The International Air Transport Association (IATA) expressed deep frustration in the UK CAA decision allowing Heathrow Airport to re-evaluate and increase its asset base by GBP 300 million. This will enable Heathrow to extract higher passenger charges to cover pandemic losses (2020-2021) from next year.
“The CAA has caved to pressure from Heathrow. Consumers will pay millions more to travel, to the benefit of Heathrow’s shareholders. Heathrow’s landing charges are already the highest in the world, damaging UK competitiveness and burdening travelers. To make this even more acute as the industry gears-up for a restart is madness. This is the time when everyone in aviation should be pulling together to reduce costs and rebuild an important sector of the economy, not seeking to cover losses on the tab of its customers. Irrespective of our next steps to counter the damage of this decision, we do agree with the finding of the CAA that Heathrow must invest in better services for airlines and travelers. We expect the CAA to hold Heathrow to these obligations” said Willie Walsh, IATA´s Director General.
