Gatwick Airport’s fee increase has airlines incensed

News at Gatwick 14/02/2011

Britons return from Egypt aboard chartered jet : February 2011 : BAA fails in court bid to block airport sale

Airlines are threatening to jointly oppose impending fee increases at Gatwick Airport.

Airlines flying between Gatwick and Guernsey say they will work together to oppose higher landing fees at Gatwick Airport. Gatwick has announced that landing fees are to rise from 1 April.

The carriers say Gatwick’s increased landing fees will push smaller airlines out of the business. They say the £400,000 increase in costs will add £2 to the cost of tickets.

Gatwick Airport said the fees were rising by six per cent overall. The airport said the fees continue to be competitive and the increase will only apply in the summer.

However, two airlines that fly between Guernsey island and the London airport say they will form an alliance to fight Gatwick’s price increase. Malcolm Hart, MD at Aurigny, said he felt the 25-per-cent increase in fees for small aircraft was unfair.

He added that he thought the massive increase in fees is part of Gatwick Airport’s strategy to discriminate against smaller planes. He reckons the airport only wants its busy runway to be filled with the biggest jets the airport can get.

He said this attitude existed, despite aviation industry professionals seeing no demand at all from the operators of these large craft to fly through Gatwick. Aurigny is teaming up with BMI, which also flies between Gatwick and Guernsey, in a bid to pressure the airport over the increases.

An airport spokesperson explained that there is a block on expanding runway capacity in the South East and demand for air travel is expected to rise. Therefore, Gatwick Airport needs to examine how it can best ensure the most efficient utilisation of a lone runway.

Britons return from Egypt aboard chartered jet : February 2011 : BAA fails in court bid to block airport sale

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