British Airways flights from Heathrow Airport could become a thing of the past if the airline is subjected to an increase in charges, the chief executive of its parent company has warned.
Luis Gallego, who heads International Airlines Group (IAG), made the claim after the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) announced a plan in October to raise the cap on the airport’s average charge per passenger.
The proposed plan would see the charge increase by up to 76per cent from the current level of £19.60 to between £24.50 and £34.40.
READ MORE: Why flights from London Heathrow could become more expensive
Speaking at the Airlines 2021 conference in Westminster, the IAG boss said Heathrow needed to “attract demand to stay competitive”.
He said: “The reality is that more than 40pc of the people who use Heathrow are connecting passengers.
“They are simply passing through on their way to other destinations and could easily go by other, more competitive hubs.
“Hiking charges will not help. It will not attract demand – it will have the opposite effect.
“If the rise in landing charges goes ahead, I know IAG will not be alone in reconsidering our airlines’ use of Heathrow.”
Tim Alderslade, chief executive of trade body Airlines UK, also warned that the level of Heathrow’s fees threatens the viability of its expansion project.
He said: “Their inability to keep their charges under control will be the death of runway three.”
Under the CAA’s proposals, Heathrow’s exact charge will depend on factors such as passenger demand and commercial revenue, with prices higher if the airport continues to struggle in those areas.
Do you want to stay up to date with the latest news, views, features and opinion from across the city?
MyLondon’s brilliant newsletter The 12 is…