Heathrow wants to raise passenger fees to fund terminal upgrades
Travelling through Heathrow could soon be more expensive
- Heathrow Airport has proposed a plan to increase its annual passenger capacity by 10 million by 2031 through upgrades to existing terminals.
- This expansion is contingent on raising the average charge per passenger from £28.46 to £33.26, an increase of nearly £5.
- The proposal has been submitted to the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) for review and approval.
- Airlines, including Virgin Atlantic and British Airways' parent IAG, oppose the fee increase, arguing that Heathrow is already one of the world's most expensive airports.
- Heathrow defends its high fees by citing expensive building costs, its constrained physical footprint, and the complexity of operating the world's busiest two-runway airport.