The Business Travel Association (BTA), Advantage Travel Partnership (ATP), World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and Board of Airlines Representatives in the UK (BAR UK) have joined the Heathrow Reimagined campaign, which calls for an urgent and fundamental review in how the UK’s only hub airport is regulated.
The campaign’s objective is to introduce changes benefitting passengers, businesses and the UK economy.
Heathrow Reimagined argues that Heathrow Airport Limited operates some of the world’s oldest terminals and has ageing infrastructure, despite spending £15 billion over the past 20 years. It pinpoints a regulatory system which encourages inefficient spending.
According to a Heathrow Reimagined estimate, passengers and airlines are paying £1.1 billion more each year than if charges were in line with equivalent major European airports. Expansion plans look set to raise passenger charges further.
Clive Wratten, Chief Executive Officer of the BTA, said: “We need a clear and fair cost strategy that protects all travellers, especially those travelling for business and are already balancing increased operational overheads. The BTA looks forward to working with the industry as part of this Heathrow Reimagined campaign to ensure that the airport’s expansion and regulatory reform strengthens the UK’s global connectivity without creating unnecessary financial burdens for the businesses who rely on it.”
Julia Lo Bue-Said, Chief Executive Officer of the ATP, said: “Heathrow is the most expensive airport in the world but it certainly does not offer the best passenger experience in return.”
“We would welcome regulatory intervention so we can better understand why our customers pay so much more to use Heathrow than any other airport globally. This is more important now than ever, as the costs associated with a third runway could potentially extrapolate these high charges even further,” continued Bue-Said.
Julia Simpson, President and Chief Executive Officer of the WTTC, argued that the UK is at a critical juncture: “The travel and tourism sector contributed £280 billion to the UK economy last year, making Heathrow, its only hub airport, even more critical in unlocking economic growth across the country. It is clear that for too long, despite being the most expensive airport in the world, Heathrow hasn’t provided value for money for passengers and airlines alike. The Civil Aviation Authority now has an opportunity and duty to review what has gone wrong.”
Michael Smeeth, Chief Executive of BAR UK, said: “[We] believe it is crucial for the UK to have a world class global hub airport that is able to deliver not only good connectivity, but also excellent value. This is crucial to ensure that the biggest benefits to consumers, businesses, and the UK economy are delivered.”
The Heathrow Reimagined campaign is also supported by the Heathrow Airline Operators’ Committee, American Airlines, Arora Group, International Air Transport Association (IATA), International Airlines Group (IAG) and Virgin Atlantic.
