Pieter Elbers, chief executive of Dutch flag carrier KLM, is also battling increases at Amsterdam Schiphol airport. But the 40pc hike is considerably less than Heathrow, already one of the world’s most expensive airports, has tabled.
Elbers says Holland-Kayes’ proposals could have grave consequences for the recovery of UK aviation more broadly. “In general, aviation will come back, I’m very convinced of that. [But] the speed of coming back will not be the exact same in different markets.
“Some airports, and Heathrow is no exception to that, have announced very significant cost increases. Basically they want to get the losses over the last two years back and say: ‘OK, airlines, you have to pay it back’.”
He adds: “That could create some differentiation in the speed of recovery.”
Differing stances over aviation’s recovery remained the elephant in the room for many of the executives in Boston as they sipped cocktails and bottles of Bud Light during evening social events that lacked some of the lavish entertainment of previous years.
Sir Tim Clark, the Brit who has been at the helm of Emirates airline for the best part of two decades, is particularly bullish. He says that Covid “will be history” by 2023 at least, with travel returning to pre-pandemic norms.
Others are more pessimistic. Consultancy Bain & Company believes it may not be until the end of 2025 before pre-pandemic levels are achieved in some parts of the world.
What bosses can agree on is that airlines will need to throttle back on investment and raise prices to repay heavily indebted balance sheets. “I believe that prices were too low before Covid,” says Spohr. Michael O’Leary, Ryanair chief, has also warned holidays will be more expensive next year.
With the Conservative party conference taking place this week more than 3,000 miles away, ex-pat Clark, 71, sums up the mood. “We will have to build back,” he says. “But with less.”