic services; and that duty is to have priority over the application of subsections (2) to (5).

(2) The Commission must exercise its functions under section 16(2) and (3) in the manner it thinks best calculated—

(a) to further the interests of operators and owners of aircraft, owners and managers of aerodromes, persons travelling in aircraft and persons with rights in property carried in them;

(b) to promote efficiency and economy on the part of licence holders;

(c) to secure that licence holders will not find it unduly difficult to finance activities authorised by their licences;

(d) to take account of any international obligations of the United Kingdom notified to the CAA by the Secretary of State (whatever the time or purpose of the notification) and notified to the Commission by the CAA;

(e) to take account of any guidance on environmental objectives given to the CAA by the Secretary of State after the coming into force of this section and notified to the Commission by the CAA.

(3) The only interests to be considered under subsection (2)(a) are interests regarding the range, availability, continuity, cost and quality of air traffic services.

(4) The reference in subsection (2)(a) to furthering interests includes a reference to furthering them (where the Commission thinks it appropriate) by promoting competition in the provision of air traffic services.

(5) If in a particular case there is a conflict in the application of the provisions of subsections (2) to (4), in relation to that case the Commission must apply them in the manner it thinks is reasonable having regard to them as a whole.

(6) The Commission must exercise its functions under section 16(2) and (3) so as to impose on licence holders the minimum restrictions which are consistent with the exercise of those functions.