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CAA blocks Heathrow plan to recover £2.6bn through higher fees

Government
Gary Noakes
27 April 2021

Heathrow has been refused permission for a "disproportionate" plan to raise airline and passenger charges to recover £2.6 billion lost during the pandemic.

Heathrow cannot recover Covid losses by raising fees, CAA says

The airport had applied to the CAA to increase its fees. However, the authority has granted permission for it to raise just £300 million through higher passenger and airline charges.

CAA director Paul Smith said: “We have taken the decision that an early intervention on the scale of its request is disproportionate and not in the interests of consumers.”

The CAA said it would consider a new request as part of the next round of price controls next year.

A Heathrow spokesperson said: “The CAA accepted the need for it to act in order to meet its duties to consumers and to Heathrow’s financeability – but today it has failed to deliver.”