Department for Transport

Andrew Haines appointed new Chief Executive of the Civil Aviation Authority
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date 24 Jun 2009 14:27
source Department for Transport
type Press release

The Secretary of State for Transport, Andrew Adonis, has appointed Andrew Haines as the Chief Executive of the Civil Aviation Authority after an open competition. Mr Haines will be the first holder of this newly-created post, following the recommendations put forward by Sir Joseph Pilling in 2008.

Andrew Haines joins the CAA after a wide-ranging career in the rail industry. After four years in charge of South West Trains, he took over the rail division of First Group. Most recently, he also took on responsibility for improving the performance of the First Great Western franchise. He will officially take up his new position in August.

Making the appointment, Andrew Adonis said:

"This is good news, not just for the industry, but also for the travelling public. Andrew has a proven track record for reforming transport services, and this appointment will not only help the CAA fulfil their current obligations, but also meet the challenges of the future."

Ahead of taking up his new role, Andrew Haines said:

"This is a challenging time for both the CAA and the aviation industry. I am looking forward to working with the new Chair and all involved to rise to these challenges while upholding and improving the UK’s excellent aviation safety record and delivering effective regulation for passengers. There are also significant developments ahead for the CAA in both the UK and Europe, which will need to be taken forward against a difficult trading environment."

This announcement follows the appointment in March of Dame Deirdre Hutton CBE as the Chair of the CAA. She said:

"This is excellent news for the organisation. Andrew brings the right combination of skills and experience, from both public and private sectors and from running substantial transport operations where safety is critical and the focus is on delivering improvements for passengers. His experience and leadership will be invaluable as the CAA develops its role further as a world class aviation regulator. I look forward to working alongside him."


Notes to editors



1. The CAA is responsible for the regulation of civil aviation in the United Kingdom and is the Government's principal advisor on civil aviation matters. It has specific responsibility for aviation safety, consumer protection, airspace policy and the economic regulation for the industry. It is based mainly in London and Gatwick and has just over 1000 employees.

2. CAA funding does not come from the public purse, but from the charges that it imposes on the aviation industry for carrying out its regulatory duties.

3. Sir Joseph Pilling (ex Permanent Secretary in Northern Ireland) undertook a strategic review of the CAA which was published in July 2008. Some of his key recommendations concerned modernising the CAA’s governance and included the recommendation that the Secretary of State appoint a full-time Chief Executive to the CAA. Other recommendations concerned updating the CAA’s legislative framework and giving the CAA a new environment duty. The Department intends to consult on these proposals later this year and to bring forward legislation when Parliamentary time allows.

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Railhub Archive ::: 2009-06-24 DfT-001