Airlines unite to call for tougher cap on Heathrow charges
Heathrow’s major airlines have joined forces to urge the CAA to get tougher in capping charges at Heathrow airport over the next five years.
The CAA has suggested an annual rise of inflation (RPI) minus 1.3% for the 2014-19 period for the airport.
But British Airways, Virgin Atlantic and the International Air Transport Association, whose members include the vast majority of the 90 Heathrow airlines, said the CAA’s initial price proposals would add £600 million to airlines’ costs.
In a statement ahead of Tuesday’s closing date for responses to the CAA’s initial proposals, Keith Williams, British Airways’ chief executive, said: "As they stand the CAA’s proposals take an airport that is currently over-priced, over-rewarded and inefficient and allow it to remain that way for the next five years with ever increasing fees.
"The CAA has a new primary duty to further the interests of customers and a secondary duty to promote economy and efficiency on the part of the airport operator."
Heathrow’s airlines calculate that, after a rise of 300% in the last 11 years, charges could be capped as low as RPI minus 9.8 per cent without affecting the airport operator’s own investment plans.
They said independent analysis had shown that Heathrow was far more expensive than other hub airports such as Paris, Amsterdam and Frankfurt.
Diane
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